Tiger Safari, Temples & Taj Mahal Tour (13N/14D)
From $2,590£1,950€2,310A$3,720C$3,660
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 & Temples Tour
This tiger safari and Taj Mahal tour brings together three of India's greatest treasures in one unhurried journey: the Mughal splendour of Agra, the sculpted temples of Khajuraho and the tiger forests of Central India. You begin at the Taj Mahal, seen at sunrise and again from across the Yamuna at dusk, before travelling by train into Bundelkhand to the forgotten royal city of Orchha. At Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you explore thousand-year-old temples carved with extraordinary grace, then head south to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, two of the finest tiger reserves in the world.
Every stay has been chosen for its sense of place. Safaris are taken in a private 4x4 jeep, reserved for your party alone, with naturalists who know each forest intimately, while expert guides bring the monuments to life. A VIP welcome at Delhi airport, chauffeur-driven private SUVs, an executive-class train journey and a domestic flight 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 hotels and 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 October to March.
Destinations Covered
Delhi (2 nights), Agra (2 nights), Orchha (1 night), Khajuraho (2 nights), Bandhavgarh National Park (3 nights) and Kanha National Park (3 nights).
What You Will Experience
- The Taj Mahal at sunrise, visited privately with an expert guide before the crowds arrive.
- Orchha, a 16th-century Bundela capital of palaces, temples and riverside cenotaphs on the Betwa River.
- The temples of Khajuraho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for some of the finest stone carving in India.
- Private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day in the morning or the afternoon, in Bandhavgarh and Kanha, reserved for your party alone.
- Bandhavgarh's ancient hills, crowned by a 2,000-year-old fort and famed for one of India's highest tiger densities.
- Kanha's great meadows, where the rare hard-ground barasingha grazes in the morning mist.
- Expert guides at every monument and naturalists who know each forest and its tigers intimately.
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.
Taj Mahal, Khajuraho & Tiger Safari Itinerary: Day by Day
Safaris included: four private 4x4 jeep safaris with an expert naturalist, one a day and alternating between morning and afternoon: two in Bandhavgarh (morning on Day 8 and afternoon on Day 9) and two in Kanha (morning on Day 11 and afternoon 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
A VIP representative meets you at the aircraft and guides you through immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, then a chauffeur-driven private SUV takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to settle in after your flight. Dine at the hotel, or let our concierge arrange a table in the city.
Day 2: New Delhi to Agra
Drive: about 3.5 to 4 hours (230 km)
Drive: about 3.5 to 4 hours (230 km). After breakfast, drive south to Agra along the Yamuna Expressway. In the afternoon, your guide leads you through the red sandstone walls of Agra Fort, seat of the Mughal emperors, where Shah Jahan spent his final years gazing towards the tomb he built for his wife. At sunset, cross the river to the Mehtab Bagh gardens for your first view of the Taj Mahal as its marble turns gold and rose.
Day 3: Agra, the Taj Mahal and Fatehpur Sikri
Rise before dawn for a private guided visit to the Taj Mahal as the first light falls on the dome, before the crowds arrive. Return to your hotel for a leisurely breakfast, then drive about an hour to Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned red sandstone capital built by Emperor Akbar in the 16th century. The late afternoon is yours to rest.
Day 4: Agra to Orchha
Drive: train of about 2.5 hours to Jhansi, then about 30 minutes (18 km) by road
Drive: train of about 2.5 hours to Jhansi, then about 30 minutes (18 km) by road. A morning express train carries you south to Jhansi, and your chauffeur drives you the short distance on to Orchha. Founded by the Bundela kings in the 16th century on an island in the Betwa River, Orchha is a city of palaces and temples left almost untouched by time. Explore the Raja Mahal and the Jahangir Mahal, built for the Mughal emperor's visit, then join the evening aarti at the Ram Raja Temple, the only temple in India where Rama is worshipped as a king.
Day 5: Orchha to Khajuraho
Drive: about 3.5 to 4 hours (175 km)
Drive: about 3.5 to 4 hours (175 km). Walk at dawn to the royal cenotaphs on the banks of the Betwa, where vultures nest on the domes above the river. After breakfast, drive east to Khajuraho. In the afternoon, visit the Eastern Group of temples, including the elegant Jain temples of Parsvanath and Adinath.
