Corbett, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari (13N/14D)
From $3,130£2,350€2,800A$4,490C$4,420
Prices are per person, twin share, private departure, and are rounded. They are estimates and vary with the accommodation you choose and the season. Contact us for a final price.
This itinerary is completely customisable, including accommodation that is not on our list. Speak to our safari specialists and they will design a fully bespoke journey around a romantic dinner in the forest, a family adventure or a serious wildlife photography expedition.
About This Tiger Safari
This Corbett, Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger safari brings three of India's great tiger forests together in one unhurried journey. You begin in the Himalayan foothills at Jim Corbett, India's first national park, where sal forest gives way to river grassland and wild elephants move along the banks of the Ramganga. Next come the sweeping meadows of Kanha, where the rare hard-ground barasingha grazes in the morning mist. The journey ends beneath the sandstone cliffs of Bandhavgarh, a fort-crowned reserve with one of the highest densities of tigers in India.
Your days follow the rhythm of the forest. You take one safari a day, setting out at dawn on some days and in the late afternoon on others, in a private 4x4 jeep, reserved for your party alone, with a naturalist who reads alarm calls and pugmarks and knows the resident tigers individually. The hours between are spent at handpicked lodges. A VIP welcome at Delhi airport, chauffeur-driven private SUVs and domestic flights make every transfer effortless.
Every journey is curated for you alone. Choose any hotel on our list in each destination, and your programme stays the same while the lodges change to suit the way you like to travel. Each journey contributes to TOFTigers, winner of a Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award in 2025, supporting responsible tiger tourism and the communities beside the forest. The best time to travel is November to June.
Destinations Covered
Delhi (3 nights), Jim Corbett National Park (3 nights), Kanha National Park (4 nights) and Bandhavgarh National Park (3 nights).
What You Will Experience
- Three celebrated tiger reserves in one journey: the Himalayan foothills of Corbett, the grassland meadows of Kanha and the ancient hills of Bandhavgarh.
- Private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day in the morning or the afternoon, reserved for your party alone and led by expert naturalists.
- Kanha's hard-ground barasingha, a graceful swamp deer the reserve brought back from the edge of extinction.
- Wild elephant herds and rich river birdlife along the Ramganga and Kosi rivers in Corbett.
- Bandhavgarh's 2,000-year-old hilltop fort and the reclining stone Vishnu of Shesh Shaiya, on the trails of the Tala zone.
- A choice of handpicked stays in every destination, from owner-run forest lodges to riverside tented suites.
- Effortless logistics, from your VIP airport welcome to chauffeur-driven private SUV transfers and domestic flights.
Design your journey with a safari specialist
Every journey is private, bespoke and curated around you: share a few details and one of our safari specialists will be in touch within 24 hours.
Thank you
Your enquiry is with our safari specialists, who will be in touch within 24 hours to begin shaping your bespoke, curated journey.
Corbett, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Itinerary: Day by Day
Safaris included: seven private 4x4 jeep safaris with an expert naturalist, one a day and alternating between morning and afternoon: two in Corbett (a morning safari on Day 3 and an afternoon safari on Day 4), three in Kanha (mornings on Days 7 and 9 and an afternoon on Day 8) and two in Bandhavgarh (a morning safari on Day 11 and an afternoon safari on Day 12). If time allows during the day and park tickets are available, we can add further safaris at an additional cost.
Day 1: Arrival in New Delhi
Your journey begins the moment you land. A VIP representative meets you as you leave the aircraft and guides you through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, then a chauffeur-driven private SUV takes you to your hotel, about 45 minutes away. The rest of the day is yours to rest after your flight.
Day 2: New Delhi to Jim Corbett National Park
Drive: about 6 hours (260 km)
Drive: about 6 hours (260 km). After breakfast, your chauffeur heads north-east across the plains and into the forested foothills of Kumaon. By mid-afternoon you reach your lodge on the edge of the reserve. Over tea, your naturalist introduces the park, its zones and the etiquette of the forest, ready for the first safari at dawn.
Day 3: Jim Corbett National Park
Rise before dawn for a private jeep safari into one of Corbett's zones, such as Dhela, Jhirna or Bijrani. As the mist lifts off the sal forest, your naturalist listens for the alarm call of a sambar or langur, often the first sign of a tiger nearby. Return for a late breakfast, then enjoy an unhurried afternoon by the pool or in the spa.
