Tour Summary

Region: Western Indian States of Rajasthan & Gujarat
Duration: 23Days/ 22 Nights tour by road, rail and air
Areas covered: Delhi, Sultanpur, Ahmedabad, Gir, Bhuj, Little Rann of Kutch, Mount Abu, Siana, and Jaisalmer

Outline Itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrive Delh
  • Day 2: Delhi (Sultanpur Visit)
  • Day 3: Fly Delhi/Ahmedabad, Drive to Gir NP
  • Day 4: Gir NP
  • Day 5: Gir NP
  • Day 6: Gir NP – Bhuj
  • Day 7: Bhuj
  • Day 8: Bhuj
  • Day 9: Bhuj – Little Rann of Kutch
  • Day 10: Little Rann of Kutch
  • Day 11: Little Rann of Kutch
  • Day 12: Little Rann of Kutch – Mount Abu
  • Day 13: Mount Abu – Siana
  • Day 14 Siana
  • Day 15: Siana – Bikaner
  • Day 16: Bikaner – Phalodi (Kheechan)
  • Day 17: Phalodi – Jaisalmer
  • Day 18: Jaisalmer (Guided City Tour)
  • Day 19: Jaisalmer (Desert National Park)
  • Day 20: Jaisalmer (Desert National Park)
  • Day 21: Jaisalmer – Delhi (Overnight Train)
  • Day 22: Arrive Delhi
  • Day 23: Delhi – Departure

Detailed Itinerary

  • DAY 01: ARRIVE DELHI-Arrive Indira Gandhi International Airport Delhi -Complete customs, immigrations formalities and exit to arrival hall meeting lounge -START OF SERVICE -Met by our representative and transfer to the hotel (Room held from 12.00 noon of previous day for immediate check in) -Overnight at Hotel
  • DAY 02: DELHI (SULTANPUR VISIT) -Early morning drive to Sultanpur (45 kms / 1 hr) -Full day birding at Sultanpur bird Sanctuary with local guide -Lunch at restaurant in Sultanpur -Evening drive back to Delhi -Overnight at Hotel -B, L
  • Day 03: FLY DELHI/ AHMEDABAD – GIR NATIONAL PARK -Morning in time transfer to the airport to board the flight to Ahmedabad -Fly Delhi/ Ahmedabad (AI 817 at 0600/0725 hrs) -Met on arrival and drive towards Gir (450 km / 09 hr) -Arrive Gir National park by evening and check in to the lodge -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 04 & 05: GIR NATIONAL PARK -Two full days to explore Gir, where we avail 3 park drives each day to maximize our chances of wildlife viewing and birding. Best known for the last remaining population of Asiatic Lions, Gir is also one of the finest reserves to see Leopards. Some of the birds found here include the Indian Jungle Nightjar, Mottled Wood Owl, Rock Bush Quail, White-bellied Minivet, Painted Sandgrouse, Black Ibis, Rufous-fronted Prinia & Crested Hawk Eagle -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 06: GIR NATIONAL PARK – BHUJ -Today we take a long drive to Bhuj (460 km /10 hr) with limited birding opportunities en route -Arrive Bhuj in the evening and check in to the lodge -Overnight at JP Resort -B, L, D
  • DAY 07 & 08: BHUJ -Two full days for birding at Bhuj -The Great Rann of Kutch comprises of several thousand square miles of flats almost at sea level, which are slightly brackish extensions of the sea during the Monsoon rains, and blank brown salt flats for the rest of the year. Scattered with islands of low vegetation these are a major retreat of Indian wildlife, now reinforced by legal protection of large areas. Birding in and around Bhuj the main targets would include Hypocolius, Marshall’s Iora, White-naped Tit, Sykes’s Nightjar, Sykes’s Lark, Grey-necked Bunting, White-bellied Minivet, Indian Eagle Owl, Crab Plover, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Red-tailed Wheatear, Desert Warbler and the recently recorded Pale Rock Sparrow. Other species we may see here are the Indian and the Cream-coloured Courser, Chestnut-bellied & Spotted Sandgrouse, raptors here include the Steppe Eagle and Imperial Eagles, Cinereous Vulture, Eurasian Griffon, Laggar and Saker Falcons. Both Tawny and Bonneli’s Eagle breed here, while Red-necked Falcon is a specialty -Overnight at JP Resort -B, L, D
  • DAY 09: BHUJ – LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH -Morning look for species at Bhuj which we may have missed out on and later we drive south for the state of Gujarat, our destination is the Little Rann of Kutch (approx 300 km / 6 hr), which will be our base for two nights -Arrive at Little Rann of Kutch and check in to the lodge -Overnight at Rann Riders -B, L, D
  • DAY 10 & 11 : LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH -Two full days to explore LRK. Morning and evening visit the Wild Ass Sanctuary by exclusive jeeps, some of the other mammals besides the Wild Ass, we hope to see are the Desert Fox & Indian Wolf. The star birds here are the wintering McQueens Bustard, Sykes Nightjar, Greater Hoopoe Lark, Indian Courser, White-tailed & Sociable Plovers, Great White & Dalmatian Pelicans, Demoiselle Cranes and raptors like the Pallid & Montagu’s Harrier, Peregrine Falcon, Imperial, Tawny & Greater Spotted Eagles -Overnight at Rann Riders -B, L, D
  • DAY 12: LRK – MOUNT ABU -After some final morning’s birding at LRK, we drive to Mount Abu in the state of Rajasthan (approx 250 km / 5 hr) -Arrive at Mount Abu and check in to the hotel -Evening we visit the site of our principal target – the Green Avadavat -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 13: MOUNT ABU – SIANA -We will have another chance for Green Avadavat at Mount Abu, a small hill station situated below the summit of the mountain of the same name, which at 1722m is the highest peak in the Aravalli range -Later we will make our way to the little village of Siana (approx 125 km / 4 hr), situated in the Jalor region, for a two nights stay -We should arrive in time for a late lunch and will commence our exploration of the area during the evening -Overnight at Siana Garden -B, L, D
  • DAY 14: SIANA -We have the full day to explore Siana. The village of Siana was the venue for Richard Attenbouorouh’s film Life of Mammals; the place is home to a small population of Leopards. Some of the birds we hope to see here include the Indian thick-knee, Rock bush Quail, Indian Vulture, Sirkeer Malkoha, the nomadic White-bellied Minivet may be a possibility, Bay-backed Shrike, Black Redstart and Small Minivet to name a few. Night drives may reveal mammals like the Striped Hyena, Desert Cat and the Leopard -Overnight at Siana Garden -B, L, D
  • DAY 15: SIANA – BIKANER -After some early morning birding at Siana we will drive to Bikaner (approx 360 km / 7 hr) - Later afternoon we will visit the site of the wintering Yellow-eyed Doves besides a large numbers of vultures are present near a carcass dump -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 16: BIKANER – PHALODI (KHEENCHAN) -Morning we will look for the wintering Yellow-eyed Pigeons in case we missed them the day before and drive onwards to Phalodi (approx 165 km / 3 hr) -A little distance from Phalodi lies the village of Khichan where up to 3000-5000 Demoiselle Cranes congregate to feed on grains given by the villagers as a centuries old tradition. Twice a day the Cranes come to feed at the edge of the village before flying out to the nearby dunes -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 17: PHALODI – JAISALMER -Morning view the Cranes before driving onwards to Jaisalmer (approx. 370 kms / 6 hours) -Arrive at Jaisalmer in evening and check in to the hotel -Evening at the leisure -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 18/: JAISALMER (CITY TOUR) -We will have full day to visit the Jaisalmer Fort and some other monuments of interest -Afternoon free for some shopping -Evening transfer to Hotel -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 19 & 20: JAISALMER (DESERT NATIONAL PARK) -We have the next two full days to explore the Desert National Park. The star attraction of DNP is the Indian Bustard for which the park was created; other notable species here include the Stoliczka’s Bushchat, Cream-coloured Courser, Chestnut-bellied and Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Black-crowned Sparrowlark, Asian Desert Warbler, raptors include the White-rumped and Red-headed Vultures, Laggar Falcons, Tawny Eagle, Short-toed Eagle and Long-legged Buzzard. -Overnight at Hotel -B, L, D
  • DAY 21: JAISALMER – DELHI (O/N TRAIN) -Morning birding -Afternoon transfer to Jaisalmer train station -Jaisalmer Delhi Express, Train #14660, AC First Class, (1715/1110 hrs) -Overnight on board train -B, L, D (We will carry packed meals for train)
  • DAY 22: ARRIVE DELHI -Arrive Delhi -Met and transferred to the hotel -Overnight at hotel -B (on board train) – (Fruits, Eggs, Tea)
  • DAY 23: DELHI – DEPARTURE -Free day in Delhi or visit to Okhla for birding. -Evening transfer to international airport to board the flight for onward journey -BEnd of services

