|
|
Wildlife
Holidays with Rajasthan
Duration: 12 Nights
/ 13 Days
Destinations: Delhi - Udaipur - Jaipur - Ranthambhore - Bharatpur
- Agra - Jabalpur - Kanha - Nagpur - Delhi
Day 1: Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport
in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax.
 DELHI,
the capital of kingdoms and empires is now a sprawling metropolis with a fascinating
blend of the past and the present. It is a perfect introduction to the composite
culture of an ancient land. A window to the kaleidoscope - that is India.
Overnight will be at Delhi.
Day 2: Delhi - Udaipur
Breakfast
will be at the hotel. Transfer to airport for flight to Udaipur.
Reach
and check in at hotel.
The city of Dawn, Udaipur is a lovely land around
the azure lake, hemmed in by the lush hills of the ARAVALLIS. A vision in white
drenched in romance and beauty, Udaipur is a fascinating blend of sights, sound
and experiences and inspiration for the imagination of poets, painters and writers.
Its kaleidoscope of fairy-tale palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow
lanes strewn with stalls, carry the flavor of a heroic past, epitomizing valor
and chivalry. Their reflection in the placid waters of the LAKE PICHOLA is an
enticing sight.
Udaipur is the jewel of MEWAR -a kingdom ruled by the
Sisodia dynasty for 1200 Years.
Proceed for Evening Motor launch cruise
on the placid waters of Lake Pichola. From he boat you will be able to view the
city of Udaipur as it rises majestically above the lake in the middle of the Rajasthan
desert. Also visit the Jag Mandir Palace - the other island palace in the middle
of the lake. Spend some time at the Jag Mandir Palace.
Overnight will
be at Udaipur.
Day 3: Udaipur
Breakfast will be served at
the hotel.
 Proceed
for sightseeing tour of Udaipur in the afternoon, stopping first at City Palace.
Here you will marvel at rooms with mirrored walls and ivory doors, colored glass
windows and inlaid marble balconies and the Peacock Courtyard.
Also
visit the lovely Sahelion-ki-Bari Gardens, the Jagdish Temple and the local folk
Museum.
Relax in the evening.
Overnight will be at Udaipur.
Day 4: Udaipur - Jaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel.
After
breakfast drive to beautiful Pink City - Jaipur.
Reach and check in
at hotel.
JAIPUR - The origins of the beautiful city of Jaipur can be
traced back to the eighteenth century, during the reign of Jai Singh II who ascended
the Amber throne in 1699. Jaipur today, epitomizes the spirit of Rajputana. In-spite
of growing into a bustling metropolis, it still retains it's character and history
- A beautiful fusion of the yesteryears and modernity. Popularly known as the
Pink City because of the extensive use of the locally abundant pink plastered
stone, painted so in honor of the visit of the royal consort of Queen Victoria.
Jaipur thrills the soul with its massive forts, magnificent palaces, exquisite
temples and lush gardens.
Proceed for sightseeing of the city.
CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture,
the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in the walled city. It houses
the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.
JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five observatories
built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country. This observatory consisting
of outsized astronomical instruments is still in use.
HAWA MAHAL - The
ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds" is a prominent landmark
in Jaipur. Its five-storey structure of sandstone plastered pink encrusted with
fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies. The palace has 953 niches and windows.
Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal grandstand for the palace
women.
 Overnight
will be at Jaipur.
Day 5: Jaipur
Breakfast to be served at
the hotel.
Proceed for excursion to Amber Fort in the outskirts of Jaipur.
Elephant ride ascent to the fort.
AMBER FORT PALACE - Amber is the classic
romantic Rajasthani fort palace. Its construction was started by Man Singh I in
1592, and completed by his descendent Jai Singh I. Its forbidding exterior belies
an inner paradise where a beautiful fusion of Mughal and Hindu styles finds its
ultimate expression.
Explore the city markets. Overnight will be at Jaipur.
Day 6: Jaipur - Ranthambore
Breakfast at hotel.
Transfer to SAWAI MADHOPUR.
Evening free at the resort and you can relax
or watch some slides on the tiger.
 Ranthambhore
Tiger Reserve, at the junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas, is a unique example
of natural and historical richness, standing out conspicuously in the vast, arid
and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan, barely 14 kilometers from Sawai Madhopur.
Get in tune with nature for a luxury holiday in the heart of the jungle. Ranthambhore
- perhaps the best place in the world to sight a tiger in the wild. The Ranthambhore
National Park has had more Tiger sightings than any other National Park in the
country. It has come to be known as "The land of the Tiger", where most
of the documented footage of this majestic beast has been recorded.
