Day 1: Meet at the group hotel in Delhi. A single timed transfer from Delhi Airport is provided. Overnight
train to Katni.Rendezvous at the group hotel in Delhi. KE Land Only package services begin with a single timed transfer from the
airport to the group hotel, where we have the use of shared ‘day rooms’ for freshening up. After lunch, there is the
opportunity to some exploration in the local bazaar streets, where we can witness the teeming life of the Indian
capital city at first hand. In the early evening we transfer to the railway station to catch the overnight sleeper train
to Katni. It is said that the journey is half the experience and certainly this is true here. Any journey on Indian
Railways is a fascinating affair from the crowds and chaos of Delhi station platforms to life aboard. Once in our
compartment the guard will issue fresh linen and we can settle down to eat our packed evening meal. Having
made our beds and eaten our dinners it will be time to turn in and be rocked to sleep by the motion of the train.

Day 2: Transfer into the Vindhya Hills to Bandhavgarh National Park. Game drive.
Arriving in Katni in the early morning, we meet our vehicles and begin a 2-hour drive up into the Vindhya Hills of
Madhya Pradesh to Bandhavgarh National Park where we check in at our hotel. This afternoon we will have our
first exposure to Indian wildlife with a 3-hour game drive into the park in a 4WD vehicle.

Day 3: An early morning game drive for tiger-spotting. Free time then an evening guided birdwatching tour.
Bandhavgarh is one of the finest national parks in India and is most well known for its population of Bengal tigers.
In fact Bandhavgarh has the highest density of Bengal tigers of any park in the world and we have a really good
opportunity to spot one of these magnificent animals. Our programme here includes an early morning game drive
by 4WD, with an expert guide. Returning to the hotel for lunch, we will have some free time before going out again
on a guided birdwatching tour.

Day 4: Game viewing at Bandhavgarh, with the chance of seeing leopards, deer and antelope as well as
tiger.
We have another day in the Bandhavgarh National Park. Besides the tigers, the area abounds with many other
species. The park has a large breeding population of leopards, as well as caracal and hyena. These predators are
supported by populations of deer and antelope, such as the sambar, cheetal and nilgai, which are a common sight
during our safaris. We will have another early morning game drive and then, in the afternoon, we will pay a visit to
a nearby village, to check out how the local people live. We spend a third night at our Bandhavgarh hotel.

Day 5: Transfer to Kanha, another place renowned for its healthy tiger population.
We have a drive of around 6 hours to reach Kanha, another national park well known for its tiger population and
another place where we have a very good chance of seeing these amazing creatures in the wild. Arriving at Kanha
we check in at our hotel and the rest of the afternoon is free for relaxing.

Day 6: Game viewing at Kanha, a park reminiscent of Kipling's Jungle Book.
Kanha National Park is one of the largest and oldest national parks in India, and is engaged in much conservation
work. In terms of concentration of wildlife Kanha has been compared to the Ngorongoro crater in Tanzania.
However, the landscape here is very different and the lush sal and bamboo forests, hanging vines, slow flowing
rivers, and grassy meadow plateaux are straight out of Kipling’s ‘Jungle Book’. It is a very beautiful landscape,
particularly at dawn. We make an early start for a game drive by 4WD vehicle (walking is not allowed in the park)
and again we have a reasonably good chance to see tigers. The park also has significant populations of leopard,
sloth bear, hyena, and Indian wild dog, as well as a huge population of spotted deer or chital which are the main
prey of the big cats here. Other species we may encounter include sambar, gaur, rhesus macaque, golden jackal,
Bengal fox, otter, badger, mongoose, and the once near extinct barasingha or swamp deer. We will return to our
hotel for lunch and have a second, shorter safari by jeep in the afternoon.

Day 7: A second day at Kanha exploring the sal forest of the Maikal Hills looking out for exotic bird species.
A second day in the Kanha National Park. As well as the varied mammal populations Kanha, with its great sal forests stretching across the Maikal hills of the Satpura range, is a perfect habitat for some 350 species of birds including mynas, bush chats, kingfishers, treepies, orioles, lapwings, falcons, kites, owls and vultures. The wholearea is a paradise for the keen bird watcher and there is the chance to spot completely new species. We will have a game drive in the morning and a birdwatching tour in the afternoon. We spend a third night at our Kanha hotel.

