Luxury Tiger Safari
April 28—May 8, 2018
In April 2018 Andy Biggs with Abhishek Hajela will lead a private group of photographers to India to photograph wild tigers and India's wide variety of native wildlife, as well as to the world famous Taj Mahal as a post-safari extension. The safari will include all-day permits in Bandhavgarh, thus increasing our likelihood of great photographic opportunities. These permits also allow us to choose the region of the park we would like to be in at any given time.
Tigers are highly endangered and India's National Parks provide some of the last remaining places where one can observe these beautiful cats in their natural habitat, often at close range. Sixty-five percent of the world's remaining wild tigers are found in India and this safari offers superb opportunities to see and photograph these big cats. India also teems with a wide array of antelope and deer and boasts fifteen species of primates. In all India has over 400 species of mammals and so this trip will focus not only on seeing and photographing tigers, but also on India's unique and varied wild fauna. The birdlife in India is also abundant. We will spend seven nights at one of India's best tiger-viewing National Parks - Bandhavgarh.
Bandhavgarh has high densities of tigers and native wildlife.
We have selected the highest level of accommodation for all locations on this trip to ensure comfort, good food, and excellent service throughout.
India is unlike anywhere else you have visited and nothing you have done before will likely be comparable. If you have ever thought about seeing wild tigers or a visit to India, this trip was designed based on our own experiences to offer an amazing adventure.
Safari Highlights
- Seven days in one of India's best National Parks, photographing tigers and native wildlife.
- We will have all-day photographic permits, thus increasing our likelihood of great photographic opportunities.
- The best accommodations throughout the trip with the best service and food quality
- A visit to the Taj Mahal as a post-safari extension to photograph this iconic location.
- Private road transfers and/or air travel between all stops throughout the trip.
- Extra luggage allowances to accommodate the special needs of our photographic equipment.
- This itinerary focuses on up-close and real wildlife experiences from the surroundings of premier accommodations.
All Levels Welcome
This safari will be conducive to learning from one another and include an instruction that will suit everyone's photographic needs. No question is off limits and no inquiry is too basic.
We are BIG on photographing in the field.
Here are some key points to help you decide:
1. We welcome photographers of ALL levels. This safari will be conducive to learning from one another and include the instruction that will suit everyone’s photographic needs. No question is off limits, no inquiry too basic.
2. We are BIG on photographing in the field. We will spend most our time and effort on safari / photographic activities and making images.
3. Non-photographer or videographer spouses/travel companions will love these safaris. The wildlife and cultural experiences on this trip will appeal to anyone with a love for animals and adventure. We have specialist guides leading all activities.
The Schedule
April 28-30, 2018; (2 Nights)
The Imperial Hotel - Delhi, India
Arrive at Delhi’s International Airport. You will be warmly welcomed and chauffeured to The Imperial Hotel.
Our stay is here is on bed & Breakfast basis and dinner will be on your own account as we recognize that everyone will arrive at different times, but usually late in the evening. Dinners are included for the rest of the trip after this evening.
29 April 2018
Day Tour of Delhi and Old Delhi - Delhi, India
Today we will spend the day getting around Delhi, checking out historical buildings and sites that will give you an appreciation of the grandeur and history of this amazing city.
30 April - 07 May 2018; (7 Nights)
Bandhavgarh National Park
After an early breakfast, we will be chauffeured to the airport for our flight to Jabalpur. Our flight to Jabalpur will take approximately two hours, and upon arrival, we will be met by our ground staff and will be driven to Mahua Kothi, our accommodations for the next six nights. The drive will take around 3 hours, and when we will arrive we will relax and settle in at our lodge in time for an early dinner.
Bandhavgarh National Park is an essential stop on any serious tiger safari as it has one of the highest concentrations of this magnificent animal. A relatively small park with a thriving tiger population, it offers guests a good chance of encountering the king of the jungle, as well as a selection of other exotic wildlife. Cradled between the picturesque Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges, Bandhavgarh boasts a breathtaking mixture of dense green valleys and rocky hills. Its mixed deciduous forests and woodlands are interspersed with flat grasslands and serene waterholes.
Bandhavgarh covers about 450 square kilometres. It is bordered by great cliffs and eroded rocks and on its highest point stands "Bandhavgarh fort", estimated to be some 2,000 years old. Around the fort, are numerous caves containing shrines and ancients Sanskrit inscriptions. The vegetation is chiefly of sal tree forest in the valleys and bamboo forest on the lower slopes throughout the park. Bandhavgarh was once a Shikargah or game preserve hunted by the Maharajas of Rewa.
The park offers a variety of wildlife in addition to tigers, including the gaur (Indian bison), sloth bear, sambar deer, barking deer, muntjac (barking deer), nilgai antelope, wild boar, Asiatic jackal, Bengal fox, ratel, grey mongoose, striped hyena, jungle cat, and leopard. The common langur and rhesus macaque are the primates found here. There are also 250 species of bird known to occur in the park.
