Wildlife Tours
Bird Watching & Tiger Safari Tour
The Bird Watching & Tiger Safari Tour is a 15-day wildlife journey across North and Central India, pairing the country's finest tiger reserves with its greatest bird sanctuary and the icons of the Golden Triangle. From the jeep tracks of Ranthambore to the wetlands of Keoladeo at Bharatpur and the tiger-rich forests of Bandhavgarh, it is built for serious wildlife enthusiasts and photographers who also want to see the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and Mughal Delhi along the way. Every safari and transfer is arranged privately, at a relaxed pace.
Tour overview
This is our flagship wildlife circuit, and it deliberately links three very different habitats. Ranthambore in eastern Rajasthan is dry deciduous forest around a great hilltop fort, one of the best places in India to photograph tigers in open terrain. Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is a man-made wetland that draws well over 230 resident bird species and a wealth of winter migrants. Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh has one of the highest tiger densities in the country, set in sal forest beneath an ancient fort.
Between the parks the tour weaves in the classic sights: two days in Delhi, the palaces and forts of Jaipur, Akbar's abandoned capital at Fatehpur Sikri, and the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Long distances are covered by a mix of comfortable train journeys and private car, so you arrive at each reserve rested and ready for early-morning game drives.
We have run wildlife tours since 1997 and know these parks intimately — the best zones, the naturalists worth booking, and how to time safaris around the seasons and park rules. The itinerary below is our recommended flow; it is fully private and tailor-made, and can be lengthened for extra safaris or trimmed to focus purely on tigers or on birds.
Tigers in two great reserves
Multiple jeep safaris in both Ranthambore and Bandhavgarh, two of India's premier tiger parks, maximise your chances of a sighting.
Keoladeo, a birder's paradise
The Bharatpur wetland hosts more than 230 bird species — herons, storks, pelicans, eagles and winter migrants — best explored slowly by foot and cycle-rickshaw.
Wildlife meets the Golden Triangle
The Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Amber Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are woven into the route, so the safari holiday doubles as a grand tour of North India.
Forts within the forests
Both Ranthambore and Bandhavgarh are crowned by ancient hill forts that offer sweeping views over the jungle and add history to the wildlife.
Day-by-day itinerary
15 daysOn arrival at Delhi's international airport you are welcomed in traditional Indian style and transferred to your hotel. The day is free to relax and recover from your flight before the journey ahead. Overnight in Delhi.
A full day discovering the capital. In Old Delhi you visit the Mughal Red Fort and the great Jama Masjid and wander the bustling market lanes of Chandni Chowk. In the afternoon you see imperial New Delhi — India Gate and the Qutub Minar — and in the evening you can browse the handicrafts and handlooms of Dilli Haat. Overnight in Delhi.
- Red Fort & Jama Masjid
- — Shah Jahan's citadel and India's largest mosque in Old Delhi.
- Qutub Minar
- — 73m 12th-century victory tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
After a relaxed breakfast you check out and board a train to Sawai Madhopur, the gateway station for Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan. On arrival you transfer to your resort beside the park and settle in for the rest of the day. Overnight near Ranthambore.
Ranthambore is one of the best places in North India for a jungle safari, and mornings and evenings offer the best chances of spotting tigers. You take an early-morning jeep safari into the park, return to the resort for lunch, and head out again in the afternoon to explore other zones of the reserve. Overnight near Ranthambore.
- Tiger safari
- — Early-morning and afternoon jeep drives in prime tiger territory.
This morning you visit Ranthambore Fort, set high inside the national park with panoramic views over the jungle. After lunch at the resort you take a jeep safari into the Kachida Valley, a rocky area where leopards are sometimes seen. Overnight near Ranthambore.
- Ranthambore Fort
- — Ancient hilltop fort inside the park with sweeping jungle views.
- Kachida Valley
- — Rugged zone where leopards are occasionally sighted.
After a leisurely breakfast you leave Ranthambore and drive about three hours to Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. On arrival you are transferred to a heritage hotel for check-in and lunch, and the rest of the day is free to relax. Overnight in Jaipur.
A full day among the palaces and forts of the Pink City. In the morning you ascend to the hilltop Amber Fort, by elephant or jeep, then pause at the Hawa Mahal and the lake-set Jal Mahal on the way back. After lunch you explore the Jantar Mantar observatory and the City Palace with its museum. Overnight in Jaipur.
- Amber Fort
- — Hilltop fort-palace blending Hindu and Rajput architecture.
- Hawa Mahal
- — The honeycomb "Palace of Winds" façade.
- Jantar Mantar
- — UNESCO-listed 18th-century astronomical observatory.
After breakfast you drive around three hours to Bharatpur and check in. In the afternoon you enter Keoladeo National Park for a birding tour. More than 230 bird species are native to this wetland, joined in winter by many migrants — Siberian cranes, pelicans, spoonbills, egrets, darters, grey herons, storks, ibis, ducks and eagles among them. You can explore on foot or by cycle-rickshaw, whose drivers double as skilled birding guides. Overnight in Bharatpur.
