Fly direct - JUST TIGER SAFARI in India – 7days Trip

Tour Overview: You will fly to Nagpur which is a gateway to reach Pench and Kanha National Parks. Jungles of Central India were setting for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book. The tour weaves through some of India’s best tiger parks. It offers exclusive prospects to see the best of the Indian wildlife, closely, in its natural habitat. Trip Highlights

❖ Fly directly to region with India’s top Tiger Parks. ❖ Search for elusive tigers with top naturalists in 4WD

Jeeps ❖ Game drives with expert local naturalists. ❖ Cooking class, tribal village visit. ❖ Stay in TOFT Pug rated luxury lodges with all modern

facilities – Pool, air-conditioning, Wifi … ❖ Long distance transportation in comfortable Vehicles ❖ Snacks and soft drinks in the car during inter-park drives

Royal Expeditions is a luxury, boutique in-bound operator founded in 1993 by the Princess of Jodhpur who was a Member of Parliament for over 20 years and the Minister of Culture for the country. (Her brother is the Maharaja of Jodhpur and well known in in the international arts community.) The Managing Director, Vishal Singh, is a founding and current board member of TOFT, Tour Operators for Tigers, and a wildlife expert. Since its inception, Royal Expeditions has customized unique itineraries for politicians, dignitaries, royal families and travellers with discerning tastes, including BBC documentary film maker, Michael Palin. Royal Expeditions prides itself on creating unique trips tailored to travellers’ personal interests and delivering flawless service with great attention to detail.

National Parks Visited

Pench Located in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh, the forests of Pench is the original Kipling Land. It has been included under the umbrella of Project Tiger as the 19th Project Tiger Reserve it comprises of of 758 sq. kms out of which a core area of 299-sq-km is the National Park and 464-km the buffer area. This park has the highest density of herbivores in India. This 758 sq km park is named after the Pench river. It is the panoramic beauty of this region that has been described as early as the beginning of the 20th century by naturalists like Captain J. Forsyth in 'Highlands of Central India' and by Rudyard Kipling in the 'Jungle Book'. It has the highest density of herbivores in India and has a growing population of tigers and wild dogs. This linked with Kanha Np by a forested 16,000 sq km corridor and best to explore it is on Mountain Bikes.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01 Arrive from America / Europe (via Middle East) Nagpur / Pench Arrive by Qatar Airways: QR 590 from Doha at 0225 hrs OR Via Mumbai on Etihad / Emirates connection.

Meeting and assistance on arrival and transfer to Le Meridian for wash and change. (Rooms will be held from previous night for immediate occupancy) After breakfast in the morning, drive to Pench (130 kms, 2.5 hrs) Arrive Pench and check into your lodge After lunch leave for afternoon game drive by open top 4WD vehicle. You will travel in open four wheel drive vehicles called Gypsy for game drive in the Park accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist who sometimes is also the driver besides the local park guide. Note: Pench National Park remains closed for game drives on Wednesday afternoons Welcome dinner at the lodge Overnight at Pench Tree Lodge – Tree House / Cottage / Taj Baghvan - Cottage

Day 02 Pench / Kanha ( 170 kms, 3.5 – 4 hours) Early morning assemble for tea / coffee and then set off for a game drive by jeeps accompanied by local naturalist. Mornings are cold inside the forest and slowly warm up as the sun rises, you will be provided blankets by the lodge to keep your legs warm. After lunch, continue your drive to Kanha Arrive at Kanha and check in to lodge.

Overnight at Kanha Earth Lodge – Bungalow / Taj Banjaar Tola – Luxury Tent Day 03 Kanha Early morning assemble for tea / coffee and then set off for a game drive by open top 4WD jeeps accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist who sometimes is also the driver besides the local park guide. Return to lodge for a late breakfast around 11 AM. Afternoon jungle excursion by four wheeled drive vehicle accompanied by local naturalist. Overnight at the lodge Day 04 Kanha Morning and afternoon game drive by open top 4WD jeeps accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist Overnight at the lodge Day 05 Kanha Morning and afternoon game drive by open top 4WD jeeps accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist

