Touch down in vibrant Mumbai, India’s cinematic, coastal metropolis. After clearing immigration and collecting your bags, meet your pre-arranged driver in the arrivals hall for a smooth transfer into the city. Watch the skyline rise beyond the Bandra–Worli Sea Link as the Arabian Sea glints to your left and the city’s rhythm gathers pace. At the hotel, complete check-in and take time to freshen up—today is intentionally light so you can ease into your India holiday.

This afternoon, set out at your own pace for a gentle orientation of South Mumbai. Stroll the palm-lined curve of Marine Drive—nicknamed the Queen’s Necklace at dusk—then continue to the Gateway of India, where ferries nod in the harbour and the grand Taj hotel presides over Colaba. Wander through Colaba Causeway for colourful stalls and cafés, or detour to the artsy lanes of Kala Ghoda for galleries and handsome heritage facades.

As evening settles, consider a sunset amble along Girgaum Chowpatty for sea breezes and city views, or sip a cooling drink on a rooftop terrace with the skyline aglow. For a flavour of old Bombay, duck into a classic Irani café for bun maska and chai; for contemporary sparkle, try a modern bistro in Kala Ghoda. Keep tonight unhurried—Mumbai rewards slow wandering, people-watching and the joy of simply being here.

Good to know: Tomorrow’s programme steps deeper into Mumbai’s heritage—from colonial boulevards to bustling bazaars. Tonight, rest well and let the city’s soft hum ease you into the adventure ahead.

Sail across the shimmering Arabian Sea this morning to the storied shores of Elephanta Island, a serene world away from Mumbai’s bustle. The hour-long harbour cruise is a gentle introduction—fishing boats bob past, gulls arc overhead, and the city’s skyline fades to a fine silver line. On landing, a leafy trail leads to the UNESCO-listed Elephanta Caves, hewn directly from basalt between the 5th and 8th centuries. Step inside this cool labyrinth of pillared halls and courtyards, where chiselled panels unfurl epic scenes from Hindu mythology; the showstopper is the monumental Sadashiva—a towering, multi-aspect image of Lord Shiva that radiates quiet power.

Return to the mainland by late morning, with the rest of the day at leisure. Unwind at your hotel, or join an optional guided exploration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT)—formerly Victoria Terminus—a Victorian Gothic jewel crowned by a grand central dome and festooned with turrets, painted arches and filigreed ironwork. Inside, light pours through stained glass onto polished stone and intricate brass, a living railway cathedral where history and daily life intersect. Continue to trace Mumbai’s celebrated Art Deco story along the seafront—theatres, apartment blocks and graceful curves that, together with Marine Drive’s “Queen’s Necklace,” form one of the world’s most significant Art Deco collections.

As the sun drops, the city glows—Marine Drive curls like a string of pearls and the domes and spires of CSMT warm to amber. Whether you linger over chai in a heritage café or watch the surf roll in at Chowpatty, today’s thread of mythology, architecture and sea-breeze sets the rhythm for your Mumbai chapter.

Board a short domestic flight to the heart of Central India, then drive across fields and teak forests into the lower southern reaches of the Satpura Hills. By late afternoon you arrive at your intimate lodge, set barely a kilometre from the Pench National Park gate—prime positioning for wildlife. After a cool welcome drink and check-in, lace up for a guided nature walk on the lodge trails. Your naturalist decodes the forest’s first whispers: langurs clatter through the canopy, jungle fowl skitter in the understorey, and the resin scent of sal and teak hangs in warm air. As the light softens, find a quiet perch and listen—cicadas rise in chorus and a peacock’s distant call skims the dusk. Dinner is unhurried; the stars gather above the dark silhouette of the forest, hinting at the celestial show to come.

