This morning, you'll arrive in the vibrant and loveably chaotic city of Delhi, where you'll be met by your private car and driver and taken directly to your accommodation to rest after your flight. Once you're feeling refreshed, you might like to venture out to get your bearings, have an amble and take in some of the sights of the capital.

Today, you'll fly from Delhi to Nagpur and continue your journey by car to Tadoba National Park. You'll get your first taste of India's wildlife as you head off on safari this afternoon, and hopefully your first tiger encounter, too! Tadoba is a lesser-known park, and the tigers can be a little shy. It is worth spending several days here for the best chance to see them.

Set your alarm early for your next couple of mornings to head out on a game drive first thing. The wildlife is often at its most active in the early hours, so hopefully it'll be worth the early wake-up. The reserve is spread around the bamboo-fringed Tadoba Lake. As you explore the dry deciduous forest, keep your eyes peeled for tigers, leopards, striped hyenas, sloth bear, gaur, wild dog, jungle cats and the abundance of birdlife. Afternoon game drives are included too, to give you the very best chance at spotting what you hope to! 

After one final early morning safari in Tadoba this morning, you'll travel by road to Pench, a drive of around 5 hours. The afternoon is at your leisure, allowing you to relax and soak in your surroundings. The area is rich in birdlife, and we recommend a walk around the grounds of your accommodation.

Today, you'll head off on a morning and an afternoon game drive in Pench National Park. Pench is predominantly a teak forest and is home to leopard, dhole, civit, tiger and hundreds of bird species including the racket-tailed drongo and the crimson-breasted barbet.

After a final early morning safari, take the scenic drive over the Vindhya Hills to Kanha National Park. This afternoon, explore the rural landscape while taking in the slow pace of life of Kanha's people on a leisurely village cycle ride. You’ll find clusters of vibrant sky-blue houses moulded out of earth, and depending on the season, witness the rice harvesting process or cycle past fields of brilliant yellow mustard.

Over the next two days, you'll enjoy morning and afternoon game drives in Kanha National Park. Kanha is regarded as one of the most beautiful parks in India, with scenic open grasslands and sal forest. You'll likely see Barasingha (swamp deer), which not long ago faced extinction, and hopefully, with the skills of your expert naturalist, be treated to a sighting of the elusive tiger. The tiger population is thriving here, but there are plenty of other mammals to look out for, including dhole, jackal, wild boar, antelope and leopard. The natural habitats are home to over 300 bird species, including the golden oriole, the crested serpent eagle and the Asian paradise flycatcher. So birdwatchers will be in their element, too. 

Enjoy a final early morning game drive in Kanha before setting off for Bandhavgarh National Park, a journey of around 6 hours. Bandhavgarh is renowned as one of the premier destinations in India to spot tigers in the wild. It's quite a popular park, with lots of visitors, so you won’t have it to yourselves. But with one of the highest concentrations of tigers in India, we feel it's worth a visit regardless!

Over the next couple of days, you'll enjoy morning and afternoon jeep safaris in Bandhavgarh National Park. The chances of seeing a tiger are good, but the park should also be noted for its beautiful forests, diverse wildlife and birdlife. Look out for wild boar, antelope, sloth bear and dhole. You may also spot egrets, hornbills, kingfishers and eagles that are endemic to the region.

After a final morning’s game drive in Bandhavgarh, you'll travel by road to Jabalpur (this should take around 3 hours) to board the train to Piparia. You will be met on arrival in Piparia and transferred to your lodge in Satpura, approximately one hour away. We recommend spending a few days in this varied park. The main park is surrounded on three sides by water, which has protected its forest and ensured that its woodland and wildlife residing in the area have remained pristine. 

This morning, you'll head off on an early morning game drive in rugged Satpura National Park. The park is hugely varied: from deep valleys and waterfalls to sandstone peaks and dense forest. Satpura is the only park to allow walking safaris, so we'd hugely recommend heading out on foot this afternoon with your expert guide, who will introduce you to local bird and plant life. It's a fantastic opportunity to get close to nature and appreciate some of the often-missed attractions the park has to offer.

Enjoy a leisurely boat cruise down the Denwa River this morning. Home to Indian freshwater crocodiles and many bird species, there's plenty to keep an eye out for whilst enjoying the stunning views over the valley and the Satpura Hills. For the more adventurous, canoeing is an absolute delight. Canoeing and boating safaris are possible, as are walking safaris through the core area of the park. Or, try a night drive through the buffer zone to search for nocturnal animals.

After a final morning jungle activity in Satpura, you'll drive to Bhopal, a journey of around four hours. Along the way, you'll visit the remarkable Bhimbetka Caves, home to 30,000-year-old rock paintings, giving an extraordinary window into prehistoric human life. From Bhopal, take an afternoon or evening flight to Delhi, or opt to stay overnight in the city before continuing your journey tomorrow.

Your wildlife-focused adventure around India's national parks comes to an end today as you head back to the airport in time for your flight back to the UK.