- Keoladeo National Park
- — UNESCO-listed wetland with 230+ bird species and winter migrants.
- Cycle-rickshaw birding
- — Trained rickshaw drivers act as expert birding guides in the park.
This morning you can take another round of Keoladeo or relax at the hotel. In the afternoon you drive the short distance to Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's abandoned red-sandstone capital, seeing the Panch Mahal, the audience halls, the tomb of Salim Chishti and the towering Buland Darwaza. You then continue to Agra for the night. Overnight in Agra.
- Fatehpur Sikri
- — Akbar's perfectly preserved 16th-century Mughal capital.
- Buland Darwaza
- — The monumental victory gateway of Fatehpur Sikri.
A morning tour of Agra takes in the Taj Mahal, the world's most famous white-marble monument (note that it is closed on Fridays), and after lunch the great Agra Fort with its Jahangiri Mahal and audience halls. In the evening you transfer to the railway station to board an overnight train towards Umaria in Madhya Pradesh, the gateway to Bandhavgarh. Overnight on board.
- Taj Mahal
- — The 17th-century marble mausoleum; closed to visitors on Fridays.
- Agra Fort
- — UNESCO-listed Mughal fort of palaces and audience halls.
The train reaches Umaria early in the morning, where our local representative meets you and transfers you to a jungle resort at Bandhavgarh National Park. You check in and spend the day at the resort. Bandhavgarh is one of the most celebrated wildlife destinations in central India, and the days that follow are given to tiger safaris and forest excursions. Overnight at Bandhavgarh.
After breakfast you take a full-day excursion to Bandhavgarh Fort, one of the most ancient forts in India, reached by jeep and offering beautiful views over the forest. A temple to Lord Ram stands within the fort, and the nearby caves carry ancient Sanskrit inscriptions. Dinner and overnight at the resort.
- Bandhavgarh Fort
- — Ancient hill fort within the park, with a Ram temple and rock inscriptions.
A full day of wildlife awaits, with two guided tiger safaris, an outdoor lunch, a nature walk and a birding session. The Bengal tiger is the dominant species here and is most readily spotted in the cooler winter months, alongside deer, langur and a rich supporting cast of birds. Overnight at the resort.
- Bengal tiger
- — Bandhavgarh has one of the highest tiger densities in India.
The day is free for leisure at the resort or a final optional safari. In the evening you transfer to the railway station to board an overnight train back towards Delhi, with dinner served on board. Overnight on the train.
On the final morning the train arrives in Delhi and you transfer to a hotel for breakfast and a day-use room until departure. In the evening you are transferred to the international airport for your onward flight home. Tour ends.
This itinerary is a suggested flow and is fully customisable — hotels, pace and sightseeing are tailored to you. Ask us to adjust it →
Places on this tour
What's included
- Accommodation on twin-sharing basis in hotels and jungle resorts as per the itinerary
- Meals as specified at the wildlife resorts and daily breakfast elsewhere
- Private air-conditioned car with an experienced driver for road sectors
- Train journeys as per the itinerary (Delhi–Sawai Madhopur, Agra–Umaria, Bandhavgarh–Delhi)
- All arrival, departure and inter-city transfers
- Local licensed guides for city sightseeing
- All applicable taxes on the services quoted
Not included
- Park entry fees, safari/jeep charges, naturalist fees and camera/video charges
- Monument entry fees
- Lunches, dinners and drinks unless specified
- Any airfare, visa or travel insurance
- Tips, gratuities and personal expenses
- Single-room supplement for single occupancy
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Ideal for: Wildlife enthusiasts, birders and photographers who also want to see the Golden Triangle icons.
FAQ
Bird Watching & Tiger Safari Tour — your questions answered
The tour visits Ranthambore, Keoladeo (Bharatpur) and Bandhavgarh. Ranthambore in Rajasthan and Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh are two of India's best tiger reserves, while Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur is the country's premier wetland bird sanctuary.
October to April is the best window, and winter is ideal. The tiger parks are open through this season and sightings improve as the weather cools, while Keoladeo is at its best in winter when thousands of migratory birds arrive to join the resident species.
No wildlife sighting can be guaranteed, but this itinerary is designed to give you the best possible chance. By including multiple morning and afternoon safaris across both Ranthambore and Bandhavgarh — two high-density tiger reserves — over several days, your odds of a good sighting are strong.
More than 230 bird species are native to Keoladeo National Park at Bharatpur. In winter these residents are joined by numerous migrants such as cranes, pelicans, spoonbills, egrets, storks, ibis, ducks and eagles, making it one of the richest birding sites in Asia.
It combines wildlife with the Golden Triangle, so you get both. Alongside the safaris in Ranthambore, Bharatpur and Bandhavgarh, you visit Delhi, the palaces and forts of Jaipur, Fatehpur Sikri, and the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, making it a complete tour of North and Central India.