Rise before sunrise for your first Jeep safari. Mist hovers over lakes where marsh crocodiles wallow and painted storks sift the shallows; deer step ghostlike between ghost trees, and the alarm-bark of chital prickles the air—nature’s Morse code that a predator is close. You’ll trace sandy tracks lined with Indian gooseberry and mahua, reading prints and scat with your naturalist. Keep watch for sloth bears drowsing on rocky outcrops, Malabar giant squirrels and Indian giant flying squirrels leaping between trees, and the shadow-smooth stride of leopard. With luck—and patience—the striped sovereign of the forest, the Bengal tiger, may materialise from tall grass, amber eyes bright in the morning slant.

Return to the lodge late morning for brunch and a midday pause—read on the verandah, dip in the pool, or visit the in-house interpretation centre. As shadows lengthen, head back into the forest for your late-afternoon safari when predators grow restless and golden hour lights the grasslands. Scan waterholes for gaur and sambar, watch changeable hawk-eagles circle high, and follow the duet of jungle babblers chattering from thorny scrub.

By the time night settles, the forest is a tapestry of sound—nightjars trill, leaves whisper, and somewhere in the distance a tiger saunters along the riverbank. Pench National Park has a way of turning every breath into a story—one dawn at a time, one dusk at a time.

Greet the forest at first light for a final Pench game drive—mist rising off waterholes, chital stepping through dew-silvered grass, and the last chance to read the jungle’s morning script of alarm calls and tracks. After exiting the park, we set out by road for majestic Kanha National Park, a vast 940 km² sanctuary of sal and bamboo forest stitched with golden meadows and winding streams. As we travel deeper into the Maikal Hills, the landscape opens and the promise of Kanha’s famed residents—Bengal tigers, leopards, and the endemic hard-ground barasingha—begins to stir the imagination.

On arrival, settle into your lodge set near the park boundary, where coppersmith barbets knock from fruiting trees and langurs lounge like silhouettes on the compound wall. Take time to unwind or join your naturalist for a gentle property bird walk to meet Kanha’s first ambassadors—drongos sallying after insects, white-rumped shamas fluting from shade, and the sudden hush as evening glides in. If skies are clear, the western rim glows—hints of the famed Bamni Dadar sunset the park is known for—setting the tone for tomorrow’s dawn safari.

By nightfall the forest breathes in chorus—nightjars trill, cicadas thrum, and a cool breeze carries the scent of sal. Tomorrow, Kanha’s tiger country reveals itself track by track, call by call.

Wake before first light as Kanha National Park exhales mist over meadows and sal forest. Slip through the gate in an open Jeep with your expert ranger, tyres whispering over sandy tracks while the forest brightens from indigo to gold. In the cool of sunrise, barasingha gather on dew-bright grass, chital freeze at a distant alarm call, and the faint pugmarks of a Bengal tiger thread across the road like a riddle. Your naturalist reads the forest’s clues—fresh scat, drag marks, the scold of jungle babblers—guiding you from riverine tangles to open savan­nah glades where predators patrol.

Return late morning for a breather at the lodge, then roll out again as shadows lengthen for a second Jeep safari—often in a different park zone to broaden chances. Scan riverbanks for wary jackals, watch gaur emerge from bamboo, and track the glide of a crested hawk-eagle high above. If luck strikes, a leopard will ghost along a firebreak, rosettes melting into shade; if not, there’s deep contentment in the chorus of cicadas and the amber wash of late afternoon over Kanha’s legendary meadows.

Another sunrise sortie draws you deeper into tiger country: mist pooling in hollows, sambar outlined like statues in the pale glow, the forest breathing in slow, ancient rhythm. Your ranger may switch zones to diversify terrain—stream crossings, bamboo thickets, wind-ruffled grasslands—each with its own cast of characters and fresh tracks to decode. Even without a big-cat encounter, the tapestry of prey–predator behaviour, scent on the breeze and the thrill of a nearby macaque alarm call make the morning unforgettable.

