Khajuraho with North India Tiger Safari Tour
Overview
Location:
Duration:
Destinations:
Tour Type:
Best Time:
Central & North India
14 Days / 13 Nights
Delhi → Jaipur → Sawai Madhopur (Ranthambore) → Agra via Fatehpur Sikri → Khajuraho → Bandhavgarh → Kanha → Nagpur
Heritage & Wildlife
October to March
★ Tour Highlights
- Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temples — masterpieces of Chandela dynasty architecture (950–1050 AD)
- Tiger jeep safaris at three premier wildlife reserves: Ranthambore, Bandhavgarh, and Kanha
- Marvel at the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Itmad-ud-Daulah at sunrise
- Step into Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's sandstone capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Amber Fort elephant ride and Jaipur's Pink City heritage sights
- Spot barasingha (swamp deer), leopards, sloth bears, and diverse birdlife
- Expert naturalist guides in every national park
How to Reach Khajuraho
By Air: Khajuraho Airport (IATA: HJR) is the nearest airport, located just 5 km from the temple complex. IndiGo and Air India operate daily direct flights from Delhi (DEL) and connections from Varanasi (VNS). Flight time from Delhi is approximately 1 hour. This tour departs from Delhi, so most international travellers fly into Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) first.
By Train: The most convenient rail option is to board the Shatabdi Express from Agra/Delhi to Jhansi Junction (approx. 2.5 hrs from Agra, 4.5 hrs from Delhi). From Jhansi, Khajuraho is 175 km by road (approx. 3.5 hrs). Our itinerary uses this route on Day 7. The nearest station directly serving Khajuraho is Khajuraho Railway Station (KZJ) with limited trains from Delhi and Nizamuddin.
By Road: Khajuraho is well-connected via NH 39 to Jhansi (175 km), Satna (117 km), and Bhopal (375 km). The scenic drive from Jhansi passes through the Bundelkhand plateau. Taxis and private cabs are available from Jhansi and surrounding towns. State bus services run from Jhansi, Bhopal, and Chhatarpur.
About Khajuraho Temples
The Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, is one of India's most celebrated cultural treasures. Built by the Chandela Rajput dynasty between approximately 950 and 1050 AD, the original 85 temples have been reduced to 22 surviving structures arranged in three geographical clusters — Western, Eastern, and Southern.
The temples are celebrated not just for their erotic carvings (which constitute only 10% of the sculptural work) but for the extraordinary finesse of the entire sculptural programme — apsaras, deities, hunting scenes, and everyday life depicted with unparalleled artistry. The Kandariya Mahadeva temple, rising 30.5 metres, is the tallest and most ornate. The Matangeshwara temple is still an active place of worship today, continuing an unbroken tradition of over 1,000 years.
✓ What's Included
- 13 nights hotel accommodation (B & B basis where indicated)
- All transfers and sightseeing by AC private vehicle
- Train fare: Agra → Jhansi (Shatabdi Express, 2nd AC)
- All jungle safaris by open Jeep / Gypsy with naturalist
- Elephant ride at Amber Fort, Jaipur
- English-speaking tour guide throughout
- Arrival/departure airport transfers
- All monument entrance fees per itinerary
✗ Not Included
- International or domestic airfare (unless specified)
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Camera / video fees at monuments
- Personal expenses, tips & gratuities
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Any services not mentioned above
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive Delhi → Drive to Jaipur (250 km / 5 hrs)
Arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi. Our representative welcomes you with a traditional 'Swagat' and escorts you to your hotel. After breakfast and a short rest, enjoy a half-day Delhi sightseeing tour visiting Humayun's Tomb (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Lotus Temple (closed Mondays), and the Qutub Minar complex. By mid-afternoon, depart for Jaipur, the flamboyant Pink City and capital of Rajasthan. Check in and overnight at hotel, Jaipur. (Breakfast)
Day 2 – Jaipur Sightseeing
After an early breakfast, drive 11 km to Amber Fort — the former Rajput capital from 1037 to 1728 AD — and ascend by elephant or Jeep to explore its magnificent palace complex. Return to Jaipur for a full tour of the City Palace, Birla Mandir, Jantar Mantar Observatory (UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the iconic Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds). Optional evening: Visit Chokhi Dhani village resort (15 km from Jaipur) for Rajasthani folk dances, music, and traditional cuisine. Overnight Jaipur. (Breakfast)