Day 8: Transfer to Jabalpur by road before boarding the overnight sleeper train to Agra.
After a final morning at leisure in Kanha, we make the scenic 3-hour drive following a rough road beside the
Narmada River to Jabalpur, the largest city in Eastern Madhya Pradesh. Here, we board the overnight sleeper train
to Agra.

Day 9: A day to explore Agra, visiting the incomparable Taj Mahal.
Arriving in Agra, we check in at our hotel, take breakfast and have the remainder of the morning to rest. In the
afternoon, we head out on a guided tour of some of India's most iconic monuments including the majestic and
sprawling Agra Fort and, of course, the incomparable Taj Mahal. Unquestionably the finest examples of Mughal
architecture in the subcontinent, the Taj was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife
Mumtaz. It took thousands of artisans and craftsmen 16 years to build the white marble Taj Mahal and another
five years to complete the surrounding buildings and gardens. The monument was made a UNESCO World
Heritage Site in 1983. One of the most identifiable buildings in the world, you will still be amazed by the scale of the
Taj and the skill and craftsmanship that went into the exquisite carvings and inlaying of semi precious stones in the
marble. We overnight at a hotel in Agra.

Day 10: Drive via Fatehpur Sikri to Bharatpur. Take the train to Ranthambore National Park.
Leaving Agra, we drive for 2 hours via Fatehpur Sikri to the railway station at Bharatpur. Here we catch the late
afternoon train to Sawai Madhopur. Arriving in the early evening, it is a short transfer to Ranthambore National
Park. Ranthambore takes its name from the majestic fort which commands a strategic location on a cliff in the
park, 200 metres above its surrounds. We check in at our hotel, just outside the park boundary.

Day 11: Game viewing at Ranthambore, a particpant in India's `Project Tiger` conservation scheme.
Set in an arid Rajasthani landscape of dry grassland, Ranthambore is an oasis of green due to its permanent lakes
fed by several perennial rivers. The lakes, which are inhabited by crocodiles, provide a haven for a wide variety of
wildlife. It is usual in this park to use 'canters', which are converted trucks, for the game drives and we will have
both an early morning excursion and an afternoon excursion, to make the most of the wildlife viewing
opportunities. Like the previous two parks on this tour, Ranthambore participates in India's 'Project Tiger'
conservation scheme and we should have another excellent chance to see these magnificent beasts. Other animals
to be found in the park include leopard, nilgai, dhole, wild boar, sambar, hyena, sloth bear and chital. The lakes
also attract a huge amount of birdlife.

Day 12: Visit to Ranthambore Fort, one of the oldest in India built in 994AD.
Today we will visit the Ranthambore Fort which is superbly located on a rock outcrop overlooking the park. After a
short drive, we will make the 20 to 30-minute climb up to the high point of the monument. The fort complex is
quite large, covering an area approximately 12 square kilometres and inside there are three Hindu temples
dedicated to Ganesh, Shiva and Ramlalaji which were constructed in 12th and 13th centuries from red Karauli
stone. There is also a Jain temple. The fort itself is one of the oldest in the country, being built around 944AD by the
Chauhan Rajputs. The fort and temples are themselves fascinating and worthy of considerable exploration but
possibly the best thing about the fort is its superb vantage for views across the entire park. Be sure to bring your
binoculars up here.

Day 13: Take the train to Delhi arriving early afternoon. Rest of the day free for independent exploration.
We have an early breakfast and then catch the train back to Delhi. Arriving just after midday, we transfer to the
group hotel, close to the city centre, and have the rest of the day free for bargain hunting, further independent
sight-seeing or just relaxing. Dinner and overnight at the group hotel.

Day 14: Departure day. A single timed airport transfer is provided.
KE Land Only package services end after breakfast with a group transfer to the airport.