As twilight folds over Kanha, the day’s images linger—barasingha heads lifted to the breeze, a lapwing sprinting across wet sand, the hush of sal leaves. These two days stitch together the essence of a classic India tiger reserve: unhurried tracking, attentive guiding, rich birdlife and meaningful encounters with the people who call this forest home.

Your final chapter in Central India begins on the open road, travelling north to storied Bandhavgarh National Park. The journey unfolds through undulating countryside and teak-lined lanes—village wells, ochre fields and roadside shrines flicker past like small postcards of rural Madhya Pradesh. Expect a drive of around five hours (subject to stops and seasonal works); comfort breaks are planned and your driver keeps the pace unhurried. As the Maikal and Vindhyan hills trade silhouettes, anticipation builds: Bandhavgarh’s mosaic of sal forest, meadows and rocky ridges has long been synonymous with Bengal tiger country.

On arrival, check in to your jungle lodge, wrapped in groves of bamboo and flame-of-the-forest. The mood here is unashamedly tranquil: coppersmith barbets tick from fruiting trees, butterflies idle above leaf-dappled paths, and the air carries a faint resin note from sal. Spend the remainder of the day unwinding—cool your feet by the tree-shaded pool, leaf through a natural history book on your private terrace, or simply listen as the afternoon thins to birdsong and the soft hum of evening.

If energy permits, join your naturalist for a gentle lodge nature walk to meet your new neighbours—langurs lounging on compound walls, jungle babblers gossiping in thickets, and the last light skimming over grassland just beyond the trees. Otherwise, embrace unstructured time: a quiet coffee, bare feet on cool stone, and the sense of the forest drawing breath as night approaches.

As darkness gathers, a chorus rises—nightjars trill, cicadas thread the air, and somewhere beyond the sal a spotted deer coughs an alarm. Tomorrow, Bandhavgarh’s tiger country awaits—track by track, call by call.

Rise before first light for a classic Bandhavgarh safari. As the gate opens, your Jeep rolls into a mosaic of sal forest, tawny meadows and lichen-crusted rocky ridges. Mist clings to hollows, barasingha lift antlers beaded with dew, and the forest speaks in code—chital alarm calls, the drumming of a woodpecker, the hush of bamboo when a predator passes. Your ranger reads fresh pugmarks and tracks the day’s story towards waterholes and meadow edges where the Bengal tiger may patrol. By late morning, return for an unhurried brunch, then rest until the afternoon’s golden light calls you back for a second game drive in a different park zone to widen chances and habitats.

Birders should keep binoculars handy: more than 250 bird species stir the canopy and grasslands here. Overhead, a crested hawk-eagle rides thermals; along wet margins, red-wattled lapwings scold intruders; in fruiting trees, black ibis and golden orioles add flashes of lacquered colour. As dusk deepens, the savannah warms to amber and the park exhales—a perfect canvas for silhouettes and long-lens portraits.

Begin with a guided nature walk in the forested buffer, led by an expert naturalist. On foot the jungle reveals fine detail: liana spirals and sal resin, butterflies puddling at damp sand, delicate hoof prints stitched along a path. Learn how antlion pits, owl pellets and scratch marks on bark map the lives of hidden residents. After a relaxed midday break, roll out for your final Bandhavgarh safari, switching zones if permits allow: watch meadow edges for deer herds on the move, scan rock shelves for the ripple-shadow of leopard, and listen for the electrifying hush that often precedes a tiger stepping from cover.

As night gathers over Bandhavgarh, memories settle like dust motes in lamplight: the bronze arc of a hawk-eagle, the soft chuff of a deer’s alarm, tyre prints braided with pugmarks at dawn. These two days bring the essence of a Central India tiger safari: unhurried tracking, deep attention, and a finale written in stripes and shadow.