Day 3 – Jaipur → Sawai Madhopur / Ranthambore (160 km / 4 hrs)
Drive to Sawai Madhopur, gateway to Ranthambore National Park — once a royal hunting preserve of the Jaipur Maharajas and now one of India's premier tiger reserves. The park spans 1,334 sq. km of rugged terrain, with a 10th-century Ranthambore Fort visible from inside the jungle. Check in at your jungle lodge. Evening at leisure, soaking in the sights and sounds of the forest. Overnight Sawai Madhopur. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 4 – Ranthambore National Park (Two Safaris)
Enjoy two shared open-Gypsy jungle safaris — one at dawn and one in the late afternoon — inside Ranthambore National Park. The park currently hosts around 70+ tigers, including several dominant males and tigresses with cubs. Beyond tigers, watch for leopards, sloth bears, Indian wild boar, sambar deer, marsh crocodiles at Padam Talao lake, and over 300 species of birds. Your expert naturalist guide will interpret tracks and behaviour throughout. Evening free for nature walk. Overnight Sawai Madhopur. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 5 – Sawai Madhopur → Agra via Fatehpur Sikri (275 km / 7 hrs)
Post-breakfast drive towards Agra. En route, stop at Fatehpur Sikri (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the ghost capital built by Emperor Akbar in 1571 and abandoned just 14 years later due to water scarcity. Explore the Buland Darwaza (world's tallest gateway), Jodha Bai's Palace, Panch Mahal, and the Dargah of Sheikh Salim Chishti. Continue to Agra, check in at hotel. Overnight Agra. (Breakfast)
Day 6 – Agra: Taj Mahal, Agra Fort & More
Agra, erstwhile capital of the Mughal Empire, is home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Begin at sunrise with the Taj Mahal (closed Fridays) — Emperor Shah Jahan's eternal monument to his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, completed in 1653. Next, visit Agra Fort, a colossal red-sandstone military fortress built by Akbar in 1565. In the afternoon, visit Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb (often called 'Baby Taj'), the delicate first Mughal structure built in white marble, followed by Sikandara, Akbar's grand tomb. Evening: optional visit to a local marble inlay craft workshop to see the traditional pietra dura technique still practised in Agra today. Overnight Agra. (Breakfast)
Day 7 – Agra → Jhansi (Shatabdi Express, 0800–1030 hrs) → Khajuraho (175 km / 3.5 hrs)
Early morning transfer to Agra Cantt railway station to board the Shatabdi Express to Jhansi. Our representative will receive you at Jhansi Railway Station and assist with onward travel. Drive through the historic Bundelkhand landscape to Khajuraho — a small, serene town set against the backdrop of the Vindhya mountain range. Check in at hotel, freshen up, and enjoy a relaxed introduction walk to the Western temple cluster at sunset, when the carved sandstone glows amber. Overnight Khajuraho. (Breakfast)
Day 8 – Khajuraho Temples → Drive to Bandhavgarh (200 km / 5 hrs)
Early morning guided tour of the Khajuraho temple complex. The temples were constructed by the powerful Chandela Rajput dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD in a remarkable burst of creative energy. Of the original 85 temples, 22 survive. The Western Group (UNESCO World Heritage Site) features the most ornate structures — the soaring Kandariya Mahadeva temple, the Lakshmana temple, and the living Matangeshwara temple, still worshipped daily, continuing an unbroken 1,000-year tradition. Visit the Eastern Group for exquisite Jain temples before departing for Bandhavgarh National Park. Check in at your jungle resort. Overnight Bandhavgarh. (Breakfast, Dinner)
Day 9 – Bandhavgarh National Park (Two Safaris)
Two open-Gypsy tiger safaris — at dawn and late afternoon. Bandhavgarh has consistently recorded the highest tiger density of any protected area in India, with over 135 tigers across its 716 sq. km buffer and core zones. The landscape — dense sal forests, meadow grasslands, and rocky uplands — offers excellent wildlife-viewing conditions. The ancient Bandhavgarh Fort within the park, said to date back 2,000 years, is also a dramatic backdrop. Watch for leopards, Indian gaur, wild dogs (dholes), jackals, and a spectacular array of raptors and kingfishers. Overnight Bandhavgarh. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 10 – Bandhavgarh → Kanha National Park (200 km / 5 hrs)
