Pench, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari (12N/13D)
From $3,330£2,510€2,980A$4,790C$4,710
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 Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger safari takes you into the heart of Central India, where three of the country's most celebrated reserves lie within a day's drive of one another. Each has a character of its own: the teak forests and winding river of Pench, the vast meadows of Kanha and the sandstone hills of Bandhavgarh. Together they offer some of the finest tiger viewing in the world.
Rather than hurrying between parks, you spend four nights each in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, with time for a safari each day, alternating between morning and afternoon, and a far deeper understanding of the forest. Every drive is taken in a private 4x4 jeep, reserved for your party alone, with naturalists who know each reserve and its resident tigers intimately. A VIP meet and greet in Delhi, 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 parks are open from October to June.
Destinations Covered
Delhi (2 nights), Pench National Park (2 nights), Kanha National Park (4 nights) and Bandhavgarh National Park (4 nights).
What You Will Experience
- Three of Central India's finest tiger reserves, Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh, linked in one seamless route with no backtracking.
- Four nights each in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, for unhurried safaris and the best chance of exceptional sightings.
- Private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day in the morning or the afternoon, reserved for your party alone and led by expert naturalists.
- Breakfast in the forest during the morning safaris in Pench.
- The teak forests of Pench, the country Kipling chose for The Jungle Book, home to leopards and packs of dhole.
- Kanha's great meadows, where the rare hard-ground barasingha grazes beside herds of chital and gaur.
- Bandhavgarh's ancient hills, crowned by a 2,000-year-old fort and famed for one of India's highest tiger densities.
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.
Pench, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Itinerary: Day by Day
Safaris included: eight private 4x4 jeep safaris with an expert naturalist, one a day and alternating between morning and afternoon: two in Pench (afternoon on Day 2 and morning on Day 3), three in Kanha (mornings on Days 5 and 7 and an afternoon on Day 6) and three in Bandhavgarh (mornings on Days 9 and 11 and an afternoon on Day 10). 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
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. The afternoon is yours, with a quiet dinner ahead of tomorrow's early flight.
Day 2: New Delhi to Pench National Park
Drive: about 3 to 4 hours (145 km) from Nagpur
Drive: about 3 to 4 hours (145 km) from Nagpur. An early flight takes you south to Nagpur, in the very centre of India, where your driver is waiting. In the afternoon, set out on your first safari through the teak forests Kipling chose as the setting for The Jungle Book.
Day 3: Pench National Park
A morning safari follows the Pench River. Midway through the morning drive, pause at a quiet spot in the forest for a breakfast hamper from the lodge kitchen. Spotted deer and sambar gather on the open riverbanks, drawing leopards, dhole and tigers, and your naturalist tells the story of Collarwali, the tigress celebrated for raising 29 cubs. The afternoon is at leisure at the lodge.
Day 4: Pench to Kanha National Park
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (200 km)
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (200 km). After breakfast, with an optional dawn safari available at an additional cost, drive east through the farmland and forests of Madhya Pradesh to Kanha. The evening is for settling in and watching the light fall across the sal trees.
Day 5: Kanha National Park
Kanha's core is divided into four zones, Kisli, Kanha, Mukki and Sarhi, and your safaris move between them over the days to reveal the park's full range. The morning safari crosses dew-covered meadows where hard-ground barasingha graze, a deer Kanha saved from the brink of extinction, and where dhole sometimes hunt through the long grass. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 6: Kanha National Park
The morning is at leisure. In the afternoon, a safari explores another zone, perhaps ending at Bamni Dadar, a high plateau where sambar and gaur browse against sweeping views at sunset. For dedicated wildlife lovers, a full-day permit allows uninterrupted time in the forest, subject to availability and at an additional cost.
Day 7: Kanha National Park
A final morning safari, then an afternoon walk to a neighbouring Baiga or Gond village with a local guide, or a lesson in the dot-and-line style of Gond painting from a village artist. Dinner is served by lantern light.
Day 8: 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, drive north to Bandhavgarh, arriving in time for sundowners as the light turns amber on the hills.
Day 9: Bandhavgarh National Park
A morning safari explores the reserve's zones, among them Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli. In Tala, the track climbs beneath the sandstone cliffs of the ancient fort to Shesh Shaiya, a reclining stone Vishnu watched over by langurs, past rock-cut caves. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 10: Bandhavgarh National Park
A slow morning at the lodge is followed by an afternoon safari, with the chance of tigresses with cubs, leopards and sloth bears. Your naturalist shares the stories of the tigers who rule here today, many descended from legends such as Charger and Sita. You might choose the quieter buffer zone for this drive, where leopards and birdlife are often seen.