Overnight at the lodge Day 06 Kanha / Pench Morning game drive by open top 4WD jeeps accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist After lunch, drive to Pench Arrive at Pench and check into your lodge Overnight at Pench Tree Lodge – Tree House / Cottage / Taj Baghvan - Cottage Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Day 07 Pench / Nagpur / Departure (via Middle East back home or to Africa – Tanzania / Kenya / South Africa / Rwanda)

Morning game drive by open top 4WD jeeps accompanied by English speaking lodge naturalist After lunch drive to Nagpur (130 kms, 2.5 hrs) Rooms for wash and change will be booked at Le Meridian, before transfer to the airport for your flight back home (Reporting time for international flight is at least 3 hours prior to flight departure time)

END OF SERVICE

TOUR COST (NET NON COMMISSIONABLE)

Prices are based on services mentioned, suggested hotels and room types. All services (accommodation, game drive etc.) are subject to

availability and change of price by the providers till the moment of confirmation.

Land Arrangement Cost (Valid till 30 June 2018)

Pugdundee Lodges (4 Star Plus ) Taj Safari Lodges ( 5 Star )

1 pax US$ 3500 per person on single share US$ 5490 per person on single share

2 pax US$ 1920 per person on twin / double share US$ 3480 per person on twin / double share

City Hotel – Pugdundee Lodges 4* level Hotels – Taj Safari Lodges 5* level

Nagpur Le Meridian – wash and change room Le Meridian – wash and change room

Pench Pench Tree Lodge – Tree House Taj Baghvan - Cottage

Kanha Kanha Earth Lodge – Bungalow Taj Banjaar Tola – Luxury Tent

Inclusive of: Non-inclusive of:

• Accommodation in a double / twin share on above

mentioned hotels / lodges

• Breakfast at the hotel in Nagpur

• All meals at the jungle lodges

• Arrival & Departure transfers and inter-park drives in

private chauffeur driven air conditioned Toyota Innova

(MUV)

• Game drives by 4WD jeep as mentioned in the itinerary

• Still Camera Fee.

• All presently applicable taxes

• International Airfares

• Indian Visa

• Any meals unless mentioned

• Travel & Health insurance

• Other meals where not mentioned in the program

• Any drinks/water at any place.

• All international /domestic airport taxes

• Hotel early check in / Late check out

• Overweight luggage

• Personal expenses – mineral water, telephone calls, laundry, etc

• Tips & gratuities

• PROFESSIONAL / FILM CAMERAS FEES

• Other services/activities which are not listed in inclusive column

Note: The cost is based on jungle safaris on sharing basis. However at the Taj Lodges, if they cannot provide a shared jeep, the safaris will be

on exclusive basis and mandatory supplements will be charged. The additional cost for exclusive safari is US$ 160 per person per safari (for 1

person travelling) and US$ 50 per person per safari (for 2 persons travelling)

Jungle Lodges

Pench

Pench Tree Lodge is absolutely the most extraordinary bed in Pench Nationl Park. Up in the branches of the tree of 40 acres of private jungle, Pench tree lodge has only six massive tree houses, clock in at 700 sq ft each, 5m off the ground in all their luxurious glory. Beautiful four poster beds and spacious outdoor porches frame the Jungle surrounds with poetic aplomb and privacy is tantamount. These tree houses merge so perfectly into the greenery that they stay hidden until you are almost at the bottom of the wooden stairs leading up to the door of your room. There’s plenty of space inside with a sleeping and living area, and glass doors leading to a balcony from your bedroom and en-suite shower room so you can bathe with the sound of the wind blowing through the leaves and view of the jungle. There’s no need to forgo other creature comforts to aid midday snoozes between safaris there’s an fan and air – conditioning to keep you cool and heating and hot water bottles to warm you on chilly nights. Back down on terra firma the main dining area is overlooking a water hole and has a swimming pool under huge mahua tree. – It’s the perfect place for real jungle book experience. http://www.pugdundeesafaris.com/penchtreelodge-pench.php

Taj Baghvan is hidden away amongst the thickly wooded banks of a seasonal stream which, in the dry season serves as a pathway for tiger, leopard and other animals inhabiting the fringe of the forest. The charm of the old forest rest houses has been blended with modern conveniences in the picturesque and comfortable cottages. Each unit in the cottage is completely independent with bedroom, bathroom and verandah designed to blend into the environment and enhance one’s sense of being in the wilderness. Yet the entire design as also the operation of the lodge is focused around eco-friendly practices – harvesting of rainwater, recycling liquid waste, minimum use of organic fuels careful disposal of waste, maximum use of recycled and degradable materials and close association of the local community in our operations. The main dining and lounge area is a pleasant blend of open and enclosed spaces, admitting light and air into an atmosphere of warmth and conviviality.

