Tigers & Leopards of India - 02nd to 16th May 2025

Duration: 8 nights/9 days photographic safari (11 nights/12 days with Leopard extension)

Spaces: 6 Spaces (Minimum of 3 required)

Your tour will be hosted by Tracey and another photographic host

You will also be joined by an experienced local Indian guide/naturalist. All 3 hosts will be on hand to provide any tuition both in the field and during down time at the lodge. This trip is ideal for all photography levels.

Bandhavgarh National Park is a national park of India, located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh, with an area of 105 square kilometres (41 sq mi), was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993. The current core area is spread over 716 square kilometres (276 sq mi).

There are three main zones of the national park which are Tala, Magdhi and Khitauli. Altogether, these three ranges comprise the 'core' of the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve.

During our time in Bandhavgarh we will have 10 game drives in total. These will be split between morning and afternoon drives across all three zones. We will try to ensure all 3 jeeps are in the same zone at the same time (although we will split up once in the zone to cover more areas) but there may be a chance that one of the jeeps may have to go into a different zone.

We will be staying in a beautiful lodge located within walking distance to the park which has elegant furnished air conditioned rooms, large outdoor seating areas and lots of areas to relax. The Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge has been a preferred lodge of filming teams like National Geographic, BBC & Disney. It is also the preferred lodge for many of the worlds top photographers

Jhalana Leopard Reserve is spread in an area of 23sq km Jhalana Leopard Safari Park is home to 30-35 leopards out of which around 10 leopards have their territory in the tourism area of park. Situated right in the heart of Jaipur city, Jhalana is slowly becoming a favorite destination to spot leopards in wild. This otherwise shy cat is the apex predator here and does not have much competition for survival which makes them confident and therefore better sightings .

Once a reserve forest around Jaipur, Jhalana has always been home to leopards and other smaller fauna including spotted deer, blue bulls, wild boars and loads of resident as well as migratory birds.

Jhalana Leopard Safari has grown into a recognized non-profit wildlife park dedicated to conservation, education, and animals in wide open spaces. Jhalana Leopard Safari features over 500 animals representing their wild counterparts, making it a true intersection of human and nature nestled into the picturesque hills of Aravalli. It has leopards, jackals, nilgai, hyena, jungle cat, peacock etc. With over 400 acres of space for some of the rarest, most endangered and simply coolest species on earth to roam.

May is the dry season and is one of the best times of year to view and photograph Tigers and all the other wildlife we will see. The temperatures can be hot (35-42 ° C). Due to the temperature the Tigers/Leopards often seek out the water holes giving increased opportunities for sightings & photography.

Guests should be advised that the game drives can get very dusty and also be a tad bumpy at times but this is all part of the adventure. As with any wildlife adventure tiger sightings can never be guaranteed.

Hotel Pride Plaza, Aerocity, Delhi (Nr International Airport) - (2 Nights)

This 5-star hotel near Delhi Airport provides the finest accommodation and state-of-the-art amenities and serves as a delightful haven for business and leisure travellers. The palatial rooms are decorated with the magnificent monumental images of India. The most striking aspect of the lovely images highlighting the beauty of the country is that they are absolutely authentic. Being a quintessential traditional hotel, the Pride Plaza offers it’s guests a host of opportunities to feel at home and relish the true Indian treat in the form of home-made jams, pickles, conventional chaats in the buffet, the relaxing welcome drink, tamarind candies, hot water bottles among many others.

Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge (Nr Banhavgarh National Park) - (6 Nights)

The lodge is located close to the national park, just walking distance from the main gate of the reserve which is known as TALA gate. The Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge is one of the places that can charm and fascinate you at the same time. The lodge is built with minimum interference to the natural environment of the jungle and is managed on eco friendly principles. The most important aspect of a wildlife experience is the interpretation of nature and its habitant & Bandhavgarh Lodge participate fully in nature conservation activities. The lodge is built in wildlife theme-based style. A lot of fruit trees and bushes have been deliberately planted to attract a variety of butterflies, birds and insects. Due to such close proximity to the Bandhavgarh National Park, spotted deer and langur monkey can often be seen in and around the Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge. For a decade, Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge has been a preferred lodge of filming teams. Whether it is National Geographic, BBC, or Disney. We were home to the crew for many filming assignments. Similarly, we are also the preferred lodge for many of the world’s top photographers.

Accommodation:

Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge is a real sense of luxury, comfortable and warm stay. The lodge has been developed on the theme of an Indian village with 13 spacious cosy and comfortable independent Cottages, and 8 rooms in two separate villas, to make a total of 21 rooms

They have modern facilities with single, twin or double bedded rooms, with attached bathroom with all amenities such as: shower, running hot and cold water, comfortably furnished, even a hot water bottle at night to keep you warm. Lodge rooms are equipped with reading lights, a writing table and chairs, large luggage rack etc.

Dining:

Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge offers a dining experience to remember for a long time. The Lodge has friendly open verandah to dine under the stars or to breakfast, in the soothing warm winter sun. Offering breathtaking views of the jungle, the dining room is a wonderful place to enjoy Indian and Continental delicacies that pamper the taste buds in a delightful manner. Moreover, the food is served in an ethnic style that

Pre-trip advice

2-3 months prior to travel you will receive a comprehensive document that provides packing advice so you are prepared for your trip

Tour language

This tour is an English-speaking tour. Please note: that not all lodge staff/forest guides will have a good understanding/ use of understanding the English language. However, we do have a local Indian guide who is able to assist if required.

