India Tiger Safari

A very important feature of our India wildlife safari is the limited group size of just eight travelers, with a maximum of four guests per vehicle on wildlife drives—nature encounters are enhanced by being away from crowds, within the intimate setting of a small, low-impact group.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s), local guides and lodge staff, all meals from breakfast on Day 2 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.

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees, optional activities, 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
Most of our guests travel to India to encounter the country’s wildlife. While nature experiences in India are indeed outstanding, there is a fundamental difference between a safari in the Indian jungle and a typical African safari. At times, guests 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 expect to see in Africa. It is not that India's surviving jungle habitat is sparsely populated with wildlife, but, similarly to places like Costa Rica where the forest vegetation is very dense, animals have mastered the art of camouflage and can be difficult to spot, even during the summer season when foliage is thinner.

That said, we have carefully designed our India itineraries to capitalize on the best conditions to spot tigers. We don’t think you'll find a better opportunity to maximize your chance to view and photograph tigers than this trip affords. 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 forced into the open to frequent waterholes. The secret to a successful Indian nature adventure lies with the expertise of our Expedition Leaders and park rangers, as well as your knowing what to expect as a traveler, and in understanding that the privilege of stepping into a wild and untouched natural realm is a reward in itself.

Safari Vehicle Routes & Seating Allocation
Tadoba National Park is divided into two primary zones: the Core Zone and the Buffer Zone. Each day, the park limits the number of permits issued for both zones to ensure sustainable wildlife tourism and minimal disruption to the ecosystem. While the Core Zone may be considered the prime area for tiger sightings due to its denser tiger population, the Buffer Zone also offers a unique and rewarding safari experience with diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and strong opportunities for tiger sightings.

Guests can expect a balanced mix of safaris in both zones, each offering its own distinct appeal. Within the zone we are assigned each day, we will have access to all roads and areas, ensuring a comprehensive experience. We understand that the main purpose of your journey is to view tigers, but please understand that there is a chance that the vehicle to which you are assigned could take the same zone 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.

Also, on rare occasions, you may see film crews during your time inside the park. These crews have special permits to film inside park boundaries and, as a result, they do enjoy certain advantages that a regular tourist does not, such as spending the entire day inside the park and having access to places where others cannot go. 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 safari provides the very best viewing and photography opportunities possible.

Cell Phone Ban in Tadoba National Park 
Tadoba National Park has a strict ban on the use of cell phones by all visitors, guides and drivers within the park’s Core Zone, with no exceptions. Guides and drivers are allowed limited use of phones (no calls) within the Buffer Zone. Guests are not allowed to use cell phones for any purpose, including photography and taking videos, anywhere within the park. This ban originated to combat the use of location tags by poachers to track tigers. It also supports traditional tiger tracking methods through word of mouth, which minimizes the number of vehicles at sightings. Tiger sightings take on a whole new level of intimacy when cellphones are set aside, ensuring a more respectful and less intrusive experience for both humans and wildlife.

To facilitate photography in the park, Nat Hab has developed an exclusive program with Lensrentals, a premier lens rental company, which allows our travelers to rent high-quality cameras, lenses, spotting scopes, tripods, flashes, backpacks and other equipment at a 15% discount. To review the available options, visit lensrentals.com. To obtain the discount, add the code “NATHAB15” to the “Promo Code” box and hit “Apply” upon checkout.

Arrive in Delhi at any time on Day 1 of the itinerary. You are free to depart Delhi anytime after 9 pm on the final day.

We can best serve you if our Natural Habitat Adventures Travel Desk makes your reservations, as we are intimately familiar with the special requirements of this program and can arrange the most efficient travel. Please call us at 800-543-8917. Note that while we offer you the best possible rates available to us on airfare and additional nights' accommodations, you may find special web rates or better fares online.