Places to See : Delhi - Bandhavgarh - Kanha - Delhi
Duration : 6 Nights / 7 Days
Day1 Delhi - Bandhavgarh:
By
Train at 1500 hr We will receive you at the airport in the morning and then
after picking up some fruits, juice and water for the journey proceed to station
in Delhi for train to Umaria (Bandavgarh).
If time permits we will drive through the tour of New Delhi Buildings. Overnight
will be on the train.
Day 2 Bandhavgarh:
Reach Bandavgarh in the morning and check in at resort. Bandavgarh is a new
National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya
Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of
habitats and a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers.
This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the old state
of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951.
This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja
of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had
long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa.
The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was
well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot
109 tigers.
His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914. There are
32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort at its center.
The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters) above
the surrounding countryside. At independence Bandavgarh remained the private
property of the Maharaja until he gave it to the state for the formation of
the National Park in 1968.
After the park was created poaching was brought under control and the number
of animals rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve
the problem of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village
within the park boundaries was relocated. The Tigers in particular prospered
and the 1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them. Check
in at the resort and enjoy the afternoon safari inside the park. Overnight will
be at Bandavgarh.
Day 3 Bandhavgarh:
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) Trip to the Bandavgarh
Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more than 2500 years. One-hour
trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of this trek lies in discovering
these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century.
These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a place of worship.
Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and preached here.
The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.
The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to
visit it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandavgarh
is complete without making an effort to climb up the fort.
The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating the
trek to the fort. Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 4 Bandhavgarh - Kanha:
By
Road
250 km in 6 hr After breakfast drive to Kanha. This is the place that has been
described by RUDYARD KIPLING in his great book "The Jungle Book".
Located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is a tiger
reserve that extends over an area of over 940 square km.A horseshoe shaped valley
bounded by the spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep
rocky escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley. Realizing
the danger on the Tiger population in the country, the Government started the
"Project Tiger" at Kanha and in 1974 the area was declared a Tiger
reserve.
The park is also the habitat of the high ground Barasingha. In 1930s, the Kanha
area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar of 250kms to 300kms
each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The area remained a protected
one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the year that followed
led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. Patient watching should
reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian Fox, Sloth bear, Striped hyena, Jungle
cut, Lepord, Mouse Deer, Chausingha or four horned antelope, Nilgai, Ratel and
Porcupine Kanha has some 200 species of birds.
Watchers should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo
forests harbour many species and in the grassy forest clearings. Water birds
can be seen near the park's many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented
by water birds and the area in front of the museum. Reach in the afternoon and
relax at the resort. Overnight will be at the Kanha Resort.
Day 5 Kanha:
Spend the full day viewing game and spotting TIGERS inside the jungle.
(Two safaris) Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 6 Kanha - Nagpur:
By
Road
250 km in 6 hr Proceed for the morning GAME DRIVE into the forest. Proceed to
Nagpur. Nagpur, popularly known as Orange Capital of India is also the second
capital of Maharashtra. The Gond King of Deogad, "Bakht Buland Shah"
laid the city's foundation in the year 1702.
This city derived its name from the river Nag that flows through it. Nagpur
was the capital of Madhya Bharat State (C.P. and Berar) after Indian independence
and in 1960, the Marathi majority Vidarbha region was merged with the new state
of Maharashtra. Overnight will be at Nagpur.
Day 7 Nagpur - Delhi:
By Air
Flight Number : CD 7469/7470
Airlines : Indian Airlines
Aircraft : Boeing 737
Departure : 0900/1010 hr
Stopover : Nil
Arrival : 1025/1135 hr Breakfast will be at hotel. Transfer to airport for flight
to Delhi. Reach and transfer to airport for connecting flight home. If your
return flight is late in the evening we would be organizing a hotel for day
use which can be used for relaxing.
