Itinerary

Day 1: USA - DELHI, INDIA

Friday, November 20, 2009

Day 2: DELHI

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Arrive in Delhi mid day and check into your hotel.

Accommodation: VASANT CONTINENTAL HOTEL (view website)

Day 3: SULTANPURJHEEL

Sunday, November 22, 2009

We travel to Sultanpur Jheel, a birdwatcher’s paradise consisting of a small area of wetland, acacia woodland, and an open dry area that attracts an impressive list of over 250 species of bird. It is also one of the best places near Delhi to spot the Indian Courser.

Accommodation: VASANT CONTINENTAL HOTEL

Day 4: BHARATPUR - KEOLADEO GHANA NATIONAL PARK

Monday, November 23, 2009

After breakfast, we drive to Bharatpur and check into our heritage hotel within a 200-year old garden. Following lunch, we stroll through and visit the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, or Keoladeo Ghana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The diverse ecosystem is considered to be one of the world’s richest heronries. Boasting a list of over 400 species of birds, this is one of the few places in the world where you can see approximately 150 bird species in one morning.

Accommodation: THE BAGH RESORT (view website)

Day 5: KEOLADEO GHANA NATIONAL PARK

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Continue to explore the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. We’ll take an early morning foray into the marsh by flat-bottomed boat depending on the water levels, where the birding and photography opportunities are fantastic. It’s an amazing sight to see—thousands of water-fowl, mostly winter migrants and herons, jacanas, cranes, storks and kingfishers. The skies are patrolled by a bewildering assembly of raptors— Marsh Harriers, Lesser and Greater Spotted Eagles, Bonelli’s Eagles and the occasional Steppe, Tawny and Imperial Eagles. We then travel by rickshaw or electric van, and also by foot between the most advantageous viewing areas. In this island of wilderness, the agriculture preserves the last vestiges of the rich wildlife of the Indo Gangetic flood plain including sambar, chital, nilgai antelope, hyena, jungle cat, fishing cat, otter and jackals. In cooler weather, it is also fairly common to chance upon a rock python warming itself in a patch of sunlight.

Accommodation: THE BAGH RESORT

Day 6: KEOLADEO GHANA NATIONAL PARK

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Continue to explore the Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Accommodation: THE BAGH RESORT

Day 7: BHARATPUR - AGRA - BHARATPUR

Thursday, November 26, 2009

After breakfast, we travel by motorcoach to Agra with a stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fatehpur Sikri (The City of Victory) to visit the complex of momuments and temples. Then proceed to Agra, the former capital of India and home to India’s most famous monument— the Taj Mahal. Constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj Mahal is described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love. Constructed over a period of twenty two years and built entirely of white marble, the mausoleum remains one of the most graceful structures in the world. Return to Bharatpur for the night.

Accommodation: THE BAGH RESORT

Day 8: BHARATPUR - DELHI - HANHA TIGER RESERVE

Friday, November 27, 2009

This morning, drive to Delhi and board a flight to Raipur. Continue by motorcoach to Kanha National Park, one of the most famous tiger reserves in the world and home to India's most important conservation effort, Project Tiger. After check-in, there is time to bird on the hotel grounds or relax on our own.

Accommodation: THE BAAGH RESORT AT KANHA (view website)

Day 9: KANHA TIGER RESERVE

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Spend the next three days in spectacular Kanha National Park. The setting of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, the park supports a wide-range of wildlife and birds such as the Bluebearded Bee-eater, Crested Bunting, Darter, Woollynecked Stork, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Sirkeer Malkoha, Indian and Savanna Nightjars, Crested Treeswift, Indian Scimitar, Tawny-bellied Babblers, Tickell's Blue and Asian Paradiseflycatcher to name a few.

Accommodation: THE BAAGH RESORT

Day 10: KANHA TIGER RESERVE

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Continue exploring Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Accommodation: THE BAAGH RESORT

Day 11: KANHA TIGER RESERVE

Monday, November 30, 2009

Continue exploring Kanha Tiger Reserve.

Accommodation: THE BAAGH RESORT

Day 12: KANHA TIGER RESERVE - DELHI or OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO KAZIRANGA

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Today we leave the wilds and fly from Nagpur to Delhi. Upon arrival, transfer to day rooms at our hotel. This evening, gather for a festive farewell dinner before heading to the airport for a late evening flight to the USA. For the extension: Fly from Raipur to Kolkata for an overnight at an airport hotel.

Accommodation: UPPAL'S ORCHID HOTEL or FLOATEL HOTEL on the extension (view website)

Day 13: ARRIVE IN THE U.S.A or KAZIRANGA

Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Arrive home. Or, on the extension: Today we fly from Kolkata to Jorhat and transfer to the Wild Grass Lodge. Kaziranga is without doubt one of the truly great wildlife sanctuaries of southern Asia. It encompasses a large range of habitats from head high grasslands interspersed with lagoons and marshes along the Brahmaputra River to monsoon woodlands alive with flowering Erythrina trees, to the rich lowland, subtropical forest at the Panbari hills. Kaziranga supports a profusion of wildlife including a number of uncommon and threatened species such as the Great One-Horned Rhinoceros, Asian Elephant, Royal Bengal Tiger, Fishing Cat, Bengal Florican, and Swamp Francolin, along with spectacular bird life including cranes and flamingos.

Accommodation: WILD GRASS LODGE (view website)

Day 14: KAZIRANGA

Thursday, December 03, 2009

Continue exploring Kaziranga.

Accommodation: WILD GRASS LODGE

Day 15: KAZIRANGA

Friday, December 04, 2009

Continue exploring Kaziranga.

Accommodation: WILD GRASS LODGE

Day 16: KAZIRANGA

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Continue exploring Kaziranga.

Accommodation: WILD GRASS LODGE

Day 17: KAZIRANGA - DELHI

Sunday, December 06, 2009

This morning drive from Kaziranga to Gauhati for a mid afternoon flight to Delhi. Day rooms have been reserved for you. Tonight, after dinner, transfer to the airport for flight to the U.S.

Accommodation: UPPAL'S ORCHID HOTEL (view website)

Day 18: ARRIVE IN THE U.S.A.

Monday, December 07, 2009

Arrive home.