Visas

Foreign nationals visiting India must obtain a visa prior to their arrival in India. The new e-via system can be accessed here:

https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

Visas are usually granted quite fast (2-3 days). Please be wary of other visa providers who may charge extra for the visa service. It is best to use the government’s own website to avoid extra visa service fees

It is your responsibility to also ensure that your passport is valid for a minimum of six months and has several clear pages for visas prior to departure. It is also suggested that you check your status as regards visas prior to travel as they can change on a regular basis.

Vaccinations

We are not qualified or legally allowed to provide vaccination or medical advise. Therefore, you should consult your travel nurse or doctors for specific medical advise and up to date advise on vaccinations required. We suggest doing this at least 2-3months prior to travel or sooner if this allows

Diarrhea / giardia etc. – good personal hygiene and control over the quality of your drinking water should avoid this. Bottled water is readily available throughout the country. Please take along some diarrhea and rehydration medicine just in case, particularly if you are planning to spend some time travelling alone and not with a tour. We recommend that guests buy only bottled water with the seal intact. Bottled water is usually provided free of charge as standard at most safari lodges and tented caps. Please ensure bottled water is used when brushing one’s teeth, even in well-established camps and city lodges

Fitness Level Required

This tour does not require a high level of fitness. However, guests should be able to get in/out of a game vehicle (a step up/down of around 2 feet) with little or no assistance and should be capable of walking up to 200 metres to and from their room at the lodges/hotels. Guests should also be aware of the temperatures below that can be experienced at this time of year.

Weather & Environmental Conditions

During May in India, it is their summer. Late mornings and afternoons will be very hot, and the temperatures may go to 39-45 C at the hottest part of the day. Usually on average, temperatures will be around 36-41 C. Rain at this time of the year is generally not experienced, although occasionally there can be the odd thunderstorm

You may require a lightweight fleece or a light sweater for a short while during morning safaris. The moment the sun starts coming up, it starts getting very hot. The heat can start from early/mid-morning.

It is very important to avoid dehydration in these temperatures by wearing a hat and drinking plenty of water. In the evening it can be warm. On our group safaris, we use air-conditioned hotels/lodges

Camera Equipment

For game viewing we would recommend bringing a camera/lenses that can cater for a range of distances. A good starting point is to have a camera/lens that can accommodate focal lengths of between 100-400 mm. In general, you will be using longer lenses/focal length for the majority of the time. However, some tiger sightings may be experienced at much closer focal lengths, or you may want to take a more wider-angle lens for environment images. Therefore, we would recommend cameras/lenses that provides a minimum of around 70-100 mm focal length, with the opportunity of a zoom lens or an alternative lens that can cater for sightings at a further distance (e.g., 400mm – 600mm)

Often on safari you will be photographing in the early morning and early evening and therefore sometime in low light. So, for those more serious photographers, we therefore recommend faster lenses, for example F4 or below. Further information on photography equipment will be supplied as part of your pre-trip advice.

Gratuities

Gratuities are not included in the cost of your safari. What you provide as a gratuity is very much up to the individual traveller. However, below is a guideline of what is generally recommended to budget for:

Tipping is very much part of the culture in India and is usually expected and it is advisable to have local currency for this purpose. Wages for most nationals of India in the national parks are very low and as we like to ensure we are tipping for the good service we receive from local staff.

Your hosts will advise on this nearer the time and will collect this amount from you all at the beginning of the tour or on the first night at the hotel. Which will then be used during your trip to avoid you having to worry about paying gratuities daily or at the end of the trip.

Wi-Fi/Phone Network Access

At most of the lodges or hotels in India there is Wi-Fi access. However, please be aware that the speed of these networks may be much slower than normal broadband speeds. There is generally good access to cellular networks in Delhi, but this can be very sporadic in the more rural areas of India.

Dietary

Most dietary requests can be catered for with advance notice provided to us at least two months prior to departure.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing your own travel insurance at the time of booking to cover any eventualities should you need to cancel your trip due to unforeseen circumstances as both the deposit and final balances are non-refundable. Guests travelling without their own travel insurance do so at their own risk.

Bandhavgarh Group Photo Safari Cost: £3995 pp (Single Occupancy Supplement: £500 pp)

Bandhavgarh Group Photo Safari & Jhalana Photo Extension Cost: £5595 pp (Single Occupancy Supplement: £700 pp)

Secure your place with 25% non-refundable deposit of £998.75 / £1123.75 (single occupancy) per person

Payments accepted by Bank Transfer

*Please see Terms & Conditions for payment details

Cost Includes (Bandhavgarh Group Photo Safari):-

2 nights accommodation at Hotel Pride Plaza Aerocity (Breakfast included)

6 nights at Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge (including Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)

10 Jeep safaris in Bandhavgarh based on 2 guests plus host in each jeep

Airport transfers in Delhi

Return Internal flights to Jabulpur

Road transfers as stated in air-conditioned comfortable vehicle for all transfers included in the tour program

All park entrance fees, jeep charges, permit fees, services of forest guide and driver

Assistance/meet & greet at airports on arrivals / departures

Services of 2 x photographic hosts

Services of local tour guide and naturalist

Service tax levied by the government

NOT Included:-

International flights to/from Delhi

Any personal expense such as laundry bills, beverages / drinks bill at all hotels, snacks whilst travelling, telephone bills, airport tax etc

Dinner & Lunch costs whilst at hotel in Delhi (2 nights)

Tips & gratuities (E.g. for local drivers, forest guides, local tour leaders & hotel staff). Please budget for around £150 per person

Travel Insurance, Visas & Vaccinations