Brief Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Delhi
Day 2: Jaipur
Day 3: Jaipur; transfer to Ranthambhore
Day 4-7: Ranthambhore
Day 8: Ranthambhore; transfer to Bharatpur
Day 9-13: Bharatpur
Day 14: Transfer to Agra
Day 15: Agra; transfer to Delhi; end of main tour
Extension:
Day 16-17: Naintal
Day 18-19: Kosi River and vicinity
Day 20-21: Corbett National Park
Day 22: transfer to Delhi; evening flight back to US
Itinerary: Rajasthan
Day 1: Evening flight arrival in Delhi.
Day 2: Delhi to Jaipur
Transfer by road to Jaipur. On our way we will get our first experience at some of the more common and exotic species that make up this part of the world. In the afternoon we’ll explore some of the cities showcase Rajasthani architecture with visits to the fantastic Palace of the Winds and Observatory.
Day 3: Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur
This morning we’ll visit the spectacular Amber Fort on the outskirts of Jaipur where we ride elephants to the main courtyard. After lunch we drive to Sawai Madhopur, situated near Ranthambore Reserve, and our base for the next 5 nights.
Day 4-7: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
While not guaranteed Ranthambore’s tigers are frequently encountered in broad daylight. We have given ourselves a fine opportunity of seeing and hopefully photographing them with four days in the park. Impressive numbers of Sambar and Spotted Deer also graze these grasslands and are sometimes joined by Indian Gazelles. Other mammals we may encounter are Brown Mongoose, Golden Jackal, and Sloth Bear. Other cats are here too: Jungle Cats can sometimes be seen stalking sandgrouse or doves in the grasslands in the beautiful evening light. Leopards sometimes saunter across the tracks, particularly in the steep and wooded hills surrounding the hugely impressive Rajput fort of Ranthambore, which overlooks the park's main lake. Langurs frequent the battlements whilst overhead Bonelli's Eagles and Crested Serpent Eagles soar. Peacocks swagger through these open woodlands and above them Small Minivets, White-bellied Drongos and Blossom-headed Parakeets perch in fruiting trees, often in company with groups of Indian Tree-pies and Yellow-legged Green Pigeons. Stork-billed Kingfishers, their huge dagger-like bills making them look top-heavy, hunt along small rivers inhabited by Mugger Crocodiles and the secretive Brown Crake.
Outside the park are arid grasslands, which are home to Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Indian Courser and the Bengal Fox. At Lake Soorwhal we can find a rich variety of birds and herds of the rare Blackbuck. This is a superb birdwatching site with the possibility of flocks of Demoiselle Cranes, White Pelicans and lots of waders including Great Thick-knee and Small Pratincoles.
Day 8: After a morning visit to the lovely 11th century Ranthambore Fort we take the early afternoon train to Bharatpur, where we’ll be based at the beautiful Bagh for 6 nights.
Days 9-13: Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur
Bharatpur is one of the most important wetlands in the world and its abundant wildlife is very approachable making this paradise an absolute mecca for wildlife photographers. Early mornings are quite magical as mists rise from the water-lily bedecked jheels, obscuring the legs of a stately Blue Bull as it stands by a row of Jamun trees, these covered in the ghostly shapes of numerous Painted Storks - this is what Bharatpur is all about! Black-necked Storks stand nearly five feet and taller still are Sarus Cranes, which move solemnly through sedge beds, looking skyward as flocks of Common Cranes descend noisily from the sky. Cormorants, Darters and Comb Duck are all common, and stunning Pheasant-tailed and Bronze-winged Jacanas decorate the Sapan Mari Jheel. Brightly colored kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers flash past Babul trees overhanging pools where Purple Swamp-hens congregate.
