Stately Cranes to Stealthy Tigers Tour (14 days) BT151

Introduction

Bharatpur’s wealth of birdlife is sure to impress – probably one of the best compact wetlands in the world!  From the largest – Sarus Cranes – to the small but charismatic Sunbirds you’ll discover something new around every corner!  You have to see it to believe the diversity.  What’s more you can’t fail to take impressive bird and mammal photos here!

After all this excitement, take a day’s break at the National Chambal Sanctuary and there’s a good chance of watching Ganges River Dolphins breaking the river’s surface while bizarre Indian Skimmers grace the skies and Small Pratincoles rest on sandy shores.

The Taj Mahal can be easily included as it’s on the journey to Central India’s Tiger Reserves. First to the lesser known and less visited, but very special, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary where there is a chance of seeing a Tiger and also Leopard.  Grey-headed Fish Eagle and White-eyed Buzzard are likely additions to an ever growing list of raptors.  Then on to Tadoba National Park with areas designated a Project Tiger Reserve in 1993. The Tiger population (March/April 2014) was estimated to be 120 individuals and whilst you can never guarantee a sighting, the chance of seeing this top predator is high.  Incorporating both sites increases the likelihood of Wild Dog and Sloth Bear as well as an encounter with the ruler of these ideal jungle lands – the Bengal Tiger.

Itinerary

For help with your flight arrangements and to receive a no obligation quote, you can complete the enquiry form on our website or call 0800 280 8947 to speak to a flight advisor at StudentUniverse (in partnership with Gapyear.com), part of the Flight Centre Travel Group, a leading retailer of airfares and worldwide flights.