Cost Inclusions:

  • -Accommodation for 22 nights on twin share room basis: inclusive of all applicable taxes at the time of quoting
  • -Meals as indicated in the itinerary as B, L, D (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
  • -All transfers, drives, excursions and sightseeing by air-conditioned private car (8 seater mini-van)
  • -06 Game drives in Gir National Park by exclusive jeeps
  • -02 Full & 01 Half day Birding at Bhuj by private vehicle
  • -04 Game Drives at Little Rann of Kutch by exclusive jeeps
  • -03 Game Drives at Siana by exclusive jeeps
  • -02 Full days birding at Desert National Park by Camel carts
  • - Train Tickets in 1st AC Sleeper Class from Jaisalmer to Delhi
  • -Service of English speaking local guides: inclusive of guiding fees, park & monument entry fees payab
  • Assistance on arrival and departure at each destination

Exclusions:

  • -International airfare
  • -Any expenses of personal nature such as telephone calls, laundry, aerated drinks etc.
  • -Portage and bellboys tips not included in the cost
  • -Meals are not included in the cost unless specified in the inclusions
  • -Camera fees to be paid extra directly in monuments/ park
  • -Tips/ gratuities paid to naturalists, drivers, bellboys, waiters etc.
  • -Cost incurred in obtaining visa, insurance etc.
  • -Cost incurred in case of hospitalization, evacuation etc.
  • -International departure tax

Notes:

  • -Flight indicated in the itinerary are as per the current schedule and are subject to change. In case there is any change in flight or train schedule between now and date of travel and calls for revising the itinerary we reserve the right to do so
  • -Please note that we will make every effort to adhere to this itinerary but dates, times, activities and park rules are subject to change depending on scheduling & availability
  • -In case of any revision in government tax structure or fuel price between now and time of travel the same will be debited to you. However, we will absorb the difference up to 3%
  • -In case of any revision in internal airfare and hotel rates between now and time of travel the same will be revised
  • -Driving time mentioned above are indicative

Requirements from travelers:

– Passport details required for making reservations with local airlines and forest department. Please provide full name as it appears on passport, age, address and nationality
Requirements from travelers: