Mumbai to Delhi: Tiger Safaris & Taj Mahal Tour

Three Tiger Reserves & the Taj Mahal in 15 Days

You spend 12 days on jeep safaris across four national parks with a naturalist guide, hunting tigers, leopards, and rare birds; visit 30,000-year-old rock paintings at Bhimbetka and Buddhist stupas at Sanchi; see the Taj Mahal at sunrise; and tour Delhi's Mughal monuments. Accommodation, private car, all park entry fees, and the train to Agra are included; jeep safaris are subject to availability and cannot be changed once booked.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrive and relax in Mumbai

• Arrive at Mumbai airport
• Transfer to hotel and check in
• Rest and explore local markets

Day 2 — Mumbai city tour and Elephanta Caves

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Marine Drive
• Cruise to Elephanta Caves
• Return to Gateway of India
• Visit Parliament House (outside view)
• Visit Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (outside view)
• See Dhobhi Ghat laundry
• Visit Prince of Wales Museum and Mani Bhawan
• Rest and personal activities

Day 3 — Fly to Jabalpur and transfer to Bandhavgarh

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to Mumbai airport
• Fly to Jabalpur
• Meet driver and transfer to Bandhavgarh National Park
• Check in at resort

Day 4 — Bandhavgarh National Park safari

• Breakfast at resort
• Morning gypsy safari with naturalist
• Lunch at resort
• Afternoon gypsy safari with naturalist
• Dinner and overnight at resort

Day 5 — Safari and transfer to Kanha National Park

• Breakfast at resort
• Morning safari in Bandhavgarh
• Lunch at resort
• Drive to Kanha National Park
• Check in at Kanha resort

Day 6 — Kanha National Park safaris

• Breakfast at hotel
• Morning gypsy safari with naturalist
• Lunch at resort
• Afternoon gypsy safari with naturalist
• Dinner and overnight at resort

Day 7 — Safari and transfer to Pench National Park

• Breakfast at resort
• Morning safari in Kanha
• Lunch at resort
• Drive to Pench National Park
• Check in at Pench resort

Day 8 — Pench National Park safaris

• Breakfast at hotel
• Morning gypsy safari with naturalist
• Lunch at resort
• Afternoon gypsy safari with naturalist
• Dinner and overnight at hotel

Day 9 — Transfer to Satpura National Park and sightseeing

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive to Satpura National Park
• Check in at resort
• Visit Panch Pandav Caves
• Sunset visit to Dhoopgarh peak

Day 10 — Satpura National Park safaris

• Breakfast at resort
• Three safaris in Satpura National Park
• Lunch at resort
• Dinner and overnight at resort

Day 11 — Visit Bhimbetka and drive to Bhopal

• Breakfast at resort
• Drive to Bhimbetka Rock Shelters
• Visit Bhojpur temple
• Continue to Bhopal
• Check in at hotel

Day 12 — Excursion to Sanchi and Udayagiri

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Sanchi Buddhist Stupas
• Visit Udayagiri Caves
• Return to Bhopal
• City tour of Bhopal
• Evening boat ride on Upper Lake

Day 13 — Visit Bhoj Wetland and train to Agra

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Bhoj Wetland
• Transfer to Bhopal railway station
• Board train to Agra
• Arrive and transfer to hotel

Day 14 — Taj Mahal and transfer to Delhi

• Sunrise visit to Taj Mahal
• Return to hotel for breakfast
• Visit Agra Fort
• Visit Itmad-ud-Daula Tomb
• Drive to Delhi
• Check in at hotel
• Rest and personal time

Day 15 — Delhi city tour and cultural sites

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit Red Fort and Jama Masjid
• Cycle rickshaw ride in Chandni Chowk
• Visit Khari Baoli Spice Market
• Visit Raj Ghat memorial
• Visit Humayun's Tomb
• Visit Qutab Minar
• Visit Lotus Temple
• Drive past President House, Parliament, India Gate
• Rest and personal activities

Day 16 — Departure from Delhi

• Breakfast at hotel
• Transfer to airport for departure

The Experience

The moment you step into Bandhavgarh National Park, you realize how different this is from a zoo or a nature documentary. The jeep stops. Your naturalist goes quiet. And then you see it—a tiger moving through the sal forest like it owns the morning, which it does. This tour strings together four national parks across central India, each one a separate ecosystem, each one a reason to wake up before dawn and climb into an open-sided jeep for a safari. You'll spend two full days at Bandhavgarh, then move to Kanha National Park (2,000 square kilometers of grassland and forest), then Pench, then Satpura. Between the parks, the itinerary pivots to monuments: Bhimbetka's 30,000-year-old rock paintings, the Buddhist stupas at Sanchi, the Taj Mahal at sunrise, and Delhi's Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb. It's a 15-day loop that doesn't pretend to be one thing.