Day 4: Jim Corbett National Park
The morning is yours to shape from the leisure menu. You might visit Jim Corbett's former winter home at Kaladhungi, now a museum to the hunter who became one of India's first conservationists, or the Garjia Devi temple, perched on a rock in the Kosi River. In the late afternoon, a safari explores a different zone, with the chance of elephant herds, spotted deer and some of the hundreds of bird species that make Corbett a birder's paradise.
Day 5: Jim Corbett to New Delhi
Drive: about 6 hours (260 km)
Drive: about 6 hours (260 km). Take a final dawn safari if you wish, then return to the capital after breakfast. Tonight you rest in Delhi, so that tomorrow's morning flight begins without a moment's rush.
Day 6: New Delhi to Kanha National Park
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (170 to 200 km) from Jabalpur
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (170 to 200 km) from Jabalpur. A short morning flight of about 1 hour 45 minutes takes you to Jabalpur, where your chauffeur is waiting for the drive into the Maikal hills. You reach your lodge in the afternoon, with time to settle in and end the day with dinner beneath the stars.
Day 7: Kanha National Park
Kanha's core has four zones, Kisli, Kanha, Mukki and Sarhi, each with its own character. This morning's safari crosses mist-covered meadows where barasingha and chital graze and packs of dhole hunt through the long grass. The heat of the day is for lunch and rest at the lodge, with time for the spa or a quiet walk in the grounds.
Day 8: Kanha National Park
The morning is at leisure at the lodge. In the afternoon, a safari explores a different part of the park and can end at Bamni Dadar, a plateau with sweeping views across the forest at sunset. For dedicated wildlife lovers, a full-day permit allows uninterrupted time in the forest from dawn to dusk, subject to availability and at an additional cost. In the evening, dinner is served by lantern light in the lodge grounds.
Day 9: Kanha National Park
Enjoy a final morning safari in Kanha. In the afternoon, walk to a neighbouring Baiga or Gond village with a local guide, paint alongside a Gond artist, or simply relax in the quiet of your lodge.
Day 10: Kanha to Bandhavgarh National Park
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km)
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km). After an optional early safari and breakfast, a drive through the farmland of rural Madhya Pradesh brings you to Bandhavgarh. You arrive in time for sundowners as the light turns amber on the hills.
Day 11: Bandhavgarh National Park
A morning safari explores zones such as Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli. In Tala, the tracks wind beneath the cliffs of the ancient fort and past Shesh Shaiya, a reclining stone Vishnu at the source of the Charanganga stream. Your naturalist shares the stories of the tigers who roam here today, many descended from legends such as Charger and Sita. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 12: Bandhavgarh National Park
A slow morning at the lodge is followed by an afternoon safari, your best chance of the sightings Bandhavgarh is famous for, from tigresses with cubs to leopards and sloth bears. In the evening, a private farewell dinner is served by candlelight, with your naturalist sharing stories from a lifetime in the forest.
Day 13: Bandhavgarh to New Delhi
Drive: about 4 hours (190 km) to Jabalpur, then a flight of about 1 hour 45 minutes
Drive: about 4 hours (190 km) to Jabalpur, then a flight of about 1 hour 45 minutes. After a leisurely breakfast, your chauffeur drives you to Jabalpur for your flight to Delhi. If flight times allow, pause at Bhedaghat, where the Narmada River flows between gleaming marble cliffs.
Day 14: Departure from Delhi
A chauffeur-driven private SUV takes you to Indira Gandhi International Airport for your onward journey, with a VIP escort through departures.
A note from our planners: the Madhya Pradesh reserves rest on Wednesday afternoons and close for Holi and Diwali. Your itinerary is arranged around these dates, and an in-lodge experience takes the place of any affected drive.
Where You Stay
Every hotel and lodge for this journey is listed below by destination, each with a label that describes its style. There are no fixed packages: you may choose any hotel in each destination, and our safari specialists will gladly arrange a stay that is not on this list. Every property is handpicked and has been used by us over many years.
Delhi (Days 1, 5 and 13)
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Colonel's Retreat (Boutique).