Post-breakfast drive through the Satpura mountain range and lush Maikal Hills to Kanha National Park — the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. At 1,945 sq. km, Kanha is one of India's largest national parks, with a strictly protected core zone of 940 sq. km. Check in at your jungle lodge. Leisurely evening in the forest. Overnight Kanha. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 11 – Kanha National Park (Two Safaris)
Two jeep safaris inside Kanha's corridors. Kanha is famously the park that saved the barasingha (swamp deer) from extinction — today over 600 roam the meadows. The park's diverse habitats — bamboo forests, grassy meadows, and streams — support a rich prey base that attracts tigers and leopards in healthy numbers. Gaur (Indian bison), chital, sambar, langur, and sloth bear are commonly seen. Serious birdwatchers will delight in sighting lesser adjutants, crested serpent eagles, and the rare Malabar pied hornbill. Evening dedicated to a nature walk and wildlife briefing. Overnight Kanha. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Day 12 – Kanha → Nagpur (225 km / 5 hrs)
Morning at leisure — optional early bird walk around the lodge grounds. After lunch, drive south-west through central India's forests to Nagpur, the geographic centre of India and the "Orange City". Upon arrival, assistance and check-in at hotel. Evening free to explore Nagpur's local markets. Overnight Nagpur. (Breakfast)
Day 13 – Nagpur → Delhi by Flight
Morning post-breakfast transfer to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur for your flight to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, check in at hotel. Our guide will take you on a scenic New Delhi heritage drive — visiting the Gandhi Memorial at Raj Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna, driving past the majestic India Gate, and viewing the Rashtrapati Bhavan (President's House) and Parliament buildings. Evening free for last-minute shopping. Overnight Delhi. (Breakfast)
Day 14 – Depart Delhi
Your unforgettable 14-day Khajuraho and North India Tiger Safari concludes today. Our representative ensures a punctual transfer to Indira Gandhi International Airport for your onward flight. We hope you carry home not just photographs, but a deep appreciation for India's extraordinary cultural heritage and the wild majesty of its forests. We look forward to welcoming you on your next journey with Indian Travel Dictionary.
Frequently Asked Questions – Khajuraho Tour
Khajuraho Airport (HJR) has daily flights from Delhi (1 hr) and Varanasi. By train, board the Shatabdi Express to Jhansi (4.5 hrs from Delhi) and drive 175 km (3.5 hrs) to Khajuraho. By road, Khajuraho is 620 km from Delhi via NH 44 and NH 39, approximately 10–11 hours' drive.
October to March is ideal. Winters (November–February) offer pleasant temperatures of 8–25°C, perfect for sightseeing. The world-famous Khajuraho Dance Festival takes place every February, turning the temple grounds into a stage for India's great classical dance forms — Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Odissi, and Manipuri. Avoid May–June (extreme heat) and July–September (monsoon; tiger reserves are also closed).
Of the original 85 temples built by the Chandela dynasty (950–1050 AD), 22 survive across three clusters — Western, Eastern, and Southern. The Western Group is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Matangeshwara temple is still in active daily worship, continuing an uninterrupted 1,000-year tradition. Entry to the Western Group temples is ₹40 for Indian nationals and ₹600 for foreign nationals (subject to ASI updates).
Tiger sightings cannot be guaranteed as they occur in natural, wild habitats. However, this tour includes safaris in three of India's best tiger reserves. Bandhavgarh has the highest recorded tiger density in India (135+ tigers in 716 sq. km). Statistically, over 70% of visitors to Bandhavgarh spot a tiger. Ranthambore and Kanha further increase your chances across the tour's six scheduled safaris.
Absolutely. All Indian Travel Dictionary packages are fully tailored to your preferences — duration, hotel category (Budget / Standard / Luxury), additional safari days, optional Varanasi extension, or a honeymoon add-on at a boutique heritage property. Fill in our enquiry form below or call us for a personalised, no-obligation quote.
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