Tiger & One-Horned Rhino Safari in India (13N/14D)
From $3,670£2,760€3,280A$5,260C$5,180
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 & Rhino Safari
This tiger and rhino safari in India brings together two of the country's most celebrated wildlife landscapes. In Central India, the sal forests and meadows of Bandhavgarh and Kanha offer some of the finest tiger viewing anywhere. In Assam, the floodplain grasslands of Kaziranga, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Brahmaputra, hold the world's largest population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, alongside wild elephants, water buffalo and a remarkable density of tigers.
You spend seven nights in Central India, with time for a safari each day, alternating between morning and afternoon, before flying east to Kaziranga for three nights beside the Brahmaputra floodplain. Every safari is taken in a private 4x4 jeep, reserved for your party alone, with naturalists who know each forest intimately. 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 April, when both regions are open.
Destinations Covered
Delhi (3 nights), Bandhavgarh National Park (3 nights), Kanha National Park (4 nights) and Kaziranga National Park (3 nights).
What You Will Experience
- Tigers and one-horned rhinos in one journey, from the forests of Central India to the grasslands of Assam.
- Private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day in the morning or the afternoon, reserved for your party alone and led by expert naturalists.
- Bandhavgarh's ancient hills, crowned by a 2,000-year-old fort and famed for one of India's highest tiger densities.
- Four nights in Kanha, where the rare hard-ground barasingha grazes on the great meadows.
- Kaziranga National Park, home to the world's largest population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros.
- Wild elephants, water buffalo and swamp deer on the floodplain of the Brahmaputra.
- A choice of handpicked stays in every destination, from forest lodges to riverside tented suites and a stilted retreat beside the Diphlu River.
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.
Bandhavgarh, Kanha & Kaziranga 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 Bandhavgarh (morning on Day 3 and afternoon on Day 4), three in Kanha (mornings on Days 6 and 8 and an afternoon on Day 7) and two in Kaziranga (morning on Day 11 and afternoon on Day 12), with a boat trip on the Brahmaputra or a tea estate walk on the morning of 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
A VIP representative meets you at the aircraft and guides you swiftly through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, then a chauffeur-driven private SUV takes you to your hotel for a restful first evening before tomorrow's flight into Central India.
Day 2: New Delhi to Bandhavgarh National Park
Drive: about 4 hours (190 km) from Jabalpur
Drive: about 4 hours (190 km) from Jabalpur. A morning flight takes you to Jabalpur, where your chauffeur is waiting for the drive to Bandhavgarh. Spend the late afternoon on your veranda as the forest settles towards evening.
Day 3: Bandhavgarh National Park
A morning safari takes you into the reserve's zones, among them Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli. Bandhavgarh's compact valleys and grassy meadows make it one of the best places in India to see a tiger, and your naturalist shares the stories of the dynasties that have ruled these hills. Leopards, sloth bears and dhole are seen here too. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 4: Bandhavgarh National Park
A slow morning at the lodge is followed by an afternoon safari. In the Tala zone, the track climbs beneath the sandstone cliffs of the ancient fort, past rock-cut caves to Shesh Shaiya, a reclining stone Vishnu watched over by langurs. In the evening, dinner is served by lantern light beneath the trees.
Day 5: Bandhavgarh to Kanha National Park
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km)
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km). After breakfast, with an optional dawn safari available at an additional cost, drive south to Kanha. Arrive in time for sundowners as the light falls across the sal trees.
Day 6: Kanha National Park
Kanha's core is divided into four zones, Kisli, Kanha, Mukki and Sarhi, and your safaris move between them to reveal the park's full range. On this morning's safari, mist lifts off the meadows to reveal herds of hard-ground barasingha, a deer Kanha saved from the brink of extinction, while gaur graze at the forest edge. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 7: Kanha National Park
The morning is at leisure. In the afternoon, a safari explores another zone, perhaps ending at Bamni Dadar, a high plateau with sweeping views across the forest at sunset. For dedicated wildlife lovers, a full-day permit allows uninterrupted time in the park from dawn to dusk, subject to availability and at an additional cost.
Day 8: Kanha National Park
A final morning safari in Kanha. In the afternoon, visit a neighbouring Baiga or Gond village with a local guide, or learn the intricate style of Gond painting from a village artist. Your last evening in Central India is celebrated with a private dinner.
Day 9: Kanha to New Delhi
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (170 to 200 km) to Jabalpur, then a flight of about 1 hour 45 minutes
Drive: about 4 to 5 hours (170 to 200 km) to Jabalpur, then a flight of about 1 hour 45 minutes. After breakfast, your chauffeur drives you to Jabalpur for your flight to Delhi, where you rest ahead of tomorrow's flight east.
Day 10: New Delhi to Kaziranga National Park
Drive: about 4.5 to 5 hours (200 km) from Guwahati, after a flight of about 2 hours 30 minutes
Drive: about 4.5 to 5 hours (200 km) from Guwahati, after a flight of about 2 hours 30 minutes. A morning flight carries you to Guwahati, gateway to India's North-East. Your chauffeur then drives you east along the Brahmaputra valley, past tea gardens and paddy fields, to Kaziranga. Relax on your balcony as the light fades over the grassland.
Day 11: Kaziranga National Park
Set out at dawn into the Central Range, where the mist rises off tall elephant grass and shallow lakes known as beels. Greater one-horned rhinos graze in the open, often within sight of the jeep, alongside wild water buffalo, eastern swamp deer and herds of Asian elephants. The afternoon is at leisure at your lodge.