Amidst the adjacent forest dotted by pools, Bluethroats, Orange-headed Ground Thrushes, Indian Grey Hornbills and Coppersmiths inhabit the nearby cover as do roosting Long-tailed Nightjars, confident in their beautiful cryptic camouflage. Spotted Owlets roost in the garden and we'll hear the deep hoarse hoots of Dusky Horned Owls while Collared Scops Owls peer down at us from their roosts. Raptors really are exceptional here, with Imperial Eagle, Spotted Eagle, Red-headed Vulture and the ubiquitous Crested Serpent Eagle all-featuring. Dry lands offer yet another selection with Sirkeer Malkoha, Yellow-wattled Lapwing and the beautiful Red Avadavat, whilst beautifully patterned Rock Pythons bask in the sunshine. Bharatpur is also fantastic for mammals. Sambar and Blue Bull will be sighted daily whilst boisterous groups of Wild Boar splash in the shallows. We will likely hear the eerie calls of Golden Jackals before seeing our first one. Rhesus Macaques argue noisily in Kadam trees and Common Grey Mongoose wander along the paths as if they own them!
On one day we’ll make a full day excursion to Bund Bertha where we have a good chance of seeing the rare Indian Skimmer. Great Thick-knees and Asian Openbills can usually be found along the shoreline and an assortment of thrushes and warblers in the scrub and woodland vegetation.
Day 14: Bharatpur to Agra
Today we drive to Agra with an en-route visit to Fatehpur Sikri, the magnificent fortified city that was the capital of the Mughal Empire for a brief period. Later we visit the vast Agra Fort whose red sandstone ramparts protect wonderful pavilions of such intricate workmanship and mosques and audience halls decorated with ornate pillars inlaid with jasper and lapis lazuli.
Day 15: Agra to Delhi
This morning we visit the Taj Mahal, the zenith of Mughal architecture and one of the most fabulous monuments in the world. This magnificent building is an experience not to be missed. Along the Yamuni River are Black-bellied Tern and River Lapwings. After lunch we’ll return to Delhi.
- For those that are ending the tour, you will have a late evening return flight.
- For those continuing on the extension to Nainital & Corbett, we will be taking the overnight sleeper train from Delhi to Kathgodam.
Days 16-21: Extension to Nainital & Corbett
To complete your sampling of Northern India's fabulous and varied wildlife our extension takes us by train into the foothills of the Himalaya and high into the hill station at Nainital, where we’ll be based for 2 nights. The panorama of great Himalayan peaks (including 26,000 foot Nanda Devi) away to the north is quite astounding and the birdwatching is excellent too with Lammergeiers and Himalayan Griffon Vultures soaring over the convoluted landscape. Various laughingthrushes and accentors are on the agenda and in woodlands are some of the glorious jewels of these hills such as Golden Bush Robin, Fire-capped Tit, Red-flanked Bluetail and the immaculate Red-billed Blue Magpie. In Nainital's parks, gardens, meadows and pine forests we can see Black-headed Jay and the stunning Great Barbet whilst brilliantly colored Slaty-headed Parakeets are abundant.
From Nainital we head back downhill to the wonderfully situated Den (formally the Quality Inn), where we'll spend two nights here and two at the basic Dhikala compound in Corbett as we explore the Kosi River valley and Corbett National Park.
This is a fantastically rich area. Fabulous White-crested Laughing Thrushes will wake us with their maniacal laughter whilst Pallas's Fish Eagles and Mountain Hawk Eagles patrol the skies above the Inn. Both Tawny and Brown Fish Owls roost in trees down by the Kosi River where beautiful White-crowned and Plumbeous Water-Redstarts as well as the stunning Spotted Forktail live. Wintering Wallcreepers are not uncommon here and there is always the chance of an Ibisbill! Jungle Cats, Leopards and Tigers are all possible here and inside Corbett, where the supporting cast includes Hog Deer and birds such as the gorgeous Green Magpie, elegant Kalij Pheasant, Red Junglefowl, an amazing variety of woodpeckers, bulbuls and drongos and the rapacious Collared Falconet, itself no bigger than a sparrow. By the unspoiled banks of the Ramganga River we can watch the Gharial, a prehistoric-looking fish-eating croc, whilst strident Himalayan Crested Kingfishers patrol the banks.
Day 22: On the last day we return to Delhi by road, crossing the Ganges en-route. Late evening return flight back to the US.
Northern India contains some of the world’s most impressive wildlife and cultural spectacles.