Day 6: Khajuraho Temples
The Chandela kings built some 85 temples here between the 10th and 12th centuries, and around 25 survive. With your guide, explore the Western Group in the soft morning light, from the soaring Kandariya Mahadeva to the Lakshmana temple, their walls alive with gods, dancers, musicians and lovers carved in sandstone. In the afternoon, drive to the Ken Gharial Sanctuary and the Raneh Falls, where the river cuts a canyon of pink and grey granite.
Day 7: Khajuraho to Bandhavgarh National Park
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (260 km)
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (260 km). After breakfast, drive south through the farmland and forests of Madhya Pradesh to Bandhavgarh. Your lodge lies among the trees of the Vindhya hills, close to the park. Settle in with tea as the light falls over the forest.
Day 8: Bandhavgarh National Park
A morning safari explores Bandhavgarh's sal forest, bamboo and grassy valleys. In the Tala zone, the track climbs beneath the sandstone cliffs of the ancient fort to Shesh Shaiya, a reclining stone Vishnu watched over by langurs. Your naturalist reads every alarm call for signs of tiger, with leopards, sloth bears and dhole also in these forests. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 9: Bandhavgarh National Park
A slow morning at the lodge, perhaps with a spa treatment, is followed by an afternoon safari, perhaps in the Magadhi or Khitauli zones, with an excellent chance of the tigers Bandhavgarh is celebrated for. A private dinner beneath the stars follows.
Day 10: Bandhavgarh to Kanha National Park
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km)
Drive: about 5 to 6 hours (250 km). After an optional early safari, drive south to Kanha. Arrive in time for sundowners as the light falls across the sal trees.
Day 11: Kanha National Park
Kanha's meadows and towering sal forest are among the most beautiful landscapes in India. A morning safari reveals herds of hard-ground barasingha, a deer this park saved from extinction, alongside chital, gaur and dhole, and with luck a tiger crossing the open grassland. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day 12: Kanha National Park
The morning is at leisure, or you might visit a Baiga or Gond village with a local guide. In the afternoon, a final safari, perhaps ending at Bamni Dadar, a high plateau with sweeping views at sunset. Your last evening ends with a farewell dinner by lantern light.
Day 13: 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 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 Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, and the Madhya Pradesh tiger reserves rest on Wednesday afternoons and close for Holi and Diwali. 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 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.
Agra (Days 2 and 3)
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Tajview (Luxury).
A hotel on Fatehabad Road, a short drive from the Taj Mahal, with views of the monument from selected rooms. It is a comfortable, well-run base for a visit to the Taj at sunrise and the old city.
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ITC Mughal (Luxury).
A sprawling hotel in Taj Ganj, set in landscaped gardens, with architecture and interiors inspired by the Mughal courts. It has a spa, a pool and several restaurants, among them Peshawri, known for its north-west frontier cooking.
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The Oberoi Amarvilas (Luxury).
A Mughal-inspired hotel only a short distance from the Taj Mahal, with terraced gardens, reflecting pools and views of the monument from its rooms and terraces. A spa, a pool and fine restaurants complete a stay that is among the finest in Agra.
Orchha (Day 4)
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Amar Mahal (Heritage).
A hotel in Orchha inspired by the domes of the town's temples, with rooms decorated to reflect the courts of the Bundela kings. It has landscaped gardens, a pool and a spa, and views over the town.
Khajuraho (Days 5 and 6)
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Hotel Chandela (Luxury).
A large, comfortable hotel in Khajuraho, with rooms in two-storey blocks around a central pool and an 11-acre garden. It has several restaurants and attentive service, a quiet retreat after a day among the temples.
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The Sarai at Toria (Eco-Luxury).
A lodge on the banks of the River Ken, under 2 km from the Madla entrance of Panna Tiger Reserve. Its cottages are built from mud, with grass roofs, and it runs on solar power, with an organic garden and staff drawn from the neighbouring villages.
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The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace (Heritage).
A restored royal residence about 350 years old, on a hilltop in the forested buffer zone of Panna National Park. It has nineteen palace suites and further rooms at the foot of the hill, a spa beside a rainwater lake, and the temples of Khajuraho within 30 minutes.
Bandhavgarh (Days 7 to 9)
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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 10 to 12)
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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.