Day 12: Kaziranga National Park
Spend the morning on a boat trip on the Brahmaputra in search of river dolphins, or on a walk through a local tea estate. In the afternoon, a safari explores the Western Range at Bagori, with some of the park's highest densities of rhino and buffalo, and wetlands that draw pelicans, storks and fish eagles. Kaziranga's tigers, among the densest populations in the world, may cross the track.
Day 13: Kaziranga to New Delhi
Drive: about 4.5 to 5 hours (200 km) to Guwahati, then a flight of about 2 hours 30 minutes
Drive: about 4.5 to 5 hours (200 km) to Guwahati, then a flight of about 2 hours 30 minutes. After a leisurely breakfast, drive back to Guwahati for your flight to Delhi, where you spend your final evening.
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, and Kaziranga is open to visitors from November to April. Your itinerary is arranged around these dates, with an in-lodge experience in place of any affected safari.
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, 9 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.
Bandhavgarh (Days 2 to 4)
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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.
Kanha (Days 5 to 8)
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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.
Kaziranga (Days 10 to 12)
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Kathoni (Eco-Luxury).
A small, secluded lodge among lakes and greenery, a short drive from the Central and Eastern ranges of Kaziranga. It has high bamboo-roofed rooms, wood-fired Assamese cooking and an organic farm that supplies its table.
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Diphlu River Lodge (Luxury).
Twelve cottages on stilts beside the Diphlu river, on the edge of Kaziranga. Each cottage has a veranda for watching birds, and the lodge organises walks and visits to the nearby tea gardens and villages.
Prices
| Two guests sharing, per person | $3,670£2,760€3,280A$5,260C$5,180 |
|---|---|
| Two guests sharing, total for two | $7,340£5,520€6,560A$10,520C$10,360 |
| Solo traveller | $6,320£4,750€5,650A$9,060C$8,920 |
| Single supplement | $2,650£1,990€2,370A$3,800C$3,740 |
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
- 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.
- Culinary Masterclass: cook Central Indian recipes alongside the lodge chef, using vegetables from the kitchen garden, then sit down to the meal you have made.
- Tea Estate Visit: walk through the tea gardens near Kaziranga and learn how Assam's famous leaf is plucked and processed.
- Village Walk in Assam: visit a neighbouring village with a member of the lodge team to see traditional stilt houses and weaving.
- 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 boat trip on the Brahmaputra in search of river dolphins, 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, greater one-horned rhinoceros, Asian elephant, wild water buffalo, eastern swamp deer, hard-ground barasingha, Indian leopard, sloth bear, dhole and gaur
- Birds: spot-billed pelican, greater adjutant and Pallas's fish eagle
Sightings vary by season and are never guaranteed.
National Parks & Wildlife Reserves
- Bandhavgarh National Park: rugged hills, sal forest and grassy valleys beneath an ancient fort linked in legend to the Ramayana, with one of the highest tiger densities in India.
- Kanha National Park: towering sal forest and sweeping meadows in the Maikal hills, celebrated for saving the hard-ground barasingha and for excellent sightings of tigers, dhole and gaur.
- Kaziranga National Park: a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, Kaziranga's floodplain grasslands and wetlands on the south bank of the Brahmaputra hold the world's largest population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2007 and has one of the highest tiger densities on earth.
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, Jabalpur to Delhi, Delhi to Guwahati and Guwahati to Delhi
- Seven exclusive private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day, with expert naturalists (two in Bandhavgarh, three in Kanha and two in Kaziranga), and all park entry fees, permits and conservation levies
- Your choice of in-lodge leisure experiences, such as cooking classes, Gond art workshops and tea estate visits
Not included: international flights, visa fees, travel insurance, personal gratuities, premium alcoholic beverages, camera fees, additional safaris beyond those listed (arranged on request, subject to park ticket availability), and optional experiences marked "on request".
Possible Extensions
Darjeeling Red Panda Safari Extension: from Kaziranga, continue to Darjeeling to track red pandas in the rhododendron forests of Singalila National Park.
Golden Triangle Tour Extension: begin or end your safari with Delhi, the Taj Mahal at sunrise and the palaces of Jaipur.
Tiger & One-Horned Rhino Safari FAQs
Can I see both tigers and rhinos on one trip?
Yes. Bandhavgarh and Kanha are two of India's finest tiger reserves, and Kaziranga holds the world's largest population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros, which is seen on almost every safari there. Tigers are wild, so a sighting can never be guaranteed, but ten nights across the three parks give you excellent chances.
When is the best time for a tiger and rhino safari in India?
November to April, when both regions are open. Kaziranga welcomes visitors from November to April, while the Central Indian reserves are open from October to June. February to April is often the most rewarding, as the grass in Kaziranga is burnt back and animals in both regions gather near water.
How do I get from Central India to Kaziranga?
After Kanha, you fly from Jabalpur to Delhi, spend a night in the capital, and take a morning flight to Guwahati. From there, it is a scenic drive of four and a half to five hours to Kaziranga along the Brahmaputra valley.
Is this tiger and rhino safari suitable for families?
Yes. Jeep safaris suit most ages, and our lodges welcome families with thoughtful activities for younger travellers. Our safari specialists can shorten the drives with an extra night or adjust the pace to suit your group.
How do I book a private tiger and rhino safari?
Speak with our safari specialists, who will curate this itinerary around your dates, interests and pace. Every journey is private and bespoke, and we recommend booking six to nine months ahead, as the smaller lodges in Kaziranga have very few rooms.