Luxury Wildlife Safari in Western India

Arrive Mumbai (BOM) and walk to your hotel in the airport building.

Walk to the departures area and take flight to Diu. Met by your private naturalist guide and enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant before driving (approx. 2.5hrs) to the Gir National Park. Rest of day at leisure.

Enjoy morning and afternoon private game drives in the Sasan Gir National Park. The park was established to protect the last remaining population of the Asiatic lion and the park now provides a home to over 600 of the endangered lions (from a low of 20 in 1900).

Sasan Gir is a hilly and rocky forest and consists of teak with a mixture of deciduous trees, including sal, dhak, and thorn forests. Lions can often be seen early in the morning and at dusk and there is plethora of other wildlife here including a good leopard population, jungle cat, golden jackal, nilgai, chousinga (four-horned antelope), spotted and sambar deer, and troops of langur monkeys. There are marsh mugger crocodiles, monitor lizards and plenty of interesting bird life to be seen, too.

Enjoy morning and afternoon private game drives in the Gir National Park. The park is steeped in history and folklore. It boasts temples of great antiquity such as Kankai Mata and Tulsishyam, a place of pilgrimage with hot springs. The forest is famous for its cattle herders, the Madharis, whose buffalo form a substantial part of the lions' meals. Extremely hospitable, the Madharis’ lifestyle has changed little over the years and their folklore and traditions are a unique record of the coexistence of humans with lions.

This morning after an early breakfast you transfer by road to Velavadar. The journey can be completed in 4hrs. Afternoon private game drive in the Blackbuck National Park.

The only tropical grassland in India to be given the status of a national park, the Blackbuck National Park is a 36 kms patch of savannah-type scrubby grassland well suited to the requirements of these lovely animals. The park is set between two rivers, a few miles from the Gulf of Cambay sea coast.

Other wildlife seen include herds of nilgai, jungle cat, golden jackal and Indian hare and there is a small but increasing population of Indian wolves and striped hyenas that are now being seen quite regularly. Birdlife includes sandgrouse, larks, lesser floricans and one of the world’s largest winter roosts of harriers.

Morning an afternoon private game drives in the Blackbuck National Park. The blackbuck is endemic to India and is rated among the most elegant antelopes and one of the fastest animals over a long distance. During the rule of the Maharajahs of Bhavnagar, Velavadar was harvested for grass to feed the royal cattle herds and the antelope were protected except for the occasional hunting camp. Early March is the rutting period when one can witness mating contests between rival males. This is the time in the blackbuck year when the males establish their dominance over the harems of females and many skirmishes occur as the younger bucks seek to displace the older animals and claim their right to reproduce.

Another day in the beautiful Blackbuck National Park. As well as its exotic mammals, the park is also famous for its birdlife. Harriers roost here in large numbers (mostly Montagu’s harrier with the occasional pallid harrier and marsh harrier) with other raptors including eagles (short-toed , Aquila, greater spotted and steppe), kestrels, kites and the abundant shikra. Eurasian eagle owls can occasionally be seen hunting during daylight here. The shallow lake and waterways surrounding the park also attract large flocks of demoiselle and common cranes plus sandgrouse coming to drink.

After an early breakfast you depart for the Little Rann of Kutch to explore the Wild Ass Sanctuary and the surrounding region. The journey to Little Rann of Kutch (LRK) should take about 4.5hrs. You should arrive by lunchtime and settle in before beginning to explore the park this afternoon.

The Rann of Kutch is a geographically unique landscape that was once an arm of the Arabian Sea. As the land separated from the sea by geological forces, it became a vast, featureless plain encrusted with salt that is inundated with water during the rains. The area is now within the Dhangadhra Sanctuary and protects a vast, arid, desert-like landscape, home to an array of desert-adapted fauna and flora.

The sanctuary is best known for its herds of the handsome, chestnut brown Asiatic wild ass which does not survive elsewhere and is the last of India’s wild horses. They are found in herds of 30 or so and are capable of withstanding severe dehydration.

Other mammals that could be seen include blackbuck, chinkara (Indian gazelle), nilgai, Indian hares and jerboas. The main carnivores of the Little Rann of Kutch are the endangered Indian wolf, desert fox, Indian fox, jackals, desert and jungle cats, and a few hyenas.

Birds include many species of sandgrouse, desert warbler, hoopoe, larks and thousands of wintering waterfowl and flamingos.

Your accommodation here is the simplest of the trip but is the best option for the park.

Morning and afternoon game drives in the Little Rann of Kutch. As well as the rare and unusual mammals of the park, the area is particularly good for birds and has been declared a RAMSAR Site. Here you can see large flocks of larks, and other dryland birds like sandgrouse, coursers, plovers, chats, warblers, babblers, shrikes. During the winter months, huge numbers of birds gather in the lakes and marshes in and around the Rann including both demoiselle and common cranes plus flamingos, pelicans, storks, ibises, spoonbill, a variety of ducks and other waterfowl. The Rann is also the hunting ground of raptors like the short-toed eagle, aquila eagles, six species of falcon, buzzards and three species of harrier.

Say goodbye to your private guide and enjoy private road transfer (6 hours) to Jawai. Lunch at the lodge, then enjoy and afternoon shared safari in search of leopards and other wildlife. Located in a wild and little-visited region of Rajasthan, the area around Jawai is dominated by desert-adapted scrub forest and rolling granite hills, making this perfect country for leopards.

Another day looking for leopards (shared vehicles). You will also have the chance to meet with local Rabari herdsmen who still wear their traditional costumes complete with bright red turbans. Learn about their traditional way of life and the unique relationship they have with the leopards that share their land.

Spend a final morning looking for leopards in the hills of Jawai. Then enjoy a private transfer through miles of desert scrub and farmland (approx. 6 hours) to the Rajasthan heritage hotel of Shahpura Bahg.

Depart hotel and private transfer (approx. 4 hours) to Ranthambore. Lunch at your hotel and enjoy your first private tiger safari in the afternoon.

The forests of Ranthambore National Park were once the private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game for sport was responsible for their conservation and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger. The Park sprawls over an estimated area of 400 sq kms. Steep crags embrace a network of lakes and rivers: atop one of the hills is the impressive Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th century.

The terrain fluctuates between impregnable forests and open bush land. The forest is the typically dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most prominent tree. The lakes in the area attract tiger which are often spotted at the water’s edge. Old crumbling walls, ruined pavilions, wells, and other ancient structures stand witness to the region’s glorious past. The forest is peppered with battlements and other remnants of Ranthambore Fort.

Tigers frequent these ruins too, and are spotted often during the day busy in their normal pursuits, especially stalking or hunting and taking care of their young. With the strict measures that have been taken for their conservation, they seem quite accustomed to human activity and are not disturbed by it. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora including 300 species of trees, 50 of aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles (including the marsh crocodile) and amphibians and 30 mammals.

Morning and afternoon private jeep safaris in search of tigers and other wildlife. Other mammal highlights here can also include leopard, jungle cat, caracal, desert cat, sloth bear, golden jackal, Indian fox, striped hyena, sambar deer, spotted deer, blue bull, Indian gazelle and ruddy mongoose.

Morning and afternoon private jeep safaris in search of tigers and other wildlife. OPTIONAL guided visit of Ranthambore Fort.

Enjoy a final morning private safari in Ranthambore. Transfer (approx. 4hrs) to Jaipur airport and board flight to Delhi. OPTIONAL day use of hotel before your fly home.