Tigers and Rhinos
Destination : Kolkata - Kaziranga
National Park - Guwahati - Delhi
- Ranthambore National Park .
Duration : 12
Days 11 Nights
DAY 01
FLY TO KOLKATA
DAY 02 KOLKATA
Arrive Kolkata at early morning met and arrival transfer to the hotel
(room holding from the previous night to facilitate immediate check
in)
Half-day city tour of Kolkata
Kolkata is a city of glaring contrasts:
a curious blend of the old and the new, partly feudal, partly born out
of growing urbanization, partly un-definable. It is a medley of the
east and the west, a graft of a European city imposed on the Asian
scape that gives Calcutta its bewildering charm, confusion and
excitement. Being just about 300 years old, Calcutta hardly has many
great historical monuments. Perhaps, the oldest remembered is the site
where the Kalighat Temple now stands. Today Calcutta is the largest
city in India with a population over 10 million and boasts of India's
first ever Metro rail system. It is a city that shocks on first
impression but eventually the visitor falls in love with it. The
sightseeing of the city includes a visit to the Victoria Memorial,
Calcutta's most imposing and monumental dream in marble opened by the
Prince of Wales in 1921 and often called the "Taj" of the
British Raj, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Indian Museum, the largest
in India, with one of the best collections of Indian art.
Over
night stay at your hotel
DAY 03 KOLKATA -
GUWAHATI - KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK
Departure transfer to
the airport to connect flight to Guwahati (Jet Airways flight
departing Kolkata at 1005 hrs. Arriving Guwahati at 1115 hrs)
Arrive Guwahati and drive to Kaziranga National Park
Arrive
Kaziranga and check in at your resort
DAYS 04-06 KAZIRANGA
NATIONAL PARK
Morning and afternoon game drives to the
national park for birding and animal watchss
Kaziranga National Park, situated in the
northeastern state of Assam, is one of the most picturesque wildlife
parks in India. The natural habitat of the one-horned rhino, Kaziranga
lies on the southern banks of the Brahmaputra River, northeast of
Assam's capital Guwahati. The predominant vegetation is a mixture of
tall grasslands and riverine forests interspersed with open forests,
interconnecting streams and numerous small lakes or 'bheels'. There
are many marshes, interconnecting streams and ox-bow lakes, known
locally as 'bheels' or 'bils'. To the south of the park lie the Mikir
Hills, which rise to over 1,000 metres elevation. The park may be
explored by riding elephant or 4-wheel drive motor vehicles. There are
several watchtowers. There are many places that can be visited while
you are staying at Kaziranga. The nearby Panbari Reserve Forest is the
best place to see the Hoolock Gibbon. The Kakochang waterfall is 13
kms from Bokakhat. Not far from the park are the ruins of the ancient
Numaligarh. These ruins are of great archaeological importance. The
tea gardens of Hathkhuli, Methoni, Difalu, Behora Borchapori are also
other local attractions. 
DAY 07 KAZIRANGA
NATIONAL PARK - GUWAHATI - DELHI
Drive to Guwahati to
connect flight to Delhi (S2112 1540 hrs / 1825 hrs)
Arrive Delhi
at 1825 hrs met upon arrival and transferred to the hotel
Over
night stay at the hotel
DAY 08 DELHI
- RANTHAMBHOR NATIONAL PARK
Today morning we will transfer
to Delhi railway station for the long rail journey southwards to
Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
Arriving afternoon at Sawai Madhopur
- close to the reserve - we will take a short jeep ride to your hotel
for a 3-night stay.
Today after lunch we will have our first game
drive to the national park. We might be able to meet stripe gentleman.
DAYS 09 - 10
RANTHAMBORE TIGER RESERVE
Ranthambore National Park is one
of the prime examples of Project Tigers conservation efforts in
Rajasthan. The forests around the Ranthambore Fort were once, the
private hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to
preserve the game in these forests for sport was responsible for their
conservation, and subsequent rescue by Project Tiger.
The Park sprawls over an estimated area
of 400 sq kms. Steep crags embrace a network of lakes and rivers, and
a top one of these hills, is the impressive Ranthambore Fort, built in
the 10th century. The terrain fluctuates between impregnable forests
and open bush land. The forest is the typically dry deciduous type,
with dhok, being the most prominent tree. The entry point to the Park
goes straight to the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi
Mahal. The latter boasts of the second-largest banyan tree in India.
The Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Malik Talab are some of
the lakes in the area that attract the tiger population. They have
been spotted at the edges of these lakes, and Jogi Mahal itself. Old
crumbling walls, ruined pavilions, wells, and other ancient structures
stand witness to the region's glorious past. The entire forest is
peppered with the battlements and spillovers of the Ranthambore Fort -
tigers are said to frequent these ruins, too. The tigers can be
spotted quite often even during the day, busy in their normal pursuits
- especially stalking or hunting and taking care of their young. With
the strict measures that have been taken for their conservation, they
seem quite accustomed to human activity and are not disturbed by it.
For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity
of fauna and flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic
plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles (including the marsh crocodile) &
amphibians and 30 mammals.
DAY 11 RANTHAMBHOR NATIONAL PARK
- DELHI
After a final morning's game drive today, we will return to Delhi by train
(Golden Temple Mail departing Sawai Madhopur at 1300 hrs. Arriving Delhi
at 1855 hrs.
After arriving at Delhi we will be transferred to our airport hotel
for a night.
DAY 12 DELHI
- ONWARD DESTINATION
Today early morning we will be
transferred to the International airport to connect our flight back
home.
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