india wildlife safari brochure with itinerary and photos. · bengal tiger, pench is also home to...

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India Wildlife March 18 – April 1, 2018

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Page 1: India wildlife safari brochure with itinerary and photos. · Bengal Tiger, Pench is also home to the elusive Asiatic Leopard and the handsome Dhole, or Asiatic Wild Dog. ... Greater

India WildlifeMarch 18 – April 1, 2018

Page 2: India wildlife safari brochure with itinerary and photos. · Bengal Tiger, Pench is also home to the elusive Asiatic Leopard and the handsome Dhole, or Asiatic Wild Dog. ... Greater

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Photos: Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, Bengal Tiger

Travelers throughout history have feasted their senses on India’s

intoxicating mix of fascinating culture, dramatic landscapes, and

abundant wildlife. On this comprehensive 15-day India safari,

journey from the bustling bazaars of Delhi to the tranquil teak

forests of Madhya Pradesh. Set off on exciting tiger safaris amidst

the teak forests of Pench National Park and walking safaris in search

of Sloth Bear in Satpura and Greater One-horned Rhinoceros on the

banks of the fabled Brahmaputra River. While the primary focus is

the charismatic megafauna of the Indian Subcontinent, your India

expedition exposes the incomparable cultural and scenic diversity

of this ancient land.

Expedition Over view

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Sunday, March 18: New Delhi Arrive in Delhi and transfer to the Radisson Blu Hotel. The day is yours to explore this vibrant cultural melting pot. Delhi consists of two starkly different worlds: upscale New Delhi was built as the seat of government for the British Raj; Old Delhi served as the capital of the Mughal Empire. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and briefing at the hotel. Overnight at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Monday, March 19: New Delhi / Bhopal / Satpura National Park Depart Delhi early on a flight to Bhopal, the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. From there, a picturesque drive will take you to the sandstone peaks and narrow ravines of Satpura National Park. Satpura, covering roughly 200 square miles, is part of an ambitious government initiative that seeks to preserve and reclaim dwindling forests and repopulate the area with endangered wildlife. Dinner and overnight at the small Reni Pani Jungle Lodge at the edge of the Satpura Tiger Reserve.

Tuesday, March 20: Satpura National Park Early this morning, cross the Denwa River in a 4x4 to watch the Satpura Reserve come alive. Satpura is located in a transition zone between the forests of eastern India and Western India—the careful observer will notice stands of both Teak and Sal—and this affords the privilege of being at the exact place where several habitats overlap. The area is home to Gaur, a bison-like animal that is the largest of all the world’s bovids; the world’s only four-horned antelope, the Chousingha; and the Rhesus Macaque. The impressive Malabar Giant Squirrel, an unusual species for Central India, has also been spotted here. But of all the park’s denizens, it is the Sloth Bear for which Satpura is most famous, for nowhere else on Earth are these typically elusive and reclusive creatures more conspicuous. Explore the reserve on foot or take another 4x4 safari to its outer reaches, constantly alert for any sign of the presence of this spectacular animal. Overnight Reni Pani Jungle Lodge.

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Photos: Indian Peafowl, Chital Deer, Sloth Bear

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Wednesday, March 21: Satpura / Pench National Park Leave Satpura this morning for a scenic day’s drive past picture-perfect teak forests and jungle streams, and arrive this afternoon in Pench National Park and Tiger Reserve. Immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in “The Jungle Book,” Pench’s terrain is characterized by both dry, deciduous forest and undulating grasslands, making it choice habitat for a staggering diversity of wildlife, including one of the highest densities of herbivores of any Indian park. Dinner and overnight at Jamtara Wilderness Lodge, in the heart of rural Pench outside the park.

Thursday & Friday, March 22 & 23: Pench National Park This India wildlife park gets its name from the Pench River, which winds through it like a python, adding a number of aquatic species to an already long list of wildlife. Renowned as an ever-more-reliable location for India’s apex predator, the iconic Bengal Tiger, Pench is also home to the elusive Asiatic Leopard and the handsome Dhole, or Asiatic Wild Dog. It’s also a bird-watcher’s dream, with over 250 recorded species, including the impressive Malabar Pied Hornbill, Crested Serpent-Eagle and Madhya Pradesh’s State Bird, the Yellow-footed Green Pigeon. Enjoy morning and afternoon game drives and guided walks, watching herds of elegant Chital, or Spotted Deer, often accompanied by foraging troops of elegant, long-tailed Hanuman Langurs. Dinners and overnights at Jamtara Wilderness Lodge.