Prices
| Two guests sharing, per person | $2,590£1,950€2,310A$3,720C$3,660 |
|---|---|
| Two guests sharing, total for two | $5,180£3,900€4,620A$7,440C$7,320 |
| Solo traveller | $4,510£3,400€4,030A$6,480C$6,380 |
| Single supplement | $1,920£1,450€1,720A$2,760C$2,720 |
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 with a View of the Taj: at selected Agra hotels, linger over a private breakfast with the Taj Mahal in view.
- Khajuraho by Lamplight: watch the sound and light show at the Western Group as the temples are lit against the evening sky.
- Wilderness Spa & Wellness: Ayurvedic rituals and restorative massages between safaris in the hills of Bandhavgarh.
- Gond Art Workshop: learn the dots, lines and forest motifs of Madhya Pradesh's celebrated tribal painting tradition with a village artist, and take home a painting of your own.
- Cultural Evening by Firelight: a private performance of Baiga or Gond folk song and dance, around the fire beneath the stars.
Something Else in Mind? Our safari specialists can arrange any 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 and Agra, our private concierge secures reservations at the finest restaurants each city has to offer, including hard-to-book tables, and arranges private dinners for special occasions.
Popular Fauna
- Mammals: Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, dhole, hard-ground barasingha, gaur, sambar and chital
- Reptiles: gharial (Ken Gharial Sanctuary)
- Birds: Indian vulture, crested serpent eagle and Indian paradise flycatcher
Sightings vary by season and are never guaranteed.
National Parks & Wildlife Reserves
- 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.
- 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.
- Ken Gharial Sanctuary: a protected stretch of the Ken River near Khajuraho, where the river carves a dramatic granite canyon at the Raneh Falls.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Taj Mahal: built by Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, the white marble mausoleum is the jewel of Mughal architecture.
- Agra Fort: the great red sandstone citadel of the Mughal emperors, with palaces and audience halls behind its walls.
- Fatehpur Sikri: Akbar's short-lived capital, a remarkably preserved city of palaces, courtyards and one of India's grandest mosques.
- Khajuraho Group of Monuments: Hindu and Jain temples built by the Chandela kings, famed for the beauty and detail of their sculpture.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Included
- Thirteen nights of handpicked accommodation, with breakfast in the cities and full board at the safari lodges
- VIP meet and greet on arrival in Delhi
- All transfers in comfortable, chauffeur-driven private SUVs
- Executive-class train journey from Agra to Jhansi
- Domestic flight: Jabalpur to Delhi
- Private expert guides and monument entrance fees in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Orchha and Khajuraho
- Four exclusive private 4x4 jeep safaris, one a day, with expert naturalists (two in Bandhavgarh and two in Kanha), and all park entry fees, permits and conservation levies
- Your choice of in-lodge leisure experiences, such as Gond art workshops and cultural performances
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
Keoladeo Birding Extension: from Agra, it is only an hour to the wetlands of Keoladeo National Park, one of the world's great bird sanctuaries.
Darjeeling Red Panda Safari Extension: fly east to Darjeeling to track red pandas in the rhododendron forests of Singalila National Park.
Tiger Safari, Temples & Taj Mahal Tour FAQs
When is the best time for a tiger safari and Taj Mahal tour?
October to March is ideal, with cool, clear days for sightseeing and comfortable safari mornings. The tiger reserves stay open until June, and the hotter months from April are often the most rewarding for sightings, as animals gather near water.
What are my chances of seeing a tiger?
Tigers are wild, so a sighting can never be guaranteed. With three nights each in Bandhavgarh and Kanha, two of India's finest tiger reserves, and expert naturalists at your side, your chances are excellent.
How do we travel between Agra, Orchha and Khajuraho?
You take an express train from Agra to Jhansi, then travel on by private car to Orchha and Khajuraho. Your chauffeur continues with you to Bandhavgarh and Kanha, and a short flight from Jabalpur returns you to Delhi.
Is this tour suitable for first-time visitors to India?
Yes. It combines India's most famous monument with two of its finest tiger reserves at an unhurried pace, with expert guides throughout. Our safari specialists can adjust the pace or add rest days for families and younger travellers.
How do I book a private tiger safari and Taj Mahal tour?
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 for the best choice of hotels, lodges and park permits.