Where to Go in India

Central India for Tigers

Kanha National Park

One of the best kept national parks and the home of around 500 tigers, Kanha National Park is one of the best places to see tigers. The park is famous for its dry-land swamp deer and abundance of large prey and other wildlife such as sloth bears, Indian elephants, bison, leopards and hyenas. You can reach Kanha with a 2-hour flight from Delhi plus a 4-hour drive, and we would recommend staying in Banjaar Tola.

Pench National Park

Pench National Park is one of central India’s lesser known, yet more accessible reserves. A quiet and secluded area for game viewing within a breathtaking landscape of the mild Satpuda Hills, criss-crossed with rivers and streams, the park was the setting for Rudyard Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’. Dominated by hills, the landscape is a mosaic of lush valleys and dry deciduous forest, with streams and, mostly seasonal, ‘nallahs’. You can reach Pench with a 2-hour flight from Delhi plus a 2.5-hour drive, and we would recommend staying at Jamatra Wilderness Camp.

Bandhavgarh National Park

Formally the wildlife reserve of the Maharajas, Bandhavgarh has one of India’s highest tiger populations. Home to around 60 tigers despite its smaller size, there is a good chance of seeing a tiger on safari here alongside the beautiful forests and hills. You can also see leopards, 250 different bird species and a huge variety of butterflies and reptiles. Reach Bandhavgarh with a 2-hour flight from Delhi plus a 4-hour drive, and we would recommend staying in Samode Safari Lodge.

Rajasthan

Ranthambore National Park

One of the largest national parks in northern India, located about 180 kilometres south-east of Jaipur, the area was established in 1955, declared as one of the Project Tiger reserves 18 years later, finally becoming a national park in 1980. It has a unique juxtaposition of natural and man-made historic richness, with a gigantic feature in the shape of the 700 foot tall Ranthambore Fort, after which the park is named. Comprising the former hunting grounds of the maharajas of Jaipur, here you will find an outstanding population of Bengal tigers. The main food source for tigers is the swamp deer, or Barasingha, however there is also a huge variety of wildlife such as leopards, jungle cats, palm civets and common yellow bats can be seen, as well as shaggy-haired sloth bears.

Singalila Forest for Red Pandas

Singalila National Park lies on the India-Nepal border, 2,100 to 3,650 metres above sea level, and is the best location for finding the elusive red panda. Other wildlife found in this Himalayan forest includes the clouded leopard, pangolin, Himalayan black bear and over 300 species of exotic birds.

Kaziranga National Park for the One Horned Rhino

A bastion of biodiversity, Kaziranga National Park contains over two thirds of the world’s population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros, which has gone from just 12 in 1908 to an astonishing 1,700, granting it world recognition as a conservation success story. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, the park lies in the flat plains and shallow swamplands that border the mighty Brahmaputra River and offers excellent wildlife viewing over 430 kilometres of land. Located in the state of Assam in the far eastern reaches of India, the park is one of the most remote in India, with the nearest areas being Jorhat and Guwahati. We recommend staying at Diphlu River Lodge.

Sasan Gir National Park for Asiatic Lions

Established in 1965, primarily to conserve the dwindling population of Asiatic lions, Sasan Gir National Park has been a great success. In 1913 there were just 18 of these wonderful creatures counted here, the last place in the entire world where you can see them in their natural habitat, they are now thriving with numbers at about 350. Located in the Junagadt District of Gujarat, the park is about 65 kilometres southeast of Junagadh City. Featuring mixed deciduous forest of teak, flame of the forest, ber and a variety of acacia, the low, undulating hills are dissected by rivers and streams, with deep valleys and rocky elevations.

Himalayan Hill Stations for Snow Leopards

Ladakh, much more remote in the northernmost reaches of the Indian Himalayas, is a hugely rugged and lunar landscape, more than the foothills and is one of the best areas to see the elusive snow leopard. Leh, the capital of Ladakh is the starting point of our highly adventurous safaris to track these majestic big cats and observing the preserved culture of the mountain regions en route. Husing is one of the key areas and bases for snow leopard expeditions; a place where three valleys meet, all are used by the leopards as they move to lower altitudes following their prey species. We recommend staying at Snow Leopard Lodge.

Agra & The Taj Mahal

India’s most famous icon, known, loved and recognised the world over; the Taj Mahal is, in every way, exquisite. Built by the most famous Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his wife died during childbirth, the construction of this seventeenth century complex, which began in 1631, took over twenty years to complete, even with artisans working day and night. Best seen at dawn before the crowds descend, the white marble of the domed mausoleum takes on a magical rosy hue in the early morning light. The pure symmetry and beauty of the edifice can be overwhelming, and we recommend staying at Oberia Amarvillas.