Kanha

Kanha Earth Lodge lies in 16 acres of natural forest, tucked away in a small hamlet bordering Kanha’s buffer zone. Its unique location, 30 minutes from the Khatia/Kisli park gate, ensures that it is close enough for easy access to the park, but still far enough from the glut of hotels lining Kanha’s tourist hub to offer guests a true wilderness experience. Our guests benefit from our incredible location, outstanding hospitality, experienced team of naturalists, and commitment towards conservation and local communities. The 12 luxury bungalows with en suite bathrooms and open verandahs have been inspired by Gond tribal architecture and offer environmentally sensitive, low-impact accommodation through their design and use of local stone and waste wood, while the absence of neighbouring lodges or highways creates an ideal setting for nature walks, birding and cycling trips through the surrounding forest.

Taj Banjaar Tola Situated along the banks of the Banjaar River, directly overlooking the heart of Kanha National Park. It consists of 2 elegant camps of 9 suites each. Each suite will feature its own intimate tented sitting area with its own discreetly positioned swimming pool. The Lodge will have its own unique identity, celebrating the Bastar and Dogra art hailed from nearby Chattisgarh. The luxurious, yet lightweight, ensuite tents have been designed in a contemporary style with pressed bamboo wall panels, gorgeous bamboo floors, and locally crafted furniture hewn from the timber of exotic Indian trees. The textiles have been designed in tones of delicate saffron and acid-washed green, with rich block-printed Madhya Pradesh cottons and silks. The atmosphere is light, ethereal and organic.

FACTS:

Jungle Excursions: By 4 wheel drive jeeps accompanied by local naturalist Park Timings: Sunrise to 1000 am and 3 Pm to Sunset. Open from November to June. Viewing is good throughout the year. May and June are very hot. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS TO PRE BOOK GAME DRIVES IN NATIONAL PARK

Limited numbers of visitors are allowed inside the National Parks. Booking is done on first cum first serve basis. Therefore, we would

request you to please send us the following information at the earliest in order to enable us to book game drives or a scanned copy of the

relevant pages of the passports.

1. Salutation (Mr/Mrs/Miss) 2. Passport Number

3. First Name as per Passport

4. Date of Issue of Passport

5. Last Name as per Passport

6. Date of Expiry of Passport

7. Nationality 8. Place of Issue of Passport

9. Date of Birth

EQUIPMENT & CLOTHING Casual clothing is the order of the day. Hard wearing, easy to wash travel clothes are ideal. We may wish to pack one set of slightly smarter clothes to wear at the hotels. Laundry service will be available at all the places we stay. Early morning can be cold (November to March) until the sun is up especially on game drives, in open top Jeeps and in the jungle. A light windproof or fleece jacket, warm hat, gloves and scarf are recommended. During the day we will need a wide brimmed sun hat and sunglasses. Lightweight, comfortable walking shoes are advised for throughout the holiday and for sightseeing. Special note: No bright colors in the field please, including brightly colored clothes, hats, gloves, etc. Although the birds and other wildlife are relatively approachable, muted colors are essential to improve our chances.

We should bring a pair of binoculars in good repair. If we are keen birders we may want to bring a spotting scope. We should bring all the camera equipment, spare batteries and film that you will need. For digital camera users bring sufficient memory cards and storage. If we are using rechargeable batteries you will need to bring our charger and a travel adapter (round two pin). Plastic bags, cotton bags or pillowcases are useful to protect our camera equipment from dust and sand. A small daypack/camera bag is essential for carrying excess clothing, camera equipment and a water bottle.

Example Flight Connection - New York – Nagpur (India) – Sar es Salaam (Tanzania)