A family-run guest house in a townhouse in Defence Colony, on quiet, tree-lined avenues in central Delhi. It was begun some twenty years ago by a retired army colonel and is now run by his son and daughter-in-law, with dinner served on the roof terrace.
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ITC Maurya (Luxury).
A landmark of the Diplomatic Enclave, known for its restaurants, among them Bukhara, long celebrated for its north-west frontier cuisine, and Dum Pukht. It offers established comfort and polished service in the heart of the capital.
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The Oberoi, New Delhi (Luxury).
Opened in 1965 on Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, overlooking Humayun's Tomb on one side and the Delhi Golf Course on the other. Its interiors take their inspiration from Lutyens' New Delhi, and it has a wellness sanctuary, indoor and outdoor pools and several restaurants.
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Roseate House (Luxury).
A contemporary hotel of 216 rooms in Aerocity, about 4.5 km from the international airport, which makes it a practical first or last night. It has a rooftop infinity pool, a spa and a fine dining restaurant, Kheer.
Jim Corbett (Days 2 to 4)
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Debu's The Fern Resort & Spa (Eco-Luxury).
A resort of 81 rooms on the Ramnagar road, surrounded by reserve forest and about 1 km from the Bijrani zone. It has the region's largest swimming pool, a spa and eco-friendly rooms.
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Taj Corbett Resort & Spa (Luxury).
A resort on the bank of the Kosi river at the edge of the forest, with a spa, a pool and rooms looking over the woodland. It is a calm, comfortable base from which to explore the reserve.
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Aahana Resort (Luxury).
A resort of villas and rooms in Ramnagar, in quiet, leafy grounds, with a spa and a kitchen that serves Kumaoni dishes. It runs on solar power and treats its own waste water, a considered approach to a stay near the reserve.
Kanha (Days 6 to 9)
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Kanha Earth Lodge (Eco-Luxury · Recommended).
Twelve standalone bungalows inspired by Gond architecture on 16 acres of forest, built from local stone, recycled wood and mud. It has an infinity pool and an organic garden, and it sits in a small tribal hamlet about 25 minutes from the Khatia gate.
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Bagh Villas (Luxury).
A few tented suites and cottages around a lake on the edge of Kanha, near the Mukki entrance, with an infinity pool that appears to merge with the forest. The design blends the elegance of an old hunting camp with a modern lodge.
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Banjaar Tola (Tented Suites).
Eighteen tented suites in two clusters on the bank of the Banjar river, on the edge of Kanha near the Mukki entrance. The suites are spacious and elegant, with river views, and the lodge is one of the most private and exclusive stays in the reserve.
Bandhavgarh (Days 10 to 12)
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Kings Lodge (Eco-Luxury · Recommended).
A lodge of eighteen cottages, eight of them on stilts, set on 14 hectares of forest between two sal-covered hills, about ten minutes from the Tala gate. Around 95 per cent of the land remains forested, and many ingredients come from the organic kitchen garden.
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Treehouse Hideaway (Eco-Luxury · Recommended).
Five treehouse rooms set high in large trees on eight hectares of private forest at the edge of Bandhavgarh, built with local materials and craftsmanship. A two-storey central building rises around a mahua tree, with a machan beside a waterhole.
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Mahua Kothi (Luxury).
A small lodge of twelve cottages inspired by the villages of the Baiga people, with hand-painted murals and mahua trees shading the courtyards. It is a refined, intimate base on the edge of Bandhavgarh, with a strong sense of place.
Prices
| Two guests sharing, per person | $3,130£2,350€2,800A$4,490C$4,420 |
|---|---|
| Two guests sharing, total for two | $6,260£4,700€5,600A$8,980C$8,840 |
| Solo traveller | $5,490£4,120€4,910A$7,870C$7,750 |
| Single supplement | $2,360£1,770€2,110A$3,380C$3,330 |
Estimated prices, per person, based on two guests sharing one room, one safari vehicle and one car. A solo traveller pays the per-person price plus the single supplement. Prices vary with the accommodation you choose and the season, and are rounded. Contact us for a final price. See what is included
Tailored Leisure & In-Lodge Experiences
- Culinary Masterclass: cook alongside the lodge chef, from Kumaoni mountain recipes in Corbett to Central Indian specialities in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, then sit down to the meal you have made.
