The best of Central India's heritage — Mughal magnificence, the Bundela forts of Orchha, Khajuraho's carved temples, and the sacred Ganges ghats of Varanasi.
Tour Highlights
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Day by Day Itinerary
Arrive at Mumbai airport and transfer to your hotel. Discover some of the finest monuments of this great city, including the stunning Gateway of India, Gandhi Museum, Flora Fountain, Victoria Terminus and the Rajabai Clock Tower. Time permitting continue on to the vibrant Crawford Market, before making your way to Marine Drive, a beautiful promenade along the shoreline of the Arabian Sea. Time allowing enjoy the serenity of the beautifully manicured Hanging Gardens before later heading to Kamala Nehru Park to enjoy magnificent views.
Up early to catch the train from Mumbai to Bhopal this morning, where you will be collected by your driver and transferred to your lovely city centre hotel where there will be a chance to freshen up and have a swim before stepping out on an old town heritage walk.
This morning set off north to Sanchi to visit this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here you will then continue on to the stunning Udayagiri Caves (Risen Mountain), one of India's most important archaeological sites and yet far less visited. Return to Bhopal where you can enjoy some lunch, before setting off to explore the old city.
After breakfast you'll drive south towards Satpura, stopping en route to visit the second of six world heritage sites, the extraordinary rock shelter complex and Palaeolithic rock art at Bhimbetka. From here you will drive on to Satpura to stay at the wonderful lodge called Reni Pani. After lunch you'll head out across the Narmada River, and into the park on your first jeep safari.
One of the great things about Satpura is that there are a multitude of ways to experience the park. This morning you might go for a boat ride up the Narmada River, or canoe deep into the river's creeks and inlets. You might go for a jungle walk deep into the bush and tiger territory. After around three hours you will return to the lodge for a bit of relaxation beside the pool, before heading back out in the late afternoon for another safari.
Today you will drive back to Bhopal where you can have an early lunch before being transferred to the airport for your flight to Hyderabad — the City of Pearls. Arriving in the late afternoon you will be picked up and taken to your hotel.
Once the foremost centre of culture on the entire Indian subcontinent, Hyderabad was established by the Qutb Shahi dynasty in the latter years of the 16th century. A tour of the city today will take in its historic Golconda Fort and the Qutb Shahi Tombs, whose beautifully domed granite tombs and tranquil landscaped gardens provided the final resting place for seven of the dynasty's rulers. Finish your day with a visit to the old city, home to Char Minar, the Makka Majid and the fabulous old bazaar, a labyrinth of lanes filled with fruit sellers, bangle-makers and sari embroiderers, Biriyani restaurants, and the wonderful old cafes famous for tea and Hyderabadi-style biscuits.
Drive to Bijapur (Vijapura), the remarkable medieval Sultanate capital, home to the extraordinary Golgumbaz tomb with its famous whispering gallery, the Ibrahim Rouza palace and mosque, and the ancient city walls.
Drive through Karnataka's Deccan landscape to Badami, the 6th-century Chalukya capital with its four remarkable rock-cut cave temples carved into a red sandstone cliff above a sacred tank.
Visit the extraordinary Pattadakal temple complex — a UNESCO World Heritage Site with some of India's finest 7th-8th century Chalukyan temple architecture — before driving to the remarkable UNESCO Heritage Site of Hampi.
A full day exploring the remarkable UNESCO Heritage ruins of Hampi — the Vittala Temple, the Royal Enclosure, the Elephant Stables and the extraordinary boulder-strewn landscape of the ancient Vijayanagara Empire.
Drive or fly from Hampi to Nagpur and then transfer to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve — Maharashtra's oldest national park and one of India's premier tiger reserves.
Two game drives through Tadoba — morning and afternoon — in search of Bengal tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs and the remarkable birdlife of this extraordinary forest.
Transfer to Nagpur airport for the flight back to Delhi. Free evening in Delhi.
After breakfast the tour concludes. Airport transfers available.
About This Journey
Discover the remarkable heritage and wildlife of Central India on this tailor-made journey — from Mumbai to Bhopal through the extraordinary cave paintings of Bhimbetka, the tigers and wildlife of Satpura and Tadoba, the City of Pearls at Hyderabad, and the ancient temples and stepwells of Sanchi and Bhopal. Central India offers extraordinary wildlife and some of India’s most significant archaeological and religious sites in a region that sees only a fraction of the visitors to the Golden Triangle or Kerala.
Highlights
Bhimbetka — UNESCO World Heritage Site with Palaeolithic rock paintings over 30,000 years old. Satpura National Park — walking and boat safaris in one of India’s most diverse wildlife parks. Tadoba Tiger Reserve — Maharashtra’s oldest park with excellent tiger sighting records. Hyderabad — the City of Pearls with magnificent Golconda Fort and Charminar. Sanchi — UNESCO Buddhist stupa complex dating from the 3rd century BCE.
Accommodation Used On This Tour
Mahua Kothi Taj Safari
The first of the Taj Safari lodges, Mahua Kothi sits in 40 acres of forest at Bandhavgarh. Its twelve kutiyas (jungle village huts) are built in traditional Central Indian style with mud walls and thatched roofs, and its naturalists are among the finest in India.
The Claridges
The Claridges has been a veritable treasure in Lutyens Delhi since the 1950s. Refurbished, redesigned and revitalized, the hotel offers guests an experience that is new and yet so familiar. In an excellent location just a short auto ride from Khan Market and Connaught Place, this four star hotel has 132 rooms and suites designed with an elegant blend of 19th century character and contemporary style, a refreshing outdoor pool, indoor gym and relaxing spa.
Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. Please refer to the detailed itinerary of your individual departure for more information.
Where You Stay
What's Included
Frequently Asked Questions
October to March is the most comfortable period, with clear skies and pleasant daytime temperatures across North India. December and January mornings can be cold and foggy in Delhi and Agra. April to June is very hot; July to September is the monsoon.
Yes — this route is well-established with excellent hotels and infrastructure, and our experienced guides and drivers handle every practical detail. First-time visitors consistently find it a superb introduction to India.
Private air-conditioned vehicles with experienced, dedicated drivers throughout. For longer distances we use India's excellent express trains or domestic flights where they improve the journey.
Absolutely. Duration, hotels, route and experiences can all be tailored to your preferences and budget — this itinerary is a starting point, not a fixed product. Contact us to plan your ideal trip.
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