Group Tour: Tiger Quest in Central India
Tour Introduction
This wildlife-packed group tour explores some of the tiger hotspots of Central India, including Pench and Tadoba Tiger Reserves. The group is kept small with a maximum number of eight people per group, and is led by an expert naturalist guide.
You will begin the itinerary in India’s chaotic yet fascinating capital city, Delhi. You’ll have the chance to join an afternoon guided tour of some of its cultural highlights, before enjoying an acclimatisation evening and night spent at the fabulous Roseate House hotel, close to the airport.
Covering a total area of 758 sq.km, Pench boasts one of the highest densities of wild herbivores in India, helping to fuel an encouraging rise in the tiger population. It’s now regarded as one of India’s most prolific tiger reserves. Within its mosaic of habitat types and varying topography, animals include Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, chital and sambar deer, nilgai, chinkara (Indian gazelle), dhole and gaur. After Continuing south to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, you’ll Be based at the sustainably built Waghoba Eco Lodge, from where its guides and naturalists will take you on jeep safaris into Tadoba’s bamboo forests.
Pench and Tadoba are excellent locations for bird watching, with over 300 resident and migratory birds recorded. Six species of vulture are present (including the king vulture, white-backed and long-billed) along with other birds of prey such as osprey, grey-headed fishing eagle and white-eyed buzzard. Other avian highlights include Malabar pied hornbill, Indian pitta, Indian roller, coppersmith barbet, myna, black-headed oriole, racket-tailed drongo, junglefowl, yellow-crowned woodpecker, Indian grey hornbill and Jacobin cuckoo. During the northern hemisphere winter, thousands of migratory waterfowl come to feed and rest, including Brahminy duck (ruddy shelduck), Pintail duck, bar-headed geese, Coot, Pochard, Widgeon, Gadwall and Mallard.
Full Itinerary
Arrive in Delhi on your international flight and be met by our representative on arrival. Transfer to your hotel near the airport, where you will be able to leave your luggage. In the afternoon, you'll head out on a half day sightseeing tour of Delhi. After returning to the hotel for the evening, meet with the rest of your group and the tour leader. Overnight in a Premier Room at Roseate House.
Staying at Roseate House. Includes No Meals.
Today you make your way to Central India to begin your adventure in India's jungles. You'll take a morning flight from Delhi to the city of Nagpur, further south. From here your guide will transfer you by road to Pench Tiger Reserve. Enjoy your first safari in the afternoon. Stay at Pench Tree Lodge for the following three nights.
Staying at Pench Tree Lodge. Includes All Meals.
The next two days will be dedicated to exploring Pench Tiger Reserve. Pench is the park which served as an inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. It is a park which offers good leopard, jackal and dhole sightings, as well as incredible birding opportunities. Pench is one of India's premier tiger reserves, with roughly 50 tigers living inside the protected area.
Staying at Pench Tree Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Six guided jeep safaris are included during your stay at Pench Tree Lodge. You'll have access to the lodge's purpose-built wildlife photography hide, and be able to enjoy cycle rides or local village and bazaar walks.
Staying at Pench Tree Lodge. Includes All Meals.
After a final morning drive in Pench today you'll check out and transfer by road to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. You'll be staying at Waghoba Eco Lodge for the following three nights.
Staying at Waghoba Eco Lodge. Includes All Meals.
These two days will be dedicated to exploring Tadoba. Tadoba Andhari offers a good chance of seeking out a Bengal tiger. Five jeep safaris are included during the three night stay at Waghoba Eco Lodge.
Staying at Waghoba Eco Lodge. Includes All Meals.
A full day to enjoy Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
Staying at Waghoba Eco Lodge. Includes All Meals.
This morning, take your last safari drive in Tadoba. In the afternoon transfer to Nagpur and fly back to Delhi. Overnight at Roseate House.
Staying at Roseate House. Includes Breakfast and Lunch.
Transfer to the international airport to connect with your flight home.
Includes Breakfast.
Download the full details of this itinerary and start planning your trip today.
Download FileTour Accommodation
Roseate House
Overview
Located in the capital city’s hospitality district, Aerocity, this hotel offers luxurious comfort, exceptional dining options, and a convenient location close to the airport. There are 216 spacious and tastefully well furnished rooms, including 15 suites. Roseate House is only a two minute walk to the Aerocity Metro Station, providing easy access to both the Old and New Delhi centres.
The ‘Del’ bistro provides both alfresco and indoor dining options throughout the whole day, offering European and oriental cuisine, along with a sushi island. ‘Kheer’ is a lavishly decorated, award-winning Indian restaurant, and ‘Tara’, an open rooftop lounge by the infinity pool, serves drinks and light bites. For a more opulent evening, ‘Chidya Ghar’ is the upscale bar offering fine wines, spirits and cocktails, in addition to an exclusive dining menu.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Spa, business centre, rooftop infinity pool, all-day bistro, café, bar, Indian restaurant, sushi bar, buffet breakfast, poolside bar.
