Journey from Wildlife to Taj Mahal

This trip will feature some of India’s most famous wildlife places, including Corbett National Park. We’ll see lots of mammals and if you are interested in birds, you can build a list of more than 200 species on this trip.

The tour begins in Delhi where you’ll overnight following your arrival. The next morning, we will be travelling to Jim Corbett National Park where we’ll spend four nights.

Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India and was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to protect the endangered Bengal tiger. It was named after Jim Corbett, a well-known hunter and naturalist. It contains 488 different species of plants and a diverse variety of fauna. More than 586 species of resident and migratory birds have been categorised, including the crested serpent eagle, blossom-headed parakeet and the red junglefowl — ancestor of all domestic fowl. Small cats in the park include the jungle cat, fishing cat and leopard cat. Other mammals include barking deer, sambar deer, hog deer and chital, sloth and Himalayan black bears, Indian grey mongoose, otters, yellow-throated martens, Himalayan goral, Indian pangolins, and langur and rhesus macaques. Owls and nightjars can be heard during the night.

Nainital District has Richest Oak, Pine and Rhododendron Forest main habitats for Excellent Birding. We will spend three nights here. Nainital District is unique for its biodiversity and ecological amplitude. It has more than 1000 species of resident and migratory birds. The unique avian fauna of Nainital District includes red-billed blue magpie, kingfishers, blue-throated and brown-headed barbets, lineated barbet, golden-throated barbet, crimson-fronted barbet, coppersmith Barbet plum-headed parakeet and many more. This place is an absolute dream for a birdwatcher.

Next, we’ll visit the Mughal City of Agra and one of the world’s most famous and beautiful architectural monuments to love, the Taj Mahal. While in Agra we’ll also visit the palace complex of Fatehpur Sikri, the Mughal capital from 1571 to 1585; the Agra Fort, another residence of the Mughal Emperors, Akbar’s Tomb with its beautiful red sandstone outlined with white marble; and Chini Ka Rauza, another funerary monument, this one famous for its colorful glazed tile work. We will have an opportunity to shop for unique handicrafts and marble.

Our next stop is the city of Bharatpur, the Eastern Gateway of Rajasthan. We’ll visit important cultural monuments here, like the moated Lohagarh Fort, as well as the city’s markets where you can shop for handmade products. But the highlight of this stop is Keoladeo National Park, which lists almost 400 species of birds, and is one of the top birding hotspots in all of India. Here you’ll experience this region’s natural world, a mosaic of woodlands, wetlands, and dry grasslands.

On our last day, we’ll drive from the Bharatpur to Delhi where guests will connect with their return flights to home.