- Gond Art Workshop: learn the dots, lines and forest motifs of Madhya Pradesh's celebrated tribal painting tradition from a Gond artist, and take home a painting of your own.
- Cultural Evening by Firelight: a private performance of Baiga or Gond folk song and dance by a village troupe, around the fire beneath the stars.
- Wilderness Spa & Wellness: Ayurvedic rituals, restorative massages and gentle yoga between safaris.
- Jungle High-Tea & Stargazing: high tea in a secluded corner of the lodge grounds, followed by an evening of stargazing with a resident naturalist, far from city lights.
Something Else in Mind? Our safari specialists can arrange any wildlife activity you would like, depending on the destination and your accommodation, such as a dawn birding walk around the lodge, a guided trail to learn how to read pugmarks and tracks, or a one-to-one wildlife photography session with your naturalist.
Dining & Reservations: In Delhi, our private concierge secures reservations at the finest restaurants the city has to offer, including hard-to-book tables, and arranges private dinners for special occasions.
Popular Fauna
- Mammals: Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Asian elephant, hard-ground barasingha, dhole, sloth bear, gaur, sambar and chital
- Reptiles: gharial and mugger crocodile
- Birds: crested serpent eagle, Indian roller and red junglefowl
Sightings vary by season and are never guaranteed.
National Parks & Wildlife Reserves
- Jim Corbett National Park: founded in 1936 as India's first national park, and the place where Project Tiger was launched in 1973. It lies in the Himalayan foothills, where sal forest, riverine woodland and open grasslands follow the Ramganga and Kosi rivers, with tigers, wild elephant herds, river-dwelling gharial and some of the richest birdlife in India.
- Kanha National Park: spread across the Maikal hills of the Satpura range, with tall sal forest, bamboo thickets and vast open meadows, often linked with the landscapes of Kipling's The Jungle Book. It is celebrated for bringing the hard-ground barasingha back from the brink.
- Bandhavgarh National Park: set among the rugged hills of the Vindhya range, where sandstone cliffs rise above sal forest and grassy valleys. Its ancient fort, rock-cut caves and legends from the Ramayana give it a rich sense of history, and it is known for one of the highest tiger densities in India.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- Thirteen nights of handpicked accommodation, with breakfast in Delhi and full board at the lodges
- VIP meet and greet on arrival in Delhi
- All transfers in comfortable, chauffeur-driven private SUVs
- Domestic flights: Delhi to Jabalpur and Jabalpur to Delhi
- Seven exclusive private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day, with expert naturalists (two in Corbett, three in Kanha and two in Bandhavgarh), and all park entry fees, permits and conservation levies
- Your choice of in-lodge leisure experiences, such as cooking classes, Gond art workshops and cultural performances
Not included: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, personal gratuities, premium alcoholic beverages, additional safaris beyond those listed (arranged on request, subject to park ticket availability), and optional full-day safari permits or experiences marked "on request".
Possible Extensions
Golden Triangle Tour Extension: add Agra and Jaipur before or after your safari. Watch the Taj Mahal at sunrise and explore the palaces and historic estates of Jaipur.
Keoladeo Birding Extension: spend time at Bharatpur's Keoladeo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage wetland rich in winter migrants. It pairs naturally with Corbett's birdlife.
Corbett, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari FAQs
When is the best time for a tiger safari in Corbett, Kanha and Bandhavgarh?
November to June. The parks reopen after the monsoon, and while winter brings cool, comfortable days, the warmer months from April to June often bring the best tiger sightings as animals gather near water.
What are my chances of seeing a tiger?
Tigers are wild, so sightings can never be guaranteed. Bandhavgarh has one of the highest tiger densities in India, however, and several days in each of three reserves with expert naturalists give you excellent chances.
Are the parks open every day?
Kanha and Bandhavgarh close to safaris on Wednesday afternoons and for the festivals of Holi and Diwali. We plan your safaris around these dates.
Is this tiger safari suitable for families?
Yes. We tailor the pace, lodges and activities for families, and our naturalists love sharing the forest with young explorers.
How far in advance should I book?
Safari permits are limited and sell out quickly for peak dates, so we recommend booking four to six months ahead. Every tour is private and bespoke, curated around your dates and interests.