The Grand India Wildlife Adventure

A very important feature of our India wildlife safari is the limited group size, as nature encounters are best experienced away from crowds within the intimate setting of a small group.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides, lodge and park staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through lunch on final day, some gratuities, still camera fees, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
  

• Internal air cost includes: All flights within the itinerary (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees, optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance. Note: India requires additional fees for video camera usage in parks, which is not included in your trip fee.

Easy to Moderate
In order to participate in this trip you must be able to walk unassisted (without the use of walking aids) at a steady pace for at least two miles over uneven terrain, climb multiple sets of stairs at some accommodations, and climb a short ladder to get into and out of our safari vehicles. Activities include a city walking tour that could be as long as three miles in crowded conditions, walking with luggage through multiple airports, and walking on sometimes dark and uneven paths at our accommodations. Wildlife drives in the parks take place on very rough and bumpy dirt roads with many ruts and potholes, in conditions that are potentially very dusty. Travelers with back problems or other health issues that could be exacerbated by such conditions should take this into consideration. The trip also involves many very early morning starts and long, full days of activities with little downtime, which can be quite tiring. As the national parks we visit are spread over a large area, we are required to fly and drive between several locations, with some drives lasting between 5-6 hours and occurring amid rather chaotic local driving conditions.

On custom or private departures with smaller groups, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited, since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may be assisted, pending availability, by local guides.

Wildlife Encounters
Our guests choose a trip to India for encounters with the country’s unique wildlife. While the nature experiences here are exciting, there is a fundamental difference between the wildlife experience in the Indian jungle and a typical African safari. At times, guests who are lured to India by tourist brochures promising “tiger safaris” can be disappointed to see fewer animals than they expected, or at least fewer than they might normally see in Africa. It is not that the surviving jungles are thinly populated with wildlife, but, similar to places like Costa Rica where the forest vegetation is dense, animals have mastered the art of camouflage in thick cover and can be extremely difficult to spot. We design our itineraries to capitalize on the best places to see tigers. But various factors can affect potential sightings, including inclement weather, which creates small pockets of water that allow the animals to remain hidden in the forest, rather than being driven into the open to drink. There is no doubt that India's nature, and the forests Kipling immortalized, offer wondrous discoveries. The secret for visitors lies in the assistance of expert guides – and we have been told that we have the best! – as well as knowing what to expect, and in understanding that the privilege of stepping into a wild natural realm is a reward in itself.

The Seasons
There are many advantages to traveling at the time of year that we operate our India adventure. While it is true that tiger sightings do take a while to fully pick up after the long monsoon off season (April-September), things begin to change from mid-November onwards. Water begins to evaporate from deep forest pools and streams, the vegetation begins to dry up and, most importantly, tiger activity reaches a high, including mating, which mostly occurs in December and January. During this season, tigers are consistently on the move and walk the game trails extensively, which makes sightings exciting. They are also at their most vocal as they call out to mates and spray and mark their territories, stepping up their breeding efforts. During fall and early winter season, tigers (and many other animals) grow a brilliant winter coat that makes them look their most alluring. Other species, like the hardground swamp deer, also enter their rut in December and are extremely vocal with their rutting bugle. This winter season is definitely also the best time for birdwatching in India's tiger habitats, as large numbers of palearctic migrants arrive. The landscapes through which we travel is also stunning in winter – frost on the grasslands and mist rising til late in the morning create an ethereal atmosphere, shafts of sunlight filter through the canopy and look almost as if they were solid... These settings help create magical images of even “ordinary” jungle animals. When it comes to weather, winter is the most pleasant time of the year to travel through India. Cooler temperatures provide a comfortable experience, and the previous season’s rains result in lush green scenery, though, of course, that thick junglescape can impede sightings.

Safari Vehicle Routes & Seating Allocation
Rather different than in nearly every other country we travel to, in India the driving routes in national parks are pre-assigned and must be followed. In most parks this is generally not a problem, but when searching for tigers this can be frustrating as they simply may not be visible on a given route on a given day. Our hope is that we are able to utilize different routes on different days. However, the park service allocates routes at random for each vehicle, so there is no guarantee that vehicles will get a different route for each wildlife drive. We understand that one of the goals for your journey is to view tigers, and but please understand that there is a chance that the vehicle to which you are assigned could take the same route multiple times. Thank you for participating in this adventure knowing that this may be the case.

Also, on rare occasions you may see film crews during your time inside parks. These crews have special permits in order to film inside park boundaries and, as a result, they do enjoy certain advantages that a regular tourist does not, such as spending the entire day inside the park and having access to places where others cannot go. 

Indian park regulations are also extremely strict with regard to seating arrangements on wildlife drives. Requirements dictate that guests be confirmed in specific vehicles upon booking, well in advance of the departure date, and we are unable to change vehicles while we are exploring each park. To the best of our ability, we attempt to ensure that guests who are traveling with a partner or friend will have seats together during wildlife drives. Because couples or friends are booked together in the same vehicle and are unable to split up during drives, it may mean that in some instances, certain vehicles will contain fewer guests than others.

It is also important to understand the limitations based on available vehicle space. Each open safari vehicle has two front seats and two rows of bench seats. Regulations require that the front two seats be occupied by a park ranger and registered driver. Our Expedition Leader and local guides are allowed more flexibility and will switch among vehicles for each drive so that all guests are able to spend equal time with them. However, this means that as our Expedition Leaders and local guides rotate vehicles, there may be times when there will be three people (two guests and one Expedition Leader or local guide) to a row—our Expedition Leader/local guides may be required to sit in the rear left seat of the vehicle. 

Please know that while there are indeed limiting factors to the tiger viewing experience in India, we have taken great pains to ensure that this special India tiger and wildlife safari with Nat Hab provides the best viewing experience possible.

Arrive in Delhi by 9 am on Day 1 in order to participate in a guided city tour beginning at approximately 1 pm. You are free to depart Delhi any time after 9 pm on the final day.

We can best serve you if our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk makes your reservations, as we are intimately familiar with the special requirements of this program and can arrange the most efficient travel. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare and additional nights' accommodations, you may find special web rates or better fares online.