Leave the forests behind and strike east towards Khajuraho, trading sal and bamboo for open farmland, rocky knolls and village life that scrolls by like a hand-painted frieze. It’s a longer run of around six hours, with comfort stops en route; fields of mustard and sugarcane blur into low Vindhyan ridges before the spires of UNESCO-listed Khajuraho Group of Monuments rise from the plain. By early afternoon, you step into a thousand-year conversation in stone—temples commissioned by the Chandela rulers between the 10th–12th centuries, where architecture and sculpture fuse into lyrical verticality.

Begin in the Western Group, where Kandariya Mahadeva—the largest and most ornate sanctuary—rises like a mountain of stone, its shikharas (spires) cascading upwards in rhythmic tiers. Friezes of dancers, celestial beings and daily life scroll around the plinth; up close, chiselled detail reveals jewellery, fabric and the soft curve of fingers carved from hard sandstone. Nearby, the evocative Chaunsath Yogini—a rare, circular shrine in rough-hewn granite—hints at the site’s earlier strata of worship, its open courtyard framed by austere cells to the Sixty-Four Yoginis.

Continue to Lakshmana Temple to admire the iconic Vaikuntha Vishnu relief (multi-aspect form), a masterpiece of balance and narrative poise. Then stroll to Chitragupta Temple, dedicated to the Sun God (Surya), where the deity stands in a grand niche, seven-horsed chariot evoked in sculptural flourish and the stone warmed to honey at golden hour. Your guide threads history with craft—corbelled ceilings like coffered lotus, brackets alive with apsaras, and mouldings that read like music.

Between temple visits, pause in shaded gardens to absorb the quiet: parrots flicker through neem trees, a priest rings a brass bell, and the sandstone—veined with time—seems to breathe. As day softens, silhouettes of clustered spires etch the horizon, a stony forest answering the green one you left behind this morning.

Return to your lodge with the scent of sandalwood still in the air and a camera roll full of stone poetry—Khajuraho’s genius lies not only in sculpted grace, but in how it makes the centuries feel close enough to touch.

Slip into the timeless charm of Orchha, a riverside village that guards an astonishing constellation of palaces, temples and cenotaphs yet remains blissfully unhurried. The ramparts of Jahangir Mahal rise like a sandstone ship above the Betwa River; step into arcaded courtyards where parakeets skitter along blue-tiled eaves and carved brackets blossom with lotus motifs. In the neighbouring Raj Mahal, faded mural cycles still glow with royal hunts and celestial dancers, while the lofty Chaturbhuj Temple draws your gaze upward with its soaring shikhara towers. Across the market lane, the Ram Raja Temple hums with prayer—part palace, part shrine, entirely alive.

After a relaxed lunch in Orchha, we continue to nearby Jhansi for your express rail to Delhi. Rail is the heartbeat of India: vendors weave past with chai and savouries, families trade stories across the aisle, and fields blur into little towns as we arrow north through Uttar Pradesh. Settle by the window and watch the palette shift—from mustard plots and brick kilns to the approach lights of the capital—arriving into Delhi in the early evening, where a private transfer whisks you to your hotel.

Evening in Delhi is a soft rush of headlights and domes in silhouette—tomorrow you’ll dive into the city’s grand narratives, but tonight is for a quiet check-in, a warm meal, and the glow of a day that bridged medieval Bundela grandeur and modern Indian Railways.

Your journey through India draws to a graceful close. Depending on your flight time, enjoy a slow Delhi morning—one last stroll beneath bougainvillea, a final cup of masala chai, perhaps a short wander for souvenirs—before meeting your driver for the private transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL). As the city’s avenues slip by—rickshaws, domes, and banyan shade—you’ll feel the rich collage of forests, temples and rail journeys settling into memory.

At the gate, watch the runway shimmer and remember the stillness of Pench at dawn, the golden meadows of Kanha, the dramatic ridges of Bandhavgarh, and the stone poetry of Khajuraho. Wheels lift, the city turns to patchwork, and a final arc of the Yamuna winks in the sun—an elegant farewell until next time.