Each day we will have two game drives inside the park, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Since we have all-day permits, we can also choose to stay in the park all day long, depending on what we are seeing. If sightings dictate staying, we will stay. If we choose to go back to camp for lunch, we can go back for a break and then come right back at any time of our choosing.
07 May 2018
Today we will drive back to Jabalpur, which will take around 3 hours. On arrival in Jabalpur, we will head directly to the airport in order to make our flight back to Delhi, which is at 16:10. We will arrive in Delhi at 18:00 and will be transferred to The Imperial Hotel for the night. The rest of our evening is at leisure.
08 May 2018
Today you will fly back home to your country, or continue with us to Agra to see the Taj Mahal.
This morning at a time to be advised locally, you will depart by road for the city of Agra and the Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel (approx 31⁄2 hours).
Agra was the seat of the mighty Mughal Empire before it shifted its capital to Delhi, and it is home to some of their most inspired architectural creations including the Taj Mahal. In the 16th and 17th century, the Mughal Courts were at their most powerful and were the great patron of the arts, and Agra attracted artisans, poets and musicians from across India as well as Persia and Central Asia, transforming Agra into a cultural and architectural paradise.
Evening you will visit the Taj Mahal is at its best at sunset - just when the light, playing on the marble of the tomb and the reflections in the stillness of the waters, presents this incredible building in all its beauty, majesty and splendour. It is a monument of love built by Shah Jehan in 1630 for his Queen Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. For twenty-two years 20,000 men laboured day and night to build this masterpiece, which has held the world awestruck ever since. The Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. Overnight at the Oberoi Amarvilas.
Ranked amongst the leading resorts in the world, The Oberoi Amarvilas offers the best view of the Taj Mahal in Agra. The hotel is located 600 meters from the Taj Mahal and all rooms, suites, lobby, bar and lounge offer breathtaking views of the monument.
Indulge with your own private view of the greatest monument of love. Wake up to the glorious sight of the Taj Mahal, bathed by the first rays of dawn. Watch her sparkle by day as the sun shines on her architectural perfection. Allow yourself to be swept away by her romance at dusk. Let the nights be filled with the magic of the Taj by moonlight.
Built in a style inspired by Moorish and Mughal architecture, the resort is a splendid display of terraced lawns, fountains, resection pools and pavilions with rich interiors that take you back to an era of Emperors and Princes.
09 May 2018
Agra
This morning you will visit the Taj Mahal at Sunrise, just when the light, playing on the marble of the tomb and the reflections in the stillness of the waters, presents this incredible building in all its beauty, majesty and splendour.
Return to your hotel for breakfast.
You will also visit the Agra Fort. When the Mughal Emperor Akbar established his supremacy in Northern India, he began his first architectural venture, rebuilding the fort as a beautiful fort palace. The work was completed by his son and grandson, highlighting the Mughal’s ability to blend defensive and decorative architecture. Richly decorated with marble and mosaic, it was in a part of this fort that Shah Jahan spent the last years of his life, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb. His private quarters where he was confined, has a magical view of the Taj Mahal across the river Yamuna.
Continue your tour to Itmad-Ud-Daulah, which is the third of Agra’s great monuments. It was the first Mughal building to use the craft of facing buildings with white marble and decorating them with inlaid semi-precious stones, and art which reached its zenith in the Taj Mahal. Though lacking the grandeur and artistry of the Taj Mahal, Itmad-Ud-Daulah it is small, intimate and serene. Overnight at the Oberoi Amarvilas.
10 May 2018
Agra to Delhi
After a leisurely breakfast, we will depart by road back to Delhi. We will all have hotel rooms available at the JW Marriott for the evening.
11 May 2018
Delhi to Home
You will be transferred to the airport to make your international flight back home. End of services.
The Cost
The cost of this all-inclusive safari is $12,875 per person. This fee includes all in-country ground and air transportation as well as hotel accommodation (double occupancy) and all meals (except as noted in the detailed itinerary above and in exclusions below). The single supplement fee will be $1,800.
If you would like to join us for the Agra / Taj Mahal extension, the price will be $1900. This fee includes all transportation, local guides, site visits, accommodations at the Oberoi Amarvilas and breakfasts. Lunches and dinners while at the Oberoi Amarvilas will be on your own, since most people tend to eat by the pool or on your own schedule. It is one of the most luxurious properties in India and is a wonderful place to finish your time in India.
Please note: We will attempt to adhere to this itinerary as much as possible. However, certain conditions (political, climatic, environmental, cultural, or wildlife migrations) may necessitate changes in the itinerary. We reserve the right to alter any itinerary at any time, if necessary. We will attempt to notify participants of changes as far in advance as possible. Costs incurred by such changes will be the responsibility of the participant.
What Do I Do Next?
Our groups are small, so space is limited. If this exciting trip has your name on it; if you're excited by the thought of becoming a member of this trip, then now is the time to register. Remember, there will be limited space available for this workshop. When they're spoken for, that's it. If you have any questions before registering, send us an e-mail with any inquiries to info@andybiggs.com.