Mumbai is where you land and where the tour actually starts. Day one is arrival and rest; day two is the city itself—Marine Drive, the Elephanta Caves (a motorboat ride from the Gateway of India, then 100 steps up a hillside), Parliament House viewed from outside, Dhobhi Ghat where the city's laundry happens in the open air, and the Prince of Wales Museum if it's open (closed Mondays). Then you fly to Jabalpur and drive 165 kilometers to Bandhavgarh. The safari rhythm is morning and afternoon, with a naturalist from the forest department in the jeep. You'll see spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, and if the light and luck align, a tiger or leopard. The park holds 22 mammal species and 250 bird species. After two days at Bandhavgarh, you drive 215 kilometers to Kanha National Park, where the swamp deer (barasingha) is the signature animal—it's the only subspecies of its kind adapted to hard ground instead of marsh. Kanha has around 300 bird species and a different landscape: more open grassland, more visibility.

From Kanha you move to Pench National Park (200 kilometers, 4 hours), then to Satpura near Pachmarhi, where the itinerary adds hiking and viewpoints. You'll visit Panch Pandav Caves and Dhoopgarh, the highest peak in the Satpura Range at 1,350 meters, for sunset. Then comes the pivot: you drive to Bhopal, visiting Bhimbetka Rock Shelters en route—archaeological sites with paintings from the Stone Age, some 30,000 years old, and the Bhojpur temple with one of India's largest lingams carved from a single rock. In Bhopal itself, you take a full day to visit Sanchi (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Buddhist stupas from the 3rd century BC) and Udayagiri Caves (early Hindu ritual site, carved under Chandragupta II in the 4th–5th century AD). You'll also see the Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid, and take a boat ride on the Upper Lake.

From Bhopal, you board the Satabdi Train to Agra (departing 15:15 or 21:11 hours, depending on the option). In Agra, the Taj Mahal sunrise is non-negotiable—you'll see it before breakfast, when the marble is still cool and the crowds are thinner. Then Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daula Tomb. The final drive to Delhi takes 4 hours. In Delhi, you get two days: one for Old Delhi (Red Fort, Jama Masjid, cycle rickshaw through Chandni Chowk, Khari Baoli Spice Market, Raj Ghat) and one for New Delhi (Humayun's Tomb, Qutab Minar, Lotus Temple, a drive past the President's House and Parliament). Then you fly out.

What’s included

• 15 nights' accommodation in selected hotels.
• private air-conditioned car for airport transfers, sightseeing, and excursions.
• 12 jeep safaris in national parks with a naturalist guide from the forest department.
• monument entry fees and activity charges mentioned in the itinerary.
• English-speaking tour guide on sightseeing days in each city.
• bottled drinking water in the car.
• airport assistance on arrival.
• government taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Agora Voyages Pvt. Ltd.

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see India's tiger reserves, ancient monuments, and the Taj Mahal without arranging flights between cities, park permits, or hiring separate guides in each location—the 15-day structure and included transport handle all of that, leaving you to focus on the safaris and the sites.

Top questions

How many tiger safaris are included?

12 jeep safaris total across Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, and Satpura national parks, with a naturalist from the forest department. Morning and afternoon safaris are scheduled on most days in the parks.

Is the Taj Mahal visit included?

Yes. You visit at sunrise, then tour Agra Fort and Itmad-ud-Daula Tomb the same day before driving to Delhi.

What's included in the accommodation?

15 nights in selected category hotels throughout the tour, from Mumbai through Delhi. Check-in and check-out times are typically 12 PM.

Do I need to arrange my own flights between cities?

No. The tour includes a flight from Mumbai to Jabalpur and a train from Bhopal to Agra (Satabdi Train, departing either 15:15 or 21:11). Your international flights to and from India are separate.

What if I don't see a tiger?

Tiger sightings are never guaranteed. The parks have leopards, wild dogs, bears, deer, and over 200 bird species. Safaris are about the forest and its wildlife, not just one animal.

Is a guide included for sightseeing?

Yes. An English-speaking guide is included on sightseeing days in each city (local guides in Mumbai, Agra, Delhi, etc.). Naturalists accompany the jeep safaris in the national parks.

What about meals?

Breakfast is included at hotels. Lunch and dinner are your own, though resorts in the national parks typically offer meal packages. The itinerary notes meals at resorts but does not list them as included in the base price.

Can I cancel or change a jeep safari if I book it?

No. Once a jeep safari is booked, it cannot be amended or canceled. Safaris are subject to availability.

Is bottled water provided?

Yes. Bottled drinking water is included in the car during transfers and sightseeing.

What's the best time to visit for tiger sightings?

The itinerary does not specify seasonal timing. Tiger sightings depend on weather, season, and chance. Ask the operator about the best months for your preferred parks.