Grand India Photo Expedition

An important feature of our India photography safari is the very small group size. With only nine travelers, you can expect far superior nature encounters and better tiger photo opportunities, away from crowds, in a quiet, intimate, low-impact context.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides, lodge and park staff, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through lunch on final day, some gratuities, still camera fees, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.

• Internal air cost includes: All flights within the itinerary (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees, activities outside of itinerary, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, required medical evacuation insurance, optional travel protection insurance. Note: India requires additional fees for video camera usage in parks, which is not included in your trip fee.

Wildlife Encounters
Our guests choose a trip to India for encounters with the country’s unique wildlife. While the nature experiences here are exciting, there is a fundamental difference between the wildlife experience in the Indian jungle and a typical African safari. At times, guests who are lured to India by tourist brochures promising “tiger safaris” can be disappointed to see fewer animals than they expected, or at least fewer than they might normally see in Africa. It is not that the surviving jungles are thinly populated with wildlife, but, similar to places like Costa Rica where the forest vegetation is dense, animals have mastered the art of camouflage in thick cover and can be extremely difficult to spot. We design our itineraries to capitalize on the best places to see tigers. But various factors can affect potential sightings, including inclement weather, which creates small pockets of water that allow the animals to remain hidden in the forest, rather than being driven into the open to drink. There is no doubt that India's nature, and the forests Kipling immortalized, offer wondrous discoveries. The secret for visitors lies in the assistance of expert guides – and we have been told that we have the best! – as well as knowing what to expect, and in understanding that the privilege of stepping into a wild natural realm is a reward in itself.

The Seasons
There are many advantages to traveling at the time of year that we operate our India adventure. By January, the parks have almost completed their transition out of the post-monsoon period: vegetation has begun to thin, water sources are steadily shrinking, and wildlife movements—especially those of tigers—reaches a high. During this season, tigers are consistently on the move and walk teh game trails extensively, which makes sightings exciting. This is also the height of the tiger mating season, when males and females vocalize, scent-mark and patrol their territories more actively, creating dynamic opportunities to observe and photograph natural behavior. Many species, including tigers and hardground swamp deer, still carry their rich winter coats in early January, adding depth and beauty to portrait images. As the season progresses into March, April and early May, visibility continues to improve as foliage dries and opens up, and animals concentrate more reliably around known waterholes. These warmer months often deliver some of the best chances for clear, unobstructed sightings, as wildlife seeks out shade and water during predictable parts of the day. At the same time, the rising temperatures mean that animals may rest longer in cooler, shaded areas and may be less active during mid-day hours—an important natural rhythm your Expedition Leader will take into account when planning each day’s strategy. Throughout the winter and spring, birdwatching remains excellent, with a mix of resident species and overwintering migrants adding color and movement to the landscape. Morning mist, golden light filtering through sal forests and open meadows, and the soft hues of the dry season all contribute to theatmospheric conditions that make central India such a rewarding destination for photographers.

Safari Vehicle Routes & Seating Allocation
Rather different than in nearly every other country we travel to, in India the driving routes in national parks are pre-assigned and must be followed. In most parks this is generally not a problem, but when searching for tigers this can be frustrating as they simply may not be visible on a given route on a given day. Our hope is that we are able to utilize different routes on different days. However, the park service allocates routes at random for each vehicle, so there is no guarantee that vehicles will get a different route for each wildlife drive. We understand that one of the goals for your journey is to view tigers, and but please understand that there is a chance that the vehicle to which you are assigned could take the same route multiple times. Thank you for participating in this adventure knowing that this may be the case. Indian park regulations are also extremely strict with regard to seating arrangements on wildlife drives. Requirements dictate that guests be confirmed in specific vehicles upon booking, well in advance of the departure date, and we are unable to change vehicles while we are exploring each park. To the best of our ability, we attempt to ensure that guests who are traveling with a partner or friend will have seats together during wildlife drives. Because couples or friends are booked together in the same vehicle and are unable to split up during drives, it may mean that in some instances, certain vehicles will contain fewer guests than others. It is also important to understand the limitations based on available vehicle space. Each open safari vehicle has two front seats and two rows of bench seats. Regulations require that the front two seats be occupied by a park ranger and registered driver. Our Expedition Leader and local guides are allowed more flexibility and will switch among vehicles for each drive so that all guests are able to spend equal time with them. However, this means that as our Expedition Leaders and local guides rotate vehicles, there may be times when there will be three people (two guests and one Expedition Leader or local guide) to a row—our Expedition Leader/local guides may be required to sit in the rear left seat of the vehicle. Please know that while there are indeed limiting factors to the tiger viewing experience in India, we have taken great pains to ensure that this special India tiger and wildlife safari with Nat Hab provides the best viewing experience possible.

Full Day Permits
Full day photography permits in Bandhavgarh National Park and Kanha National Park (and other tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh) allow you to stay inside the park from sunrise to sunset, giving you far more time and flexibility than the standard morning and afternoon safari slots. These permits are subject to the parks’ rules and availability. With a full day permit, you will have zone‐free access, meaning you are not restricted to just one of the usual designated safari zones; you may move across zones during the day to respond to wildlife sightings and changing light conditions. The number of vehicles on full day permits is strictly limited, which helps reduce competition and increases your chances of meaningful photographic encounters. Because you are in the park all day, you’ll have the opportunity to capture wildlife under varied conditions — early‐morning mist, mid-day light, and late afternoon golden glow — and you’ll be able to stay on location when others leave the park for lunch, giving you a competitive advantage for capturing behavior and animals in less crowded circumstances. That said, these permits do not guarantee sightings of particular species (such as tigers), nor do they exempt you from following park rules: you must stay in the vehicle unless walking is expressly permitted, you must stay on designated tracks, you must respect minimum distances from wildlife, and you must depart the park at the official gate-close time (or the modified timing for full day permit holders). We make every effort to secure full day permits for the entire group on the same day; however, because the number of these permits is extremely limited, travelers in our group may occasionally have their full day safaris on different days. Rest assured that all guests will receive one full day safari in Bandhavgarh and one in Kanha, subject to park regulations and availability. In the event that the group’s full day permits fall on different days, your Expedition Leader will ensure that each guest is fully supported and set up for an outstanding experience while they are on the full day safari. Guests who are not on the full day safari that day will enjoy the other activities outlined in the itinerary, accompanied by an exceptional lodge naturalist.

This trip begins and ends in Delhi. Because this is a long international journey with considerable travel time and time-zone adjustment, we recommend that you arrive the night before Day 1 to rest from your travels and begin the trip refreshed. For guests who come in early, our recommended hotel will be included in your pre-departure materials.

If you plan to arrive on Day 1, please arrive by 9 am in order to participate in a guided city tour beginning at approximately 1 pm.

You may depart Delhi any time after 9 pm on the final day.

Our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk can best assist with your travel reservations, as our staff is familiar with the specific requirements of this program and can help arrange the most efficient itinerary. Please call us at 800-543-8917. While we offer the best available rates to us on airfare and additional nights’ accommodations, you may occasionally find special web rates or lower fares online.