Saturday, March 24: Pench / Kanha National Park After breakfast, travel past rich farmland and colorful villages to Kanha National Park. This 366-square-mile preserve was established to save the endangered Barasingha, or Swamp Deer, before being declared part of the Project Tiger network. Take an afternoon wildlife safari, before returning for dinner and overnight at Kanha Jungle Lodge, at the edge of the park.

Sunday & Monday, March 25 & 26: Kanha National Park Kanha’s magnificent Sal forests are home to prolific wildlife, notably India’s largest population of tigers, and your time in this wildlife Mecca will focus on experiencing firsthand this most regal of big cats. Beginning every day before dawn, enter the park with morning mists still hanging over dew-drenched meadows. At sunrise, the forests resound with bird song, from the quiet purring of Jungle Owlets and rich melodies of Orange-headed Thrushes to the raucous crowing of Red Junglefowl. Be especially alert to the warning barks of Sambar, Chital or Barking Deer that may lead to a majestic Bengal Tiger padding through the forest. While seeing tigers will undoubtedly be foremost in your mind, you may also cross paths with Golden Jackal, Ruddy Mongoose, Wild Boar, or the impressive Gaur.

Ascend the plateau of Bamni Dadar for panoramic views over the park far below. Flamboyant Asian Fairy Bluebirds, Red-whiskered Bulbuls and flocks of Scarlet Minivets enliven the treetops, and in the arid scrub of the plateau you may be lucky enough to glimpse the elusive Chousingha. This remote part of Madhya Pradesh still preserves its rural tradition, and between excursions into the park you’ll visit a nearby school for a taste of local village life. The lodge is also renowned for its fine Indian cuisine and you may choose to partake in a cooking demonstration.

Tuesday, March 27: Kanha / Raipur / Kolkata After a last morning wildlife safari drive in Kanha, head east through rural villages to Raipur, in the state of Chhattisgarh. Transfer to the airport and fly to Kolkata, where you have time for dinner before the overnight at Swissotel.

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Photos: XXXXCaption text here from top to bottom.

Photos: Barasingha (Swamp Deer), Baby Hanuman Langur, Golden Jackal

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Wednesday, March 28: Kolkata / Guwahati / Kaziranga Rise early this morning for a flight east to India’s principal tea-growing region, Assam, on the fertile plains of the Brahmaputra River. Land in Guwahati and continue by road to Kaziranga National Park, global stronghold of the prehistoric-looking Greater One-horned Rhinoceros. Once hunted to near-extinction, this rhino’s numbers have now rebounded to more than 1,600, two-thirds of which are found within this park. Kaziranga is also home to the highest density of tigers, although the density of the Elephant Grass makes seeing this elusive cat unlikely. Dinner and overnight at Diphlu River Lodge, in traditional stilt cottages set amongst lush bamboo groves.

Thursday & Friday, March 29 & 30: Kaziranga National Park Bordering the sacred Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga National Park is a World Heritage site and one of the last unspoiled wilderness areas of eastern India. Morning and afternoon game drives will reveal the park’s 160 square miles of Elephant Grass, marshland and dense, tropical, moist broadleaf forests. Aside from Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and the elusive tigers, the park is home to Asian Elephants, one of only two populations of wild Water Buffalo in existence, Barasingha, Hog Deer, and Indian Rock Python. It has also been deemed by Birdlife International an Important Bird Area, due to its population of both Lesser and Greater Adjutant Storks and the scarce and endangered Bengal Florican, as well as the abundant herons, migrant waterfowl and shorebirds that often throng its oxbow lakes, or jheels. A visit to the banks of the Brahmaputra may reveal watchful Grey-headed Fish Eagle or even the rare Gangetic Dolphin foraging in midstream. Gather at our lodge Friday night for a festive farewell dinner. Overnights at Diphlu River Lodge.

Saturday, March 31: Kaziranga / Guwahati / New Delhi Drive back to Guwahati for an afternoon flight to Delhi. Transfer to the Pride Plaza Hotel, near the airport, for dinner. Rooms are booked for the night, although many flights depart late this evening, or early the following morning.

