Agra to Satpura

Hotel Jivitesh
Hotel Jivitesh is located at the hub of the commercial centre of New Delhi. It is a small hotel, with just 42 guest rooms, each of them spacious and attractively furnished.

The Deluxe rooms come with the following amenities: AC, Wi-Fi, tea/coffee facilities, room safe, LCD TV, mini bar, private en-suite bathroom, and turn-down service.

After you have checked in to your room, set off on a half day sightseeing tour of Old Delhi in the company of a knowledgeable local guide.

Old and New Delhi offer stunning sights and sounds. The ancient city was built by Emperor Shah Jahan, who also commissioned the famous Taj Mahal, while the new garden was city built in 1911 by the British.

Drive through the old city and visit the Red Fort and Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. Late morning, continue to the Qutub Minar, the tallest free standing minaret of stone in the world, and then on to Humayun’s tomb, the first Mughal construction in India, dating back to 1565 AD. You will also have time to visit the India Gate, as well as the Raj Ghat and the Lutyen buildings.

Conclude the day with a walking tour of Old Delhi to really get a feel for this bustling city.

Grand Imperial
The Grand Imperial offers old-world charm and an enviable location in central Agra. Over a century old, the hotel was constructed using the same Lahori brick that was used in the construction of the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.

The Grand Imperial provides 30 well-appointed en-suite guestrooms and suites, each with four-poster bed, terracotta-coloured walls and lavish bedding.

After you have checked-in, embark on a half day sightseeing tour of Agra, beginning with Agra Fort, where you can explore the main public halls and the viewing points that look out over the city, before continuing to the Taj Mahal, Indian’s most famous mausoleum.

On arrival in Jaipur, check in at Shahpura House for two nights in a suite (B).

Shahpura House
Established as a hotel in 1956, Shahpura House was once the residence of the Shekhawat clan of Rajputs. Like many historical houses, Shahpura is a curious mixture of the old and new. Indeed, part of it is still a family home.

The rooms are all unique, luxurious and beautifully furnished, while also containing the expected modern amenities. Each room has a marble bathroom and opens out onto a private verandah.

Start with the Palace of the Winds, or Hawa Mahal, a beautiful five-story palace constructed of red and pink sandstone.

From Hawa Mahal, continue to Jantar Mantar, an elaborate observatory built in 1727 for Sawai Maharaja Jai Singh II, a Rajput king famous in India for his contributions to astrology and music. He commissioned five observatories throughout India – in Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, Mathura and Delhi – but only Jantar Mantar is still functional today.

End the morning with a visit to the City Palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur, with its fabulous collection of robes and saris in cotton and silk with gold lattice work. The City Palace also houses a collection of paintings.

After a lunch stop, your tour continues with a visit to the Amber fort, a unique combination of Mughal and Rajput architectural styles. Housed within the fort is the Sheesh Mahal, or the Hall of Mirrors, which was constructed in the early 17th-century and which blends Hindu and Islamic art to beautiful effect. Finally, explore the Hall of Public Audiences and Maharaja Man Singh’s Palace, before returning to your hotel.

Nahargarh Fort
Nestled at the foot of the stunning Aravali Range, Nahargarh Fort is a fabulous hotel designed to resemble a 16th-century Mughal fort, complete with vast “Char Bagh” (a Mughal-style garden). It houses 68 luxurious rooms, furnished to the highest standards and housed within the main fort. The ground floor rooms open directly onto the courtyard, while the upper floor rooms feature private terraces.

Nahargarh Fort is situated just outside Ranthambore National Park, providing easy access for morning and afternoon game drives.

This afternoon, embark on a shared game drive in Ranthambore.

Ranthambore National Park is India’s most famous tiger park and offers perhaps the best tiger-viewing opportunities of any wildlife park in the country.

Your safari into Ranthambore will follow the tiger trails through deciduous jungle terrain, and will be led by an experienced guide.

Of course, there’s more to Ranthambore than its tigers. Other mammals, including sloth bear, leopard, nilgai and spotted deer, are also found in the park, though sightings of many of these creatures are very rare. During the safari, you’ll also have the chance to stop at Ranthambore Fort, with its impressive views of the park and lakes.

In the afternoon, head out on another game drive into the Ranthambore jungle.

Late this afternoon, meet with your driver and transfer to Sawai Madhopur Railway Station, where you board the Dayodaya Express to Katni (First AC Sleeper Class, 19:30/07:25).

Kings Lodge
Kings lodge is nestled in the densely-wooded hills of Bandhavgarh National Park, where it forms part of the 8 hectare Rancha estate. The lodge is set in the heart of wild country and only ten minutes’ drive from the Tala gate of the National Park. Guests benefit from the incredible location and the generous hospitality and knowledge of the naturalist team.

The lodge has 10 standard cottage rooms and 8 stilt-cottage rooms, carefully spaced out among the trees making for a very private atmosphere.

After lunch, embark on an afternoon game drive into Bandhavgarh National Park by shared jeep with a local naturalist, returning to the lodge for dinner.

Bandhavgarh was established in 1968 as a National Park (and in 1993 recognised as a tiger reserve). It encompasses an area of over 1,000 sq. kms, comprised of dense jungle, forested hills and vast grasslands. Though smaller than many of India’s wildlife parks, it has one of the highest densities of tiger in the world.

Village visits, bird walks and picnics can also be arranged.

Village visits, bird walks and picnics can also be arranged.

Forsyth Lodge
Forsyth’s is a stylish 12 cottage wilderness lodge set in 44 aces of jungle at the edge of the Satpura Tiger Reserve. The focus at Forsyth Lodge is very much on allowing guests to explore the surrounding wilderness. An exciting and comprehensive wildlife programme is included during your stay and led by experienced guides with an in-depth knowledge of the region.

The cottages at Forsyth Lodge are spacious and decorated in a wonderfully rustic style, with hardwood furnishings, traditional dhurrie rugs, and thatch. Each features a pleasant outside verandah area with seating area. A small number of cottages also open onto a rooftop terrace with double bed for sleeping out under the stars (please let us know in advance if you would like to ensure one of the cottages with rooftop terrace).

The main lodge building houses a comfortable lounge, dining room and balcony, which serves as a lovely spot for evening drinks.

Evening at leisure.

Covering an area of 524 km², Satpura National Park was set up in 1981 mainly for the conservation of tigers. It is one of India’s last true wilderness reserves. You have to cross a lake to reach the core of the park, and with very few visitors, the experience is quite different to that of the more popular tiger parks.

The terrain of Satpura is extremely rugged and consists of fascinating deep valleys, sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, dense green forest, and the vast Tawa reservoir. The bio-diversity of the park is equally stunning, with over 1,000 recorded species of plant, including rare woods (teak, tendu, sal and mahua, or Indian butter-tree), and tall bamboos and grasses.

Satpura’s fauna is the highlight, however, and includes spotted dear, gaur, tiger, leopard, wild dog, sloth bear, and more. The Indian giant squirrel is arguably the standout wildlife attraction of Satpura NP, as it is an increasingly rare sight across the rest of the country. Sightings of leopard, gaur, wild dog, and sloth bear are very good compared to other national parks, though far from guaranteed. Tiger sightings, while not unusual, are not as good as they are in nearby Bandhavgarh, Kanha or Pench National Parks. By this stage of the tour, however, you should have had some good tiger sightings already!

Walking activities on the perimeter of the park can also be arranged. Please let us know in advance if of interest.

In Mumbai, connect with your international flight home.