Central India Wildlife Photo Quest

Central India Wildlife Photo Quest - Small Group - Max 8 Guests

Prices From £4,980pp
March to April | 8 nights

Central India Wildlife Photo Quest - Small Group - Max 8 Guests

Departing: 6 to 15 March & 10 - 19 April 2027.
This guided small group photography journey takes you from the historic streets of Delhi into the wildlife-rich heart of Central India, accompanied by expedition leader and photographer Pranad Patil. Beginning and ending in India’s capital, the itinerary combines grand architecture, colourful street life and spiritual moments with immersive safari experiences in two of the country’s most rewarding tiger reserves.

In Pench and Tadoba Andhari, enjoy exclusive jeep drives through teak forest, bamboo thickets, riverine corridors and open grasslands, searching for tiger, leopard, dhole, sloth bear, gaur, deer and a wealth of birdlife. With expert guidance throughout, this itinerary is designed to maximise both wildlife encounters and photographic opportunities, from dramatic big cat sightings to intimate portraits, cultural details and atmospheric jungle landscapes.

What’s more, each guest will receive an exclusive and FREE special pre departure virtual tutorial with Pranad where he will discuss your camera equipment and your current ability, establish your hopes and aspirations for the experience, and set personal objectives

Prices shown are per person, based on a group of 8 travelling. Please see pricing below for smaller group numbers:

8 Pax - £4,980
6 Pax - £5,394
4 Pax - £6,182

Single supplement fee: £1,910

Highlights

  • Travel with expedition leader and photographer Pranad Patil on a guided small group photography adventure
  • Explore Delhi’s architectural landmarks, spiritual sites and colourful Old Delhi street scenes
  • Enjoy exclusive jeep safaris in Pench National Park, the atmospheric landscape that inspired The Jungle Book
  • Discover Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, one of India’s most exciting parks for tiger photography
  • Search for tiger, leopard, dhole, gaur, sambar, chital and other Central Indian wildlife
  • Photograph varied habitats, from teak forest and bamboo thickets to lakes, grassland and forest tracks
  • Pre-departure tutorial with Pranad
  • Stay in good quality accommodtion throughout

What's Included

  • Accommodation as described in itinerary
  • Pre-departure tutorial with Pranad Patil
  • Internal flights in economy class (Delhi – Nagpur / Nagpur – Delhi)
  • All transfers, sightseeing and overland trips in air conditioned vehicle
  • Meals as described in the itinerary
  • Delhi photography tour
  • 6 x Scheduled private jeep safaris in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
  • 5 x Scheduled private jeep safaris in Pench National Park
  • Park fees, Forest Guide charges, and photography fees at jungle lodges
  • English-speaking local guides during sightseeing
  • All applicable taxes


Your Special Guest Guide

Pranad Patil

Pranad Patil

Expert Naturalist & Photographer

For Pranad Patil, the wilds of India are both a classroom and a canvas. An avid birder and photographer, he has spent more than a decade guiding guests through the subcontinent’s most celebrated landscapes, from the tiger forests of Central India to the leopard country of Jawai.


His career has taken him from Ranthambhore to Kanha and beyond, where he has worked as Head Naturalist, trained guides, and published widely in leading conservation journals and magazines. Along the way, he has also contributed to wildlife research, recorded new species for India, and created guest resources such as field guides and booklets.

Guests travelling with Pranad quickly discover that his knowledge runs deeper than facts and sightings. He weaves science with story, turning each moment into an invitation to see nature differently. On &Beyond’s photographic journeys in India, he inspires travellers to look beyond the lens – and leave with perspectives that last long after the journey ends.

Our popularitinerary Suggestions

All our itinerary holidays are fully customisable

Arrive in Delhi
1Day

Arrive in Delhi

Arrive at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport, where you will be met on arrival and assisted through immigration before collecting your luggage. From here, you will be welcomed by your host and chauffeured to The Imperial New Delhi, an elegant landmark hotel set on Janpath, around 45 minutes from the airport.

The rest of the day is yours to settle in after your journey and enjoy the atmosphere of India’s vibrant capital. Blending grand colonial architecture with the energy of a modern metropolis, New Delhi offers an evocative first glimpse of the history, culture and colour that will unfold throughout this guided small group photography adventure.

