Feel the Thrill of Safari in Madhya Pradesh

Day 01: Delhi

Arrival in Delhi. Installation at the hotel.

Depending on the time of arrival, possible visits: visitof the old city (Old Delhi); passage in front of the walls of the Red Fort. Visit of the Jama Masjidmosque with the discovery of the Raj Ghat, the place of incineration of Mahatma Gandhi. Passing in front of the Gate of India and the Presidential Palace.

Visit of the new city with the tomb of Humayun, builtat the request of his widow in superb gardens in the 16th century. Visit the Qutub Minar, white marblesurrounded by red sandstone.

Day 02: Delhi – Bhopal (by flight or Shatabdi Exptrain)

Journey (700km) with the Shatabdi express train (in 8h30) or by plane (1h30) according to your choice.

Arrival in Bhopal. Check in at the hotel.

According to the time of arrival, beginning of the visits on Bhopal.

Day 03: Bhopal

Bhopal is the capital of Madhya Pradesh, founded in the 11th century under the Paramara dynasty. It issurrounded by hills and lakes.

To discover :

The magnificent pink mosque of Taj-ul–Masjid withits three impressive domes.

The Chowk Bazar, in the heart of the old city with itsmany picturesque stalls.

The Birla Museum which presents a magnificentcollection of stone sculptures of Shiva, Vishnu and other goddesses.

Nearby are the Bhimbetka site with its rock paintingsand the Sanchi site, a large Buddhist complex, bothlisted as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Nearbyis the unfinished temple of Bhojpur which houses a huge monolithic lingam.

Day 04: Bhopal – Satpura (140 km / 3h30)

Travel by land to reach the park of Satpura.

Day 05: Satpura

Satpura National Park is the least known and least visited park in Central India, so it is not very popular. It allows for an intimate visit on foot, by canoe or kayak, by jeep and from carefully located hideouts.

It takes its name from the Satpura hill ranges in Madhya Pradesh.

Established in 1981, the park covers an area of 524 square kilometers and, along with the adjacent sanctuaries of Bori and Pachmarhi, offers 1,427 square kilometers of unique central Indian highlandecosystem.

The terrain of the national park is extremely ruggedwith sandstone peaks, narrow gorges and ravines. The scenery is magnificent, with the forested hillsreflecting in the sparkling waters of the Tawa reservoir.

The park is home to a multitude of mammals, including tiger, leopard, sambar, chital, nilgai, four-horned antelope, chinkara, bison, wild boar and wilddog. It is an ideal place to see the sloth bear but also a wide variety of birds, hornbills and peacocks beingthe most common.

The flora of the national park consists mainly of sal, teak, mahua, bamboo and a variety of herbs and medicinal plants.

Day 06: Satpura – Pench (240 km/ 6 h)

Drive overland through Madya Pradesh to Pench Park.

Day 07: Pench

Pench National Park, named after the Pench River, which meanders through the park from north to south, is located on the southern edge of Madhya Pradesh, bordering Maharashtra and covers 758 square kilometers.

The Pench Tiger Reserve and its surroundings are the original setting for Rudyard Kipling’s most famouswork, The Jungle Book.

The park is divided into two areas, separated by the Pench River. In the west, access is forbidden to tourists and the animals benefit from a real sanctuary. In the east, one drives jeeps through large teak forestsin search of the famous Bengal tiger.

The undulating topography is home to a mosaic of vegetation ranging from wet, sheltered valleys to dry, open deciduous forests. More than 1200 species of plants have been recorded in the region, includingseveral rare and endangered plants, as well as plants of ethnobotanical importance.

The great heterogeneity of the habitat supports a high population of chitals and sambars. The Pench Tiger Reserve has the highest density of herbivores in India.

Day 08: Pench – Kanha (approx. 200km / 5h)

Drive overland to Kanha Park.  Settle into youraccommodation.

Day 09 : Kanha

With 940 square kilometers in the core area and 1,009 square kilometers including the buffer zone, Kanha isthe largest park in central India. The park occupies a vast forest area in southern Madhya Pradesh, nearMandla.

The actual area of Kanha is divided into twoprotected areas, Hallon and Banjar, of 250 and 300 km2.

The park is home to tigers, leopards, wild dogs, slothbears, foxes and jackals. The barasingha (Cervusduavcelli branderi) is adapted to hard soils. The gaur (Bos gaurus) lives in grasslands and waterholes.

Exceptional natural environment : jungle forest withmore than 1000 species of flowering plants

Lowland forest mixed with sal (Shorea robusta) and other mixed forest trees, interspersed with grasslands, upland forests of humid tropical type with deciduoustrees or bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus).

Day 10: Kanha – Jabalpur – Delhi

Drive to Jabalpur by land (about 150km / 3h30) thenflight back to Delhi (1h40).

Included : Full board, superior hotels, tour guide (,transportation by air-conditioned bus and entrance fees

Not included : international airfare, visa to enter India, insurance, drinks and tips for driver and guide