For help with your flight arrangements and to receive a no obligation quote, you can email wildabouttravel@flightcentre.co.uk, use the enquiry form on our website or call 0800 280 8947 to speak to a flight advisor at Gapyear.com, part of the Flight Centre Travel Group, a leading retailer of airfares and worldwide flights. Meals: Payable directly today Arrive at Delhi International Airport. You will be welcomed by our representative and taken to check in at local hotel. We have included the transfer to your hotel only today. Meals: Breakfast in Delhi, lunch and dinner at Bharatpur After breakfast (served from 0700 hours) your driver will take you to Bharatpur (5 hrs). Ideally leave just after breakfast around 0730 – 0800 hours to avoid some of the rush hour traffic. Check in to your hotel, close to Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary entrance. Explore Sanctuary on foot in the afternoon with an experienced guide. Night at hotel. Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner Explore Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary for the whole day on foot with an experienced guide for nightjars, owls, Black Bittern, Black-necked and several other species of stork and even Siberian Rubythroat is possible. You can accrue an impressive raptor list here too! Have packed lunch inside the Sanctuary. Meals: Breakfast, packed lunch and dinner Leave for a full day birding at the Chambal River (Dholpur) after an early breakfast (the time can be decided by you), with bird guide accompanying. The journey will take approx. 1¾ hours. Enjoy a one hour boat safari on the Chambal River. Note: We can provide a supplement for a longer safari on the river. Species here might include Indian Skimmer, Gharial, Marsh Crocodile, many species of bird and a glimpse of the rare Ganges River Dolphin if you are lucky. Spend a few hours birdwatching along the banks of the Chambal River with your guide and enjoy a packed lunch while you are there. Return in the afternoon to your hotel at Bharatpur and relax for the evening. Meals: Breakfast at Bharatpur, lunch or packed lunch and packed dinner (from Agra, to eat on the train) Today you can either spend another half day inside Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary with a bird guide, or alternatively leave after breakfast to drive (1 ½ - 2 hours depending on traffic) to Agra to see the Taj Mahal with a monument guide. Please note, the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. With either option the entrance fee and cost of guide is included. We have included the transfer to the railway station to catch the Gondwana Express departing Agra at 1850 hrs. Night on air-conditioned sleeper train (pillow, sheet and blanket provided). Meals: Breakfast in Nagpur, lunch and dinner at Nagzira Your train should arrive in Nagpur at 0900 hrs and your driver will meet you and take you for breakfast at a local hotel (Tuli Imperial). Use of the hotel’s public bathroom facilities will be available before continuing the drive to Nagzira (approx. 3 hrs). Check in at safari lodge/resort (rooms available from 12 noon) and relax or enjoy birdwatching in and around the lodge environs with your bird guide. In the afternoon enjoy the first jeep safari inside Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary. Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary (closed on Thursdays) covers 653 km² with 150 km² designated as a Tiger Reserve. Recent records show the area supports 11 Tigers (4 males, 3 females and 3 cubs) and a healthy Leopard population estimated to be around 45 with a 95% chance of a sighting. Dhole (Wild Dog), Sloth Bear, Gaur (Indian Bison), Indian Palm and Small Civet and even Flying Squirrel are all recorded along with the more easy to see mammals. Naturally some of these are easier to see than others. Birdwatching locally is very good too, with sightings of Grey Junglefowl, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, White-eyed Buzzard, Jungle Owlet, Jungle Nightjar, Jungle Bush-quail, Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo, Tawny-bellied Babbler and many more species. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner Enjoy morning and afternoon jeep safaris on both days inside Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the king of predators, the Bengal Tiger, but not forgetting to keep eyes peeled for Leopard, Wild Dog and Sloth Bear and of course the many birds which share their jungle home. You’ll return to your lodge/resort for lunch each day. Day 10 will be your last full day with your bird guide. Note: A supplement can be supplied if you would like your guide to accompany you during your time at Tadoba and remain with you till you reach Nagpur, so please enquire. Meals: Breakfast at Nagzira, lunch and dinner at Tadoba After breakfast you’ll be driven to Tadoba (approx. 4 hours). Check in at safari lodge/resort (rooms available from 12 noon) and relax or enjoy birdwatching locally (on your own). Note: Some lodges/resorts (not all - we can confirm which) have resident naturalist guides who may be available to accompany guests at the discretion of the lodge management. Some lodge guides are better than others at identifying the more difficult bird species and most are good on mammal identification. Safaris inside Tadoba are with a mandatory Forest Department guide and the quality of their identification and communication skills vary. To guarantee a skilled bird guide it is best for us to call in their services and a supplement for this can be supplied. Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, situated in the Chandrapur District of Maharashtra, spans over 625 square kilometres and incorporates both Tadoba National Park (which became Maharashtra’s first National Park in 1955) and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. More recently it became one of India's 28 Project Tiger Reserves in 1993. The Tiger population (March/April 2014) was estimated to be 120 individuals (60 Core Zone, 12 Buffer Zone and 48 in the territorial forest areas). Many other mammals are seen with some frequency such as Leopard, Sloth Bear, Gaur, Jungle Cat and Wild Dog. Striped Hyena and Chousingha (the Four-horned Antelope) are more tricky. The typical rich birdlife of central India can also be enjoyed here. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner Explore the best parts of Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and National Park on morning and afternoon jeep safaris (six over three days) with a Forest Department guide (see supplement if you’d like to have a bird guide accompany you). Sloth Bears, whilst difficult to see at many National Parks, are sometimes seen at Tadoba. They tend to prefer the more hilly and rocky areas of Katezari and they can be seen at other locations too. During the morning and afternoon safaris you will be able to visit various areas (subject to National Park rules) which may include Tadoba and Telia Lakes, Pandharpauni Meadows, Jamun Bodhi and Vasant Bandhara areas of Tadoba. Relax between safaris and in the evenings at your lodge/resort. Meals: Breakfast This morning will be at leisure. The transfer from your lodge/resort to Nagpur Airport is included in the price to arrive in good time to check in for your internal flight to Delhi (to be booked by you directly). Tour ends Note: There are many flights operating from Nagpur to Delhi including flights by Jet Airways and Indigo. Jet Airways flights can be booked through some UK flight companies. Indigo flights can be viewed on www.cleartrip.com where these can be booked simply, paid for by credit card and you will be emailed an e-ticket. If you prefer you can also book Jet Airways flights with a number of UK companies. Tour extensions available. Please ask or visit the website for details.

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