Optional Activities
Tours into New and Old Delhi, as well as the city's historic and religious sites of interest.
Pench Tree Lodge
Overview
A luxury eco-resort only 20 minutes drive from Pench’s Karamajhiri gate. Pench Tree Lodge is set in a 40-acre property on the edge of Pench Tiger Reserve. The reserve encompasses an area of 1,180 sq km, including a buffer zone of 768 sq km. There are 16 elegant tree-houses and cottages in total.
The six tree-houses sit amongst the mahua trees, supported by stilts. Built out of local sal wood, these charismatic units are nicely spaced apart, styled and decorated with traditional accents that add to the authenticity of this unique experience. Large French-windows open out onto a private deck with seating, the perfect spot to enjoy the ambience of the surrounding deciduous forest. Ten spacious family cottages complete the accommodation options, with one king size bed, and an additional queen bed on the mezzanine floor above. Kitchen produce is partly sourced from the property’s own organic garden and there is an outdoor swimming pool for your enjoyment.
The excellent Kipling Hide was purpose-made for wildlife photography. Its eye-level aspect providing a desirable asset for photographers capturing animals that come to drink and bathe in a man-made pond.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
There is an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, wildlife hide.
Both the Tree Houses and Family Cottages have air-conditioning, 24-hour power backup, private bathroom, complimentary organic toiletries and bathroom essentials.
Local Wildlife
Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, dhole, jungle cat, golden jackal, striped hyena, wolf.
Nilgai, wild boar, chital, gaur, muntjac, sambar deer, rhesus macaque, langur, porcupine, palm civet, small Indian civet.
Optional Activities
Safari drives in Pench National Park, cycling, night trails, village walks, Rhuni Jhooni walking trail, exploring the park's buffer zones, traditional cooking demonstrations.
Waghoba Eco Lodge
Overview
On a 12 acre plot within the buffer zone of Tadoba National Park, sits this comfortable lodge with superb facilities.
Tadoba is a mix of dry deciduous forest and grassland with a hilly and undulating landscape. It is among the top reserves in India for tiger sightings. Waghoba Eco Lodge conducts a range of excursions with both morning and afternoon game drives into the national park available, accompanied by local guides and naturalists.
Numerous ecologically responsible practices and technologies went into the design and construction of the lodge. Each cottage has been built from handmade adobe earth bricks and local stone, topped with Guna vault roofs (handmade conical tiles). A solar plant has been installed which provides around 75% of power required by the lodge. A rain water tank and water treatment facility allows water to be recycled and reused. The lodge is also trying to break the traditional industry norms, by actively recruiting women to help improve gender inequality.
There is a large, shaded pool with a sun deck, perfect for cooling off in the middle of the day between your morning and afternoon excursions into the park. Each room includes Handcrafted, teak furniture and an en suite bathroom. Fantastic food is prepared and served at the lodge’s restaurant, and includes regional dishes like Varadhi thali and Maharashtrian thali, Varhadi chicken, Nagpuri Saoji mutton, homemade ice creams and pineapple Shrikhand.
A purpose-built wildlife photography hide looks out onto a small body of water, where birds come to perch, providing a pleasing eye level view for photographers, enhanced by the reflections of subjects on the water. To ease long spells waiting in the hide, there is a sofa with additional seating, as well as tea and coffee making facilities. Close to the wildlife hide is the nature library and lounge, where daily talks and presentations are held by the resident naturalists. There is a bar in the lounge and the library is well stocked with wildlife books and has a selection of board games.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
There is an outdoor, covered pool with separate toilets and changing rooms, showers, loungers, seating and a pantry for drinks. Near the bird hide is the nature library and a lounge area. There is a bar area, restaurant, outdoor lounge areas, wildlife hide and nature themed library.
Local Wildlife
Bengal tiger, leopard, sloth bear, dhole, langur, gaur, sambar deer, chital deer, jungle cat, golden jackal.
Red-crested pochard, grey heron, openbill stork, stork-billed kingfisher, white-eyed buzzard, oriental honey buzzard, paradise flycatchers, lesser adjutant.
Optional Activities
Tadoba jungle safari, bird photography, nature walks, cycling tours, boat ride in Tadoba, visits to Ramdegi temple and Sevagram Gandhi Ashram.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Tour Dates
Adult Price
Single Supp
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Flight Info:
Domestic flights included.
Best Visited:
December to March
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
Jonathan Morris
Area Specialist
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Everything ran like clockwork. Everyone we dealt with was friendly and very helpful. Transfers, guides and wildlife sightings all exceeded our expectations. Highlights were having a male tiger with his mouth and legs covered in blood following our jeep a long the track in Tadoba and seeing a leopard lounging on a rock by the roadside.