It spreads over a highly undulating topography varying from gentle to steep slopes;
from flat topped hills of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks and sharp ridges
of the Aravalis, from wide and flat valleys to narrow rocky gorges. An important
geological feature the 'Great Boundary Fault' where the Vindhya plateaus meet
the Aravali hill ranges, meanders through the Reserve. The National Park is bound
by the rivers Chambal in the south and Banas in the north.
Ranthambhore
forest is of tropical dry deciduous type, further classified as Dhok climax forest
because of the predominance of Dhok (Anogeissus pendulla) found nearly everywhere.
Dhok is an extremely hardy tree, capable of withstanding prolonged droughts. The
leaves of this tree are good fodder and they are browsed by herbivores, and form
a significant part of their diet. Even the dry, fallen leaves, eaten by them,
are rich source of nutrition.
Palas or Cheela or the Flame of the Forest
(Butea monosperms) blooms magnificently around mid-April. During the period, Kachida
and Anatpura provide an amazing view, like a forest on fire. Around Kamaldhar
massive Gum trees (Sterculia urens) with smooth white trunk stand out conspicuously.
Similarly, Gurjan (Lannea coromandelica) with greyish trunks at the banks of the
lakes and soft wood Salar (Boswellia serrata) dotted atop hills are noticeable.
 Fruits
of Ber (Zizyphus spp.) and 'crocodile bark' Tendu (Diospuyros melanoxylon) are
highly relished by Sloth Bears.
The lakes abound with aquatic vegetation
including duck weeds, lilies and lotus. A haven for a multitude of wild animals,
the Park boasts of playing host to tigers, leopards, the elusive caracals, hyenas,
sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles and so on. Besides, there are over 300 species
of birds, from the majestic Crested Serpent Eagle to the exotic Golden Oriole.
Tiger, at the apex of the food chain, lord over the kingdom in a subtle
way. Solitary by nature, it operates in stealth. Therefore tiger sightings, frequent
as they are, are always a matter of chance. However, even evidences of tiger's
activities are very exciting.
The other kinds of cats found in Ranthambhore
are Leopard (Panthera pardus), Caracal (Felis caracal), Leopard Cat (Felis bengalensis),
Fishing Cat (Felis viverrina) and the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus). Besides the big
cats, the other large predators found in Ranthambhore include Sloth Bear, Striped
Hyena, Wolf, Wild dog (or Dhole), Jackal, Indian Fox, Palm Civet, Small Indian
Civet, Common Indian Mongoose, Small Indian Mongoose, Ratel (or Honey Badger),
Marsh Crocodile and the Indian Python. There are two species of Antlers, namely
the Spotted Deer (or Chital) and the Sambhar Deer, and, two kinds of Antelopes,
namely the Indian Gazelle (or Chinkara) and the Bluebull (or Neelgai). Black Buck
(another kind of antelope), which is rarely found in the National Park is common
in Devpura area, in the outskirts of the park.
Overnight will be at resort.
Day 7: Ranthambore
A full day game viewing inside the jungle.
(Two safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
Day 8: Ranthambore
- Bharatpur: Keoladeo Ghana National Park
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed
to Bharatpur.
 Just
176 km from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park,
one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in the world. The Maharaja of Bharatpur
artificially created the lake and wetland in the 19th century. By building small
dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal, he converted this
low-lying area into a fine wild fowl shooting preserve. In a few years, the new
wetland surrounded by marginal forests was able to support thousands of water
birds.
Commonly referred to as Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird
watchers. Over 375 species of birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged
by babul trees and undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the
early hours of the morning is also unforgettable experience. The cacophony is
unbelievable as painted storks, open bills, spoonbills, egrets, cormorants, white
ibis and multitudes of others, tend their young. Jacanas with their iridescent
colors and elegant tail feathers and purple moorhen can be seen delicately treading
over the floating vegetation.
Every year Bharatpur waits with bated breath
for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are only two wintering places for
this rare species one in Iran and the other Bharatpur and these beautiful birds
with their distinctive red beaks and facial patches, fly over 6400 km from their
summer retreats.
 Colorful
kingfishers, graceful pelicans rare Siberian cranes and Trans- continental fliers
- the migratory water - fowl are amongst the 375 species of birds found in the
Keoladeo National Park. The most spectacular nesting is that of the egrets, storks,
herons and cormorants, which make over 10,000 nests every year. This makes outstanding
bird havens of the world. The park covers an area of 28.73km.