Day 11: Bandhavgarh National Park
A final morning safari gives you your best chance of the sightings Bandhavgarh is famous for, and the afternoon is at leisure. In the evening, a private farewell dinner is served beneath the trees, with your naturalist sharing stories from a lifetime in the forest.
Day 12: 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, drive to Jabalpur for your flight to Delhi. If flight times allow, stop at Bhedaghat, where the Narmada River runs between gleaming marble cliffs.
Day 13: Departure from Delhi
A chauffeur-driven private SUV takes you to Indira Gandhi International Airport, 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 and 12)
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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.
Pench (Days 2 and 3)
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Pench Tree Lodge (Eco-Luxury · Recommended).
Sixteen units, six of them treehouses built on stilts around mahua trees, on 40 acres of forest in the Karmajhiri landscape. Meals use produce from the organic garden and nearby villages, and breakfast can be served in the forest during a safari.
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Baghvan (Luxury).
Twelve colonial-style bungalows among teak and banyan trees, beside a seasonal dry riverbed a few minutes from the park. It has a pool and a spa, and dining that ranges from breakfast in the safari vehicle to private dinners beneath a mahua tree.
Kanha (Days 4 to 7)
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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 8 to 11)
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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 | $3,330£2,510€2,980A$4,790C$4,710 |
|---|---|
| Two guests sharing, total for two | $6,660£5,020€5,960A$9,580C$9,420 |
| Solo traveller | $5,760£4,340€5,160A$8,290C$8,150 |
| Single supplement | $2,430£1,830€2,180A$3,500C$3,440 |
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
- Breakfast in the Forest: pause midway through a morning safari in Pench for a breakfast hamper from the lodge kitchen, enjoyed at a quiet spot in the forest as the jungle stirs around you.
- Culinary Masterclass: cook Central Indian recipes alongside the lodge chef, 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, 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.
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, dhole, sloth bear, hard-ground barasingha, gaur, sambar, chital and jungle cat
- Birds: Indian paradise flycatcher, crested serpent eagle and Indian roller
Sightings vary by season and are never guaranteed.
National Parks & Wildlife Reserves
- Pench National Park: named for the river that flows through it, Pench spreads across the Seoni hills in a mosaic of teak forest, bamboo and open grassland. Its abundant deer support healthy numbers of tigers, leopards and dhole.
- Kanha National Park: one of Asia's great protected landscapes, pairing towering sal forest with sweeping meadows in the Maikal hills. It is celebrated for saving the hard-ground barasingha from extinction.
- Bandhavgarh National Park: a compact reserve of rugged hills, sal forest and grassy valleys, overlooked by an ancient fort linked in legend to the Ramayana, with one of the highest tiger densities in India.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- Twelve 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 Nagpur and Jabalpur to Delhi
- Eight exclusive private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day, with expert naturalists (two in Pench, three in Kanha and three in Bandhavgarh), and all park entry fees, permits and conservation levies
- Breakfast in the forest during the morning safaris in Pench
- 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: begin or end your safari with Delhi, the Taj Mahal at sunrise and the palaces of Jaipur.
Darjeeling Red Panda Safari Extension: fly east to Darjeeling to track red pandas in the rhododendron forests of Singalila National Park.
Pench, Kanha & Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari FAQs
What is the best order to visit Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh?
Most travellers begin in Pench, flying into Nagpur, and finish in Bandhavgarh, flying home from Jabalpur. This route avoids any backtracking and saves the longest stays for Kanha and Bandhavgarh.
When is the best time for a Central India tiger safari?
The parks are open from October to June. November to March brings cool, comfortable days, while April to June is often the most rewarding for tigers, as animals gather near water. The reserves rest on Wednesday afternoons and close for Holi and Diwali.
What are my chances of seeing a tiger?
Tigers are wild, so sightings can never be guaranteed. With four nights each in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, two of India's finest tiger reserves, and expert naturalists at your side, your chances are excellent.
How many days do I need for a tiger safari in Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh?
We recommend around twelve nights, as on this tour: two in Pench, four each in Kanha and Bandhavgarh, and a night in Delhi at each end. Our safari specialists can shorten the route if your time is limited.
How do I book a bespoke Pench, Kanha and Bandhavgarh tiger safari?
Contact our safari specialists, who will curate the journey around your dates, your choice of hotels and any special occasions. All tours are private.