Day 01 : 04 April, Saturday : Arrival Delhi
You will be received by our representative who will assist you to Hotel Taj Palace, New Delhi.
Day 02 : 05 April, Sunday : Delhi
After breakfast, proceed on a guided tour of Delhi at 09:30 hours which includes the city’s world heritage sites.
Day 03 : 06 April, Monday : Delhi – Khajuraho (by flight) To Panna National Park by road (55 kms)
After an early breakfast by 07:30 hours, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight to Khajuraho. Meet on arrival and drive one hour away to the Pashan Garh lodge.
Pashan Garh is a unique lodge nestled in untamed wilderness in a 200-acre forest. Here you have a unique opportunity of also enjoying a night safari. The habitat restoration initiative that the team has undertaken have resulted in a green cover.
Meal : Breakfast, packed Lunch and Dinner
Day 04 : 07 April, Tuesday : Panna National Park
Early morning, enjoy a wake-up tea, after which you depart for a jungle safari accompanied by a resident naturalist, with a break for picnic breakfast.
Return to lodge in the afternoon after an early lunch, proceed on an excursion to Kalinjar fort which is 60 kms away. Many decisive battles were fought for the possession of this strategically located fort in ancient, medieval and modern times, also symbolic of cultural and religious glory. The famous temple here is the Neelkantha, the tallest Kala Bhairava image and a number of other sculptures. Return to the lodge at the end of the day.
Meal : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 05 : 08 April, Wednesday : Panna National Park
The temples at Khajuraho were built under later Chandela kings between 950 and 1050 AD in a truly inspired burst of creativity. Of the original 85 temples, the 25 surviving are among the finest in India. Some believe, the erotic temple sculptures illustrate Kama Sutra, the sensuality outside the temple contrasting with the serenity within. The name Khajuraho is derived from Khajura-date palm, which grows freely in the area and perhaps, because there were two golden khajura trees on a carved gate here.
Return to the lodge for lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive in your own vehicle ending at sunset. Enjoy a sundowner as you recount tales of the jungle.
Meal : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 06 : 09 April, Thursday : Panna National Park – Bandhavgarh National Park (200 kms, 4-5 hours)
After breakfast, we proceed to the next wilderness destination at Bandhavgarh. Enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating massage at Mahua Kothi Lodge.
This compact park with a core area of 105 sq. kms and a buffer zone of 437 sq. kms is in the Vindhya hills. It is famous as the place in which the White Tiger originated and before becoming a National Park in 1968, it was the game preserve of the Maharajas of Rewa.
The management has embarked on a conservation programme and protection form disease, fire, grazing and poaching have all been factors in the recovery of the wildlife area. It is set in rugged hills and marshes that used to be perennial and now support a vast grassland Savanna. There are also interesting cave shrines that are scattered around the park.
Day 07 : 10 April, Friday : Bandhavgarh National Park
Early this morning, we will head to the park for a game drive accompanied by expert naturalists. We will look for not just the Tiger but all species of fauna and flora. We will also stop for a picnic breakfast.
Late afternoon will proceed for a guided nature walk. The nature trails in the buffer zone of the park, offers a Wonderful time to get acquainted with the smaller creatures, be the butterflies, beetles, and a multitude of wildflowers.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 08 : 11 April, Saturday : Bandhavgarh National Park
After breakfast, visit a local village and interact with the locals and see their untouched way of life. These villages are on the periphery of the park where farming is practiced in age old methods with simple tools and ingenuity. Tribes like Baiga, Gond and Kol amongst others, live in homes plastered with cow dung. Return to the lodge for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive in search of leopards, tigers and more.
Tonight, we will sit beneath the Mahua tree and have dinner. The tall tree stands at the edge of the grassland and here we enjoy a special dinner adorned by lanterns. This dinner is a unique dining experience with barbecue cuisine.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 09 : 12 April, Sunday : Bandhavgarh National Park – Kanha National Park (250 kms, 5 hours)
After breakfast, we will drive to Kanha National park with a packed lunch. The afternoon is free and later you can enjoy a cooking class by the chef who will unveil simple tips on Indian cooking.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10 : 13 April, Monday : Kanha National Park
At dawn, we will leave in special jeeps of Banjar Tola with our naturalists through dense jungles and grasslands laden with mist and a deep orange orb for a sun in the sky. Misty mornings are a common feature in Kanha.
Kanha is rich in biodiversity and has an excellent population of tigers and leopards. The Barasingha (hard ground swamp deer) are the mascots of Kanha and herds can be seen in grasslands as well as in ponds feeding on aquatic plants.
After lunch, visit a nearby tribal village, interacting with the locals and learning about their ancient culture. Gond and Baiga are the two prominent tribes found here. These were a hunter –gatherer, forest dwelling communities that practised a harmonious coexistence with nature. Remnants of that lifestyle can still be glimpsed here, although the younger generaons are fast adapting to modern ways.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11 : 14 April, Tuesday : Kanha National Park
This morning, we will visit the Kanha Museum of life and art. The museum showcases Gond and Baiga tribal traditional paintings that draw inspiration from forests and wildlife.
At 14:30 hours, we will return to the park for another drive looking for gaur and jackals.
This evening we have a farewell bush dinner with lanterns and a rustic wooden cart serving some local delicacies like the Baiga chicken. The Baiga dancers in traditional dress move lithely to the compelling drumbeats.
Meals : Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12 : 15 April, Wednesday : Kanha National Park – Jabalpur airport by road. (175 kms, 3 hours) – Delhi by flight
Enjoy the last day at the lodge and then proceed to Jabalpur.
Banjaar Tola’s Gaudi-esque tents set you up for the eclectic décor and scrumptious menus. The naturalist here can bring alive the reality of a tiger’s hair to the creation of an ant hill! They have names for butterflies, tree bark, beetles and bees. Steeped in high luxury, exploring this lodge is eternally mysterious as is the lush Sal forest that it inhabits in Central India.
On arrival at Delhi, transfer to Hotel Taj Palace for the night, with evening free.
Meals : Breakfast and packed Lunch
Day 13 : 16 April, Thursday : Depart Delhi
You will be transferred to the airport based on your final flight details.
Please note: Check-out of the hotel is by 12pm.
Meals : Breakfast
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