India’s Big Cats

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Depart the UK

   Depart the UK on an overnight flight to Delhi.

2. Day 2: Arrive Delhi

   We reach Delhi this morning and take a short transfer to our hotel located near the airport. The rest of the day is at leisure.

   Accommodation: Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, 1-night

3. Day 3: Fly to Leh

   This morning we have an early start with a morning flight to Leh. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure as we acclimatise to the high altitude of Leh, which is situated at 3,500 metres above sea level.

   Accommodation: The Grand Dragon Hotel, 2-nights

4. Day 4: Explore the Indus Valley

   Continuing our acclimatisation to the high altitude of Ladakh, today we explore three of the celebrated Buddhist monasteries of the Indus Valley: Shey, Thiksey and Hemis. Along the way we are likely to see wildlife including horned lark, hill pigeon, white-winged redstart, red-billed chough and ibisbill.

5. Day 5: Drive to Ulley

   We drive west from Leh following the Indus River to Ulley, passing through the small town of Nimmu, one of the most important in Ladakh, where the Zanskar River meets the Indus. Continuing west for around another hour, we then turn north towards Likir Gompa, one of Ladakh’s famous Buddhist monasteries and enter snow leopard country.

   The landscape here becomes even more expansive and by now our guides will have their eyes peeled, constantly scanning the hillside and the skyline. This is excellent Asiatic ibex country and both the rare Ladakh urial and the long-coated Tibetan wolf are also frequently seen here.

   Accommodation: Snow Leopard Lodge, 5-nights

6. Days 6-9 : Explore Ulley for snow leopard & other mountain wildlife

   We have four full days to enjoy the wildlife and habitats of the high Ulley Valley and surrounding area. Our exact programme each day will be dictated by the latest sightings.

   From Ulley we are able to explore three valleys: Hemis Shukpachen, Saspoche, and Ulley itself, all of which support a healthy population of snow leopards, wolves and other Himalayan wildlife. Our guide is an exceptional tracker and spotter with an uncanny knack for finding snow leopard. Over the next few days we explore the area with him on foot and by 4WD in search of snow leopards. During our stay we also have plenty of opportunities to learn about Ladakhi customs and traditions.

7. Day 10: Drive to Leh

   After a final morning in the field we return to Leh. Time-permitting, we stop en route to visit Alchi Gompa, an 11th century monastery and one of the region’s oldest.

   Accommodation: The Grand Dragon Hotel, 1-night

8. Day 11: Fly to Delhi

   This morning we take a return flight to Delhi and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

   Accommodation: Pullman New Delhi Aerocity, 1-night

9. Day 12: Fly to Rajkot & travel to Gir

   This morning we fly to Rajkot in Gujarat and from there travel to Gir National Park where this afternoon we take our first jeep safari in search of the endangered Asiatic lion.

   Accommodation: Gateway Hotel Gir Forest, 4-nights

10. Days 13-15 : Explore Gir National Park for Asiatic lion

    We spend three full days in Gir National Park, in search not only of its majestic lions, but also its wealth of other wildlife. The forest here has many herbivores, including chital, sambar, nilgai and chowsingha, which are they prey of both lion and leopard. Smaller mammals commonly seen here include grey langur, Indian grey mongoose and five-striped palm-squirrel.

    Our days here will typically follow a pattern of early morning and late afternoon jeep safaris, with a break during the heat of the day.

11. Day 16: Transfer to Bengaluru

    This morning, we depart Gir and return to Rajkot for a flight to Mumbai and connecting flight to Bengaluru in the southern state of Karnataka. We spend the night in a hotel close to the airport.

    Accommodation: Taj Yeshwantpur, 1-night

12. Day 17: Transfer to Nagarhole National Park

    This morning we drive to Nagarhole National Park, giving us time to have lunch and settle into our charming lodge before our first afternoon safari.

    Accommodation: Kabini River Lodge, 5-nights

13. Days 18-21 : Explore Nagarhole National Park for tiger & leopard

    We have four full days in this beautiful park, with morning and evening jeep safaris in search of tiger, leopard, Asian wild dog, sloth bear, Asian elephant, stripe-necked mongoose, Indian giant squirrel and the many other charismatic inhabitants of this peaceful and beautiful park.

    At least one of our safaris will be taken on the Kabini River, which has been dammed to create a huge lake. This is a magnificent experience, with flocks of river terns and small pratincoles overhead, osprey, grey-headed fish-eagle and white-throated kingfisher on dead trees, and in the afternoon large herds of herbivores, including Asian elephants, on the grassy banks.

14. Day 22: Final safari in Nagarhole & transfer to Bengaluru

    After our final drive among the tigers, leopards, gaur and Asian elephants of Nagarhole we make the journey by road back to Bengaluru where we spend the night. Early the following morning we transfer to the airport for our flight back to the UK.

    Accommodation: Taj Yeshwantpur, 1-night

15. Day 23: Fly back to the UK