India’s capital, New Delhi, lies on the Indo-Gangetic Plain, within the National Capital Territory of Delhi. Made up of the ancient walled city of Old Delhi and the more modern sector, New Delhi, the city encompasses a staggering array of beautiful buildings, including three UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the grand, sandstone Red Fort, striking Qutab Minar, and fascinating Humayun's Tomb. Architecture enthusiasts will delight in the iconic Lotus Temple. Hear ‘qawwalis’ (devotional music) at the dargah (tomb) of the Sufi saint Nizam-ud-din Auliya; or wander through the 17th century Chandni Chowk marketplace – still one of the city’s most popular retail centres today, famous for its traditional jewellery and saris. The gorgeous Sunder Nursery and Lodi Garden provide calm, flower-filled oases for picnicking.
Set on the banks of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, Agra is a beautiful city famous for its incredible Taj Mahal building, one of the seven wonders of the world. Commissioned by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 15th century as a memorial to his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, this is an architectural masterpiece of exquisite craftsmanship and perfect proportions. The city boasts numerous other superb attractions, including the red-hued sandstone Agra Fort, built in the 16th century; the Shahi Jama Masjid mosque, a 17th-century congregational mosque located in the historic core of Agra, and Itmad-ud-Daulah’s tomb, with its white marble facade embellished with intricate inlaid designs, also called the' Baby Taj'.
As previously described
Resting in the lower southern reaches of the Satpuda Hills, in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, Pench National Park is renowned for having the highest concentration of prey, compared to any other park in India. Visitors, therefore, have an increased chance of spotting predatory cats such as leopard and tiger. This impressive expanse of wilderness features a typical central Indian teak jungle and is bisected by the scenic Pench River. Aside from the river, the park also contains several bamboo-lined jungle streams providing a valuable water source for the local wildlife, which includes, among others: wild dog, sloth bear, wolf, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, gaur, sambar, and chital. Pench is also a bird lover's paradise, with over 250 species inhabiting the area, including; parakeets, hornbills, kingfishers, orioles, wagtails and a large selection of birds of prey.
Also known as the Kanha Tiger Reserve, the Kanha National Park is widely considered to be the greatest of India’s wildlife reserves and the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s classic, 'The Jungle Book'. This impressive expanse of wilderness is set in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, encompassing about 950 square kilometres of lush rolling hills, peaceful rivers, saal and bamboo forest, and endless stretches of savanna grassland. This spectacularly scenic environment provides a diverse range of habitats for an extraordinary array of wildlife including tigers, leopards, jackals, swamp deer, foxes, porcupines, sloth bears, pythons, hare, chitals, gaur monkeys, mongooses, and hundreds of species of bird.
Formerly known as Bombay, the bustling city of Mumbai sprawls along India’s West Coast and is the largest city in the country. This thriving metropolis is a go-to destination for travellers curious to experience a modern Indian city. It serves as the heart of India’s world-renowned film industry, the incomparable ‘Bollywood’, and offers a kaleidoscope of culture, colour and flavours to enjoy. Lapped by the Arabian Sea, this urban seaside peninsula is a melting pot of old and new India. Towering office blocks and shiny apartment buildings shoulder crumbling grand dames of architecture. People play cricket in the leafy central parks, taxis navigate the jam-packed streets, and families stroll along the seaside promenades of Mumbai. Visitors can look forward to viewing the iconic Gateway of India stone arch at the Mumbai Harbour waterfront, visiting the ancient cave temples on the nearby Elephanta Island or hopping on a tuk-tuk tour to experience the magic and madness of this incredible city.
Bordering the capital city of Nairobi, in beautiful Kenya, the Nairobi National Park is one of Africa's smallest parks and one of the only parks on earth to be in such close proximity to a city centre. It boasts a large and varied wildlife population, amid wide open grass plains against a backdrop of city scrapers. The park is home to one of Kenya's most successful rhinoceros sanctuaries with the world's highest concentration of black rhinoceros. Its wetland areas are abundant with birdlife boasting over 400 bird species. Visitors can enjoy the many facilities the park has to offer such as scenic picnic sites, well-positioned campsites, and hiking trails. Commonly spotted species include lion, hyena, warthog, zebra, giraffe, ostrich, gazelle, buffalo, and sometimes if you're lucky, leopard and cheetah.
Spanning over thousands of hectares of vast open savannah grasslands in northern Kenya, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy is home to the world’s largest population of Grevy’s zebra. Renowned as a pioneer and leader in responsible tourism, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy actively advances and develops community engagement and wildlife conservation. It has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and serves as an important sanctuary for a large selection of wildlife including the endangered black rhino as well as the white rhino. Lewa offers visitors the opportunity to have close encounters with these prehistoric creatures against an unspoilt backdrop, making it one of Kenya’s top game-viewing destinations. Boasting one of the highest wildlife densities in Kenya, the park is also inhabited by elephants, lions, buffalo, wild dogs, giraffes, cheetahs, and over 400 bird species.
Situated in southwest Kenya, the Mara North Conservancy is a beautiful private wilderness area spanning more than 30 000 hectares. It is home to a spectacular array of plants, reptiles, birds and mammals; including elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion, leopard, cheetah and large concentrations of wildebeest, zebra, gazelle and other migratory wildlife. Leopard Gorge, in the heart of the conservancy, is famous as the setting of countless BBC Big Cat Diaries and National Geographic documentaries. Neighbouring the well-known Maasai Mara National Reserve, this conservancy is vital for sustaining the famous Serengeti wildebeest migrations as well as the endangered African wild dog and black rhino.