The story
of Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is incomplete without an account of the migratory
waterfowl. The most prominent waterfowl coming to this park are bareheaded and
greyleg geese. Ducks also create a lot of fluttering in the lakes. The ducks usually
found here are pintail, widgeon, common shelduck, shoveler, garganey, teal, etc.
Attracted by the influx of the waterfowl the predatory birds-tawny eagles,
spotted eagles short-toed eagles imperial eagles and fishing eagle also arrive.
They all form the apex of the biological pyramid of the sanctuary and complete
the avian food chain of the ecosystem. There are large herds of the nilgai, chital,
wild boar and fear cows in addition to a few herds of sambar.
Reach and
check in at the hotel. Proceed on RICKSHAW for viewing the birds. RICKSHAW PULLERS
have been trained by the forest department in bird watching and are knowledgeable.
Return to the lodge in the evening and relax.
Overnight will
be at Bharatpur.
Day 9: Bharatpur - Agra (By Road 55 km in 1 hr)
Early morning RICKSHAW RIDE at the Bird Park.
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed
to Agra.
 AGRA:
Two great Mughal monarchs, Akbar and Shah Jahan, transformed the little village
of Agra into a befitting second capital of the Mughal Empire - giving it the name
Dar-ul-Khilafat {seat of the Emperor}. Today a visitor to Agra is caught up in
a world of contrasting edifices, of red sandstone and white marble, narrow galleys
and quaint buggies, and that irresistible charm that this favorite city of the
Mughals still retains. It is not surprising, that modern Agra still reflects its
Mughal heritage most conspicuously. A walk down the narrow bustling streets of
the city will introduce the visitor to the wafting aroma of Mughlai cuisine.
Reach Agra and then proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj.
TAJ MAHAL: Little needs to be said about this architectural wonder which
is always the soul raison-de-etre for every tourist's visit to Agra. Built by
Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal.
This monument took 22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by Persian
architect Ustad Isa. Apart from it's stunning design balance and perfect symmetry,
the Taj is also noted particularly for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens
and some of the best inlay work ever seen.
Proceed for sightseeing to
the AGRA FORT - Built by the famed Mughal emperor Akbar in 1565 AD, the fort is
predominantly of red sandstone. Ensconced within is the picture perfect Pearl
Mosque, which is a major tourist attraction.
Visit Itmadullah's Tomb
built by Empress NOOR JEHAN in memory of her father (The interiors of which are
considered better than the Taj).
Take train to Jabalpur in the evening.
Overnight would be onboard the train.
Day 10: Jabalpur - Kanha
Reach Jabalpur and you would be transferred 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.
 Excursion
to Kawardha just east of the Maikala Range (up to 1100m) to the south east of
Kanha National Park, Kawardha is a small town in Chhattisgarh (34 forts) region
of M.P. In this remote area Maharaja Viswaraj Singh has recently opened his palace
to visitors. It provides a delightfully quite unspoiled contrast with India's
big cities and with the much busier tourist circuit of Rajasthan's 'palace circuit'.
This town is in the center of the Baiga tribe, who live in forest surrounding
the town, and these are several eleventh century temples in the immediate region.
Reach before lunch and proceed for an afternoon GAME DRIVE to view TIGERS.
Overnight at the Kanha Resort.
Day 11: Kanha
A full day
game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Overnight at the resort.
Day 12: 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 at Nagpur.
 Day
13: Nagpur - Delhi
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Transfer to airport
for flight to Delhi.
Proceed for a full day tour of Old & New Delhi.
OLD DELHI - A sightseeing tour of Old Delhi would entail visiting the Raj
Ghat - the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; Jama Masjid - the
largest mosque in India and the Red Fort - once the most opulent fort and palace
of the Moghul Empire.
Take a cycle rickshaw ride from Jama Masjid to
Chandni Chowk.
NEW DELHI - An extensive sightseeing tour of New Delhi
would include a visit to the Humayun's Tomb, the Qutub Minar, a drive along the
ceremonial avenue - Rajpath, past the imposing India Gate, Parliament House, the
President's Residence and would end with a drive through the Diplomatic Enclave.
Transfer to airport for connecting flight home.
Wildlife Holidays with Rajasthan, Reservation Form
|
Copyright
© All India
Holiday Packages. All Rights Reserved (No rights
for reproduction of Images / Contents from this website)