Sunday, April 1: New Delhi / Homeward Transfer very early this morning to the airport for your international flights home.

Photos: Tea Garden in Assam, Asian Elephant, Lesser Adjutant, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros

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Expedition Map

A – New Delhi B – Satpura National Park C – Pench National Park

D – Kanha National Park E – Kolkata F – Kaziranga National Park

By Road By Air

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Marco TonoliMarco organised his first expedition into the Drakensburg Mountains at the age of 13 for a group of friends, which ultimately led to an unquestionable love of exploring and sharing the natural world. As soon as he was of legal age, he was on the first plane out of his home country, South Africa, to discover the cultures and environments of the Middle East, Far East and Europe. This love of the world’s wilderness areas and the people within it, led him to pursue what turned out to be an adventurous 16-year career as a naturalist guide throughout Southern and East Africa, Ethiopia, India and Madagascar.

His love of ethology and species adaptations, and their survival in harsh and extreme habitats took him to the Kalahari Desert, where he led and trained a team of specialist guides, as well as lived and worked closely with the region’s best trackers. In due course he developed a passion for the art and science of tracking, conducting desert Black Rhino walking safaris for the next four years.

Marco took a small break from guiding to study wildlife filmmaking and photography in the pursuit of documenting the natural world, which has allowed him opportunities to work on productions by National Geographic and Discovery Channel, as well as having images appear in notable natural history publications throughout the world.

“Marco is simply one of the

most knowledgeable guides I’ve

ever come across, and I’ve come

across quite a few! I highly

recommend Marco to anyone

wanting guiding of the highest

caliber.”

– Alex W., United Kingdom

Your Expedition Leader

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India Wildlife March 18 – April 1, 2018$10,970 Per Person Rate

$13,380 Solo Rate

15 Days Trip Length

10 Guests Group Size

New Delhi / New Delhi Start/End

Expedition Details

IncludedApex Expeditions’ rates include all accommodations; all meals, activities and excursions as described in the itinerary;

flights as noted in the itinerary (New Delhi/Bhopal-Raipur/Kolkata-Kolkata/Guwahti-Guwahati/New Delhi); services of an

Apex Expedition leader and local guides throughout the itinerary; local beer and wines at lunch & dinner; all gratuities;

airport transfers; permits and entrance fees; all taxes.

Not IncludedCosts not included in the price of your Apex expedition include travel to and from start and end point of trip;

premium brand drinks and liquor; travel insurance (Trip Cancellation and Interruption, as well as Emergency Medical

and Evacuation insurance, are highly recommended); airport departure taxes; excess baggage fees; passport and/or

visa fees; items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, souvenirs, etc.); and pre- or post-trip independent travel

arrangements.

Payments & Terms20% of the trip cost will confirm your place on the expedition. The final balance is due 150 days prior to departure.

All prices are quoted in U.S. dollars and must be paid in U.S. dollars. Per person pricing is based on double occupancy.

The Solo Rate is paid by participants who specifically request single accommodations and is subject to availability.

If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, we will try to match you with a roommate of the same

gender. However, if a roommate is not available, the published Solo Rate will be charged. Upon confirming your

reservation you will be required to pay the published Solo Rate, if we are able to pair you with a roommate, the

applicable difference will be refunded at the time that the final trip payment is due for all participants. Please note that

solo accommodations are limited and cannot always be guaranteed throughout. For our full set of Terms & Conditions,

please visit our web site at www.apex-expeditions.com/about/terms-conditions/

One-of-a-kind adventures to the world’s most fascinating places. Join us.

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India Wildlife March 18 – April 1, 2018

Person 1: (Primary Contact)

Passport Name:

Preferred Name:

Date of Birth:

Email Address:

Mailing Details:

Address:

City: State: ZIP Code: Country:

Phone: Fax:

Double Solo

Person 2: (If applicable and at same address, otherwise please submit a second Reservation Form.)

Passport Name:

Preferred Name:

Date of Birth:

Email Address:

Deposit Information:

My deposit check is enclosed (20% of total tour fare)

Charge my deposit to my: VISA MasterCard American Express

Card #: Expires: CCV Code:

Name on Card:

Signature:

Please return this completed form to Apex Expeditions. E-mail: [email protected] or Mail: 4130 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Reser vation Form