Accommodation: One night at the Imperial Delhi in a Heritage Room on Bed & Breakfast Basis

Delhi to Nagpur to Pench N.P
2Day

Delhi to Nagpur to Pench N.P

After breakfast, transfer to Delhi airport for your flight to Nagpur, where you will be met on arrival and driven on to Pench National Park. The journey takes you into the landscapes of Central India, with the city gradually giving way to rural scenery before reaching the teak forests, valleys and undulating hills of the Satpura range.

Settle into Pench Tree Lodge, an intimate and conservation-minded retreat close to the Karmajhiri area of the park. This afternoon, head out on your first scheduled jeep drive, beginning your search for Pench’s remarkable wildlife, from tiger and leopard to dhole, gaur, sambar and chital, with excellent photographic opportunities among the forest tracks, riverine habitats and open grasslands.

Accommodation: Three nights at Pench Tree Lodge in a Cottage with all meals included

Activities Included: Five scheduled park drives in Pench National Park in exclusive vehicles

Pench National Park
3 - 4Days

Pench National Park

Spend the next two full days exploring Pench National Park with scheduled early morning and afternoon jeep drives, accompanied by an experienced naturalist. As dawn breaks over the forest, set out through teak woodland, riverine corridors and open clearings in search of the park’s celebrated wildlife, from tiger and leopard to sambar, chital and gaur.

Pench is also one of Central India’s best places to look for dhole, the Asiatic wild dog, which is seen here more regularly than in many other reserves. Between drives, return to the peaceful surroundings of Pench Tree Lodge to relax, review your images and prepare for the next outing into this atmospheric jungle landscape.

Pench N.P to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
5Day

Pench N.P to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll leave Pench behind and continue deeper into Central India on the drive to Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Set among the forested Chimur Hills, Tadoba is one of India’s important Project Tiger reserves, combining national park, wildlife sanctuary and reserve forest to protect a rich wilderness of bamboo, teak, lakes and grassland.

Arrive at Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge, an eco-conscious retreat close to the reserve, and settle into your villa before heading out on your first afternoon jeep safari. Tadoba is renowned for its tiger sightings, but its varied habitats also support a wealth of other wildlife, offering superb opportunities for photography in one of India’s most atmospheric jungle landscapes.

Accommodation: Three nights at Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge in a Villa with all meals included

Activities Included: Six scheduled park drives at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in exclusive vehicles

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve
6 - 7Days

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve

You’ll now spend two full days exploring Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve on scheduled early morning and afternoon jeep drives. With your expert naturalist guides, each safari offers a chance to follow the latest wildlife movements through teak forest, bamboo thickets, grassland pockets and scenic lakeside habitats.

Tadoba is especially well known for its tiger sightings, but the reserve also supports leopard, dhole, sloth bear, gaur, nilgai, sambar, spotted deer and barking deer, along with reptiles and around 200 bird species. Varied routes through the park’s forest road network help maximise photographic opportunities, from dramatic big cat encounters to quieter moments of jungle behaviour and birdlife.

Tadoba Andhari to Nagpur to Delhi
8Day

Tadoba Andhari to Nagpur to Delhi

Rise early for your final jeep safari in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, making the most of one last opportunity to photograph the park’s wildlife as the forest comes to life. Whether tracking tiger movement, watching birds around the lakes or capturing the quieter details of the jungle, this last drive offers a fitting close to your time in Central India’s reserves.

After an early lunch, transfer to Nagpur airport for your flight back to Delhi. On arrival, you will be met and chauffeured to The Imperial New Delhi, where you can settle back into the comfort of this historic city hotel for a two-night stay.

Accommodation: Two nights at the Imperial Delhi in a Heritage Room on Bed & Breakfast Basis

Activities Included: Delhi Photographic Tour

Delhi Photography Tour - End of Trip
9 - 10Days

Delhi Photography Tour - End of Trip

Spend your final full day exploring Delhi through the lens, beginning with the grand architecture of New Delhi. Drive past India Gate, Rajpath and the President’s House, where sweeping boulevards, sandstone façades and strong symmetry provide excellent opportunities for architectural photography. Continue to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a peaceful Sikh temple where the white marble buildings, reflective Sarovar and busy Langar kitchen offer a beautiful mix of spiritual atmosphere, human connection and candid documentary images.

In the afternoon, delve into the colour and energy of Old Delhi with a rickshaw ride through Chandni Chowk. Capture vibrant street scenes, spice stalls, jewellery, textiles and food vendors before visiting Jama Masjid, whose scale, stonework and quiet moments of devotion contrast wonderfully with the surrounding bustle.

The following day, your guided small group photography journey through India comes to an end as you check out and transfer to the international airport.

A view from Above

Accommodation Options

Imperial Hotel, New Delhi

An established, luxury hotel, well located in the centre of New Delhi, close to Connaught Place and the city metro. The hotel was ranked as Best Luxury Hotel in India 2010-2012 and maintains that standard.

Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge, Tadoba

Set in the magnificent Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR), world-renowned for its tiger safaris, the beautiful Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge offers a luxurious home from which to explore the wonders of this area. An eco-tourism destination like no other, this is where luxury and grandeur go hand in hand with nature. Offering 3 styles of accommodation - bungalows, villas and chalets – each spacious retreat is as special as the next. The 9 lakeside villas offer a high-end experience and feature large bedrooms and bathrooms, patios overlooking the lake, and private gardens with open-air bath tubs for a dip under the stars. The 3 chalets offer 4 individual rooms to accommodate families and groups, and the 2 luxurious bungalows offer 2 bedrooms with bathrooms, spacious living rooms and private gazebos overlooking the lake. A wealth of activities are on offer here, including jeep safaris in search of tiger sightings, nature walks, birding tours, bush glamping, nighttime trails, local village visits, astronomy and young naturalist programmes. In between activities, guests can enjoy the wonderful facilities of the lodge, including the wellness spa, gorgeous outdoor pool, welcoming library and terrace with fabulous views. First-class, fine dining meals are served within the lodge's 2 restaurants (one indoor and one outdoor).

Pench Tree Lodge, Pench NP

Pench Tree Lodge is located in the small tribal hamlet of Sarahiri just 20 minutes from the Karamajhiri gate of the famous Pench National Park and Tiger Reserve and offers an exquisite forest experience amongst forty acres of wilderness. Following the eco-luxury concept to a tee, Pench Tree Lodge keeps it carbon footprint to minimum, whilst providing supremely comfortable accommodation within luxury family cottages and wonderfully unique Tree House lodges. The Tree House lodges are perched upon stilts 18ft from the ground on top of the Mahua trees and offer a fantastic level of privacy and a memorable experience for guests. Each Tree House has been decorated with a boutique style feel and features include large French windows opening out to a private deck, large four-poster beds, bay window loungers that double as daybeds, air-conditioning and spacious, well-designed bathrooms. The luxury family chalets feature king-size beds plus queen-size beds in the attic, air-conditioning, spacious bathrooms and private sit out decks with uninterrupted views of the deciduous forest and the wild animals that roam here including wild boars, civets, jungle cats, jackals, spotted deer and much more. The lodge offers fantastic farm-to-fork dining experiences of delicious locally sourced cuisine, with breakfasts served on safari, lunches by the pool and dinners under the stars or in the bright and welcoming dining room. A wealth of activities are offered here, from jeep safaris and nature trails to bush dinners and villages walks, and there is also a beautiful swimming pool and an excellent wildlife photography hide.

Too much to choose from? This is where we come in

Take advantage of our vast experience, passion and expertise to help you hand craft the perfect India adventure for you.

Michael Gardiner Senior Travel Expert

Mike lives and breathes adventure travel and has a wealth of experience in some of the most exciting and inspirational destinations in the world. His expertise and first-hand experience afford him the skills to help build holidays to remember.

Sheena Ogley Senior Travel Expert

Sheena’s abiding love of adventure travel has taken her to some of the most incredible wildlife-rich places on Earth. Her vast experience and genuine desire to share her knowledge makes her an outstanding and invaluable person to help you organise your wildlife adventure trip.

Simon Rowland Senior Travel Expert

With a lifetime of unforgettable nature and adventure based travel under his belt, Simon shares his passion, enthusiasm and hands-on experience to help create the perfect itinerary for every client.

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Ready to start planning youronce in a lifetime trip?

Call us - 0800 195 3385
Outside the uk? + 44 1625 5811 43
+ 44 1625 5811 43 Call us - 0800 195 3385

Chat Now

Fill in our
Enquiry form

Book Consultation

Book a
Consultation

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