Tigers and Rhinos: Ranthambore and Chitwan
Overview
- Duration: 12 days / 11 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels in Delhi and Kathmandu and wildlife lodges near Ranthambore and Chitwan
- Countries: India, Nepal
A wildlife journey across India and Nepal: tiger country in Ranthambore, a few days in Kathmandu, then rhinos, rivers and grasslands in Chitwan National Park.
This twelve-day journey is for travellers who love wildlife and want to see two very different habitats in one trip. It suits couples, friends and keen photographers, and it works well for families with older children who can manage early starts.
You begin in India with two nights in Delhi, then take the train to Ranthambore, a dry forest of lakes and ruined pavilions below an old hill fort. Three nights here give you several game drives in tiger country. After a night back in Delhi, you fly to Nepal for two nights in Kathmandu, then head down to the lowland jungle of Chitwan National Park, known for its one-horned rhinos, for canoe trips, jungle walks and jeep safaris.
The rhythm on safari days is early mornings and late afternoons in the field, with a long rest in the middle of the day. City days in between give a change of pace with temples, markets and good food.
A few honest notes. Wildlife is never guaranteed: tigers, leopards and rhinos are all wild animals, and sightings depend on luck and season. Safari zones in Ranthambore are allocated by the park, and jeeps are shared or private depending on availability. Mornings in open vehicles can be cold in December and January, so bring warm layers.
We can add Agra and the Taj Mahal, extra nights in either park or a stay in Pokhara. Tell us your interests on our plan your trip page, and we will plan the route around you.
Day-by-day itinerary
Your driver meets you at Delhi airport and takes you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, rest by the pool or take a quiet evening walk in Lodhi Garden, where old tombs stand among lawns and trees full of parakeets and other birds. It is a gentle introduction to the city and a good place to shake off the flight.
Overnight: Delhi
With your guide, start in Old Delhi at the Jama Masjid, then take a cycle rickshaw through the narrow lanes of Chandni Chowk. After lunch, drive to New Delhi’s wide avenues to see India Gate and the government buildings, and finish at Humayun’s Tomb, the red sandstone garden tomb that inspired later Mughal architecture. Pack light for the safari days ahead.
Overnight: Delhi · Meals: Breakfast
Take a morning train south to Sawai Madhopur, about five hours on faster services, watching the plains of Rajasthan roll past the window. Your driver meets you at the station for the short drive to your lodge on the edge of the park. After lunch and a rest, head out on your first afternoon game drive, as the forest comes to life in the cooler hours.
Overnight: Ranthambore · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Set out at first light on a morning safari in a shared or private jeep, depending on availability; zones are allocated by the park. Ranthambore’s dry forest, lakes and old ruins are home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, sambar deer and crocodiles, though sightings always depend on luck and season. Return for breakfast and a rest, then head out again in the afternoon.
Overnight: Ranthambore · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Take one more early game drive, perhaps in a different zone if the park allows. Later in the day, visit Ranthambore Fort, a hill fort on a rocky ridge inside the reserve and part of the UNESCO-listed Hill Forts of Rajasthan. Climb past old gateways to temples and water tanks, with long views over the forest. Alternatively, visit a village craft project near the park.
Overnight: Ranthambore · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After a relaxed breakfast at the lodge, take the train back to Delhi, about five hours on faster services. Your driver meets you at the station and takes you to a hotel close to the airport, ready for tomorrow’s flight. Spend a quiet evening, or visit Qutub Minar, the soaring tower of carved stone in the south of the city, if there is time.
Overnight: Delhi · Meals: Breakfast
Take a flight of about an hour and a half north to Kathmandu, with views of the Himalaya on a clear day. Your driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. In the late afternoon, walk around Boudhanath, one of the largest stupas in the world, as monks and pilgrims circle it with prayer beads and the smell of butter lamps fills the air.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Explore the valley with your guide. Climb up to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa with painted eyes and resident monkeys, for views over the city. Then cross to Patan, the old city of craftsmen, to see its palace square, carved temples and a museum of fine bronze statues. In the evening, prepare for an early start to the lowlands tomorrow.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Take a short flight to Bharatpur, or travel about five to six hours by road through river valleys, down to the warm lowlands of Chitwan. Settle into your lodge near the park and meet your naturalist guide. In the late afternoon, walk to the river to watch the sunset over the forest, often with birds flying overhead and the call of peacocks from the trees.
Overnight: Chitwan National Park · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Start early with a dugout canoe trip on the river, watching for gharial and mugger crocodiles and a wide range of waterbirds. Then continue on a guided jungle walk through tall grass and sal forest, reading tracks with your guide. In the afternoon, go deeper into the park on a jeep safari, looking for one-horned rhinos, deer and, with great luck, a tiger.
Overnight: Chitwan National Park · Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Join an early bird walk along the forest edge, a fine way to say goodbye to Chitwan, which is home to hundreds of bird species. After breakfast, return to Kathmandu by a short flight from Bharatpur or about five to six hours by road. The rest of the day is free; this also leaves a margin if weather delays a flight.
Overnight: Kathmandu · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a last breakfast in Kathmandu. If your flight leaves later, take a final stroll in the lanes around Asan market or Durbar Square, or shop for tea, pashmina and singing bowls. Your driver then takes you to the airport for your flight home, with plenty of time to spare. End of your trip.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation for 11 nights with breakfast
- Lunch and dinner at your lodges in Ranthambore and Chitwan
- Private airport, station and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver for sightseeing and road journeys
- Local English-speaking guides for sightseeing in Delhi and Kathmandu
- Train between Delhi and Sawai Madhopur, and the flight from Delhi to Kathmandu
- Game drives in Ranthambore in shared or private jeeps, depending on availability
- Canoe trip, jungle walk, bird walk and jeep safari in Chitwan with licensed naturalist guides
- Entrance fees to sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas for India and Nepal
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Tips for guides, naturalists and drivers
- Personal expenses, including camera fees where charged
- Optional activities and extra safaris
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best October–April; Ranthambore’s core zones usually close in the monsoon.
You travel with a private car and driver in each country. Delhi to Sawai Madhopur, the station for Ranthambore, is about five hours by faster trains. Delhi to Kathmandu is a flight of about an hour and a half. Kathmandu to Chitwan is a short flight to Bharatpur or about five to six hours by road. Train and flight times can change, and we confirm the best options when we book.
Frequently asked questions
Sightings are never guaranteed. Ranthambore is one of India’s better-known tiger reserves, and several game drives give you a fair chance, but tigers are wild animals and luck plays a big part. Tigers also live in Chitwan, where they are shy and rarely seen.
Game drives take place in the morning and afternoon in shared or private jeeps, depending on availability. Zones are allocated by the park, and booking rules change from time to time, so we confirm the current arrangements when we book.
October to April is the most comfortable period for both parks. The hotter months from March onwards often bring good sightings as animals gather at water, though midday heat can be intense. During the monsoon, Ranthambore’s core zones usually close and some activities in Chitwan are limited.
Yes. Agra fits easily between Delhi and Ranthambore and adds one or two nights. See our Agra guide for ideas, and we can include it in your quote.
