Wild India!
Multi-day hiking safari, India
Wild India walking
Tropical Ice’s ‘Wild India!’, is the sister expedition to ‘The Great Walk of Africa’. Bearing all the same hallmarks of challenging but beautiful walking, heritage hotels, luxurious tented accommodation and the unique opportunity to explore areas on foot that tourists simply do not visit, it is India’s definitive walking safari.
Beginning in Delhi you’ll stay overnight at The Imperial, a magnificent hotel built in the 1920s and a veritable museum of India’s Raj history, before heading out to Bhopal and beginning your walking expedition near the source of the Denwa River. You’ll discover the atmospheric Bhimbetka rock shelters, where over 500 sites with neolithic rock paintings have been discovered, then continue for approx. 15 kms to a private mobile tented camp spotting serpent eagles, plum- headed parakeets and racquet-tailed drongos along the way. This unique wilderness region has rocky outcrops which rise like tumbled castles from the surrounding plains. Few foreigners ever come here and Tropical Ice’s first safari in 2013 was reckoned to be the first since Captain J Forsyth of the British army explored the region in 1857.
From Denwa you will drive 2 hours to Satpura Tiger Reserve to walk the undulating hills home to tigers, sloth bear, sambur, spotted deer, and leopard, then on to Kanha, which is known as “Kipling Country”, for it was upon these forests that Rudyard Kipling based The Jungle Book. To maximise your chances of seeing tigers the group will then head to Bandhavgarh, which boasts probably the largest population of tigers in the country. During your time in these wilderness areas walking will be complemented by four-wheel drive safaris, which enable closer wildlife encounters and excellent photographic opportunities.
Finally you will head for the foothills of the Himalayas, taking the British built ‘toy train’ up to the town of Shimla and the impressive Wildflower Hall. Hiking in this area you will be immersed in the fresh mountain scenery, passing temples and traditional villages and winding your way through forested valleys of forests of cedar and deodar. The breath taking icy peaks of the Himalayas will dominate the northern skyline and the area’s colonial history is evident.
You will love
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Virtually tourist free
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Private tented camps & grand heritage hotels
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Tiger country on foot
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Hike the foothills of the Himlalayas
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Guided by Iain Allan or Alex Fiksman of Tropical Ice Safaris
Let us design your perfect itinerary.
18 UNFORGETTABLE DAYS
DAY 1 | DELHI | 1 NIGHT
Welcome to India and the start of your grand adventures! Relax this evening in the iconic Imperial Hotel as you prepare for an exciting 18 days ahead.
DAY 2 | BHOPAL | 1 NIGHT
In the early morning, you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Bhopal, and we will arrive at your hotel for a late breakfast. After settling in and enjoying the surrounds of the Jehan Numan Palace, you will embark on a guided tour of the beautiful city of Bhopal.
DAY 3 | DENWA RIVER | 1 NIGHT
After breakfast, drive to the Denwa river, stopping on the way to visit the atmospheric Bimbetka rock shelters, where over 500 sites with neolithic rock paintings have been discovered. Upon reaching the Denwa River, you will make a three-hour boat journey to your lodge with the afternoon at leisure to enjoy Denwa Backwater Escape.
DAY 4 | HIKING | 4 NIGHTS
Drive into the Satpura hills and begin your walk following a trail through the Sal forest, where the birdlife can be profuse, to descend towards the source area of the Denwa River. Enjoy a picnic lunch, then continue walking for several hours to your camp on the river. You are now in the centre of this unique wilderness region, which rises like tumbled castles from the surrounding plains. Few foreigners ever come here, and Tropical Ice’s first safari in 2013 was reckoned to be the first since Captain J. Forsyth of the British army explored the region in 1857!
DAY 5 | HIKING
Continue your hike today as you follow the course of the Denwa River down towards the plains.
The morning is gentle, but after our picnic lunch, you will enter a narrower rocky gorge, and your trail moves across a boulder-strewn riverbank. You have the opportunity to cool off in the crystal clear pools and travel by vehicle to your next camp, or continue to walk if you prefer.
DAY 6 | HIKING
After an early breakfast, drive for two hours to the northern part of Satpura Tiger Reserve, and begin walking across the undulating hills, which gradually descend to a new part of the Denwa River. After a picnic lunch, you will reach the river’s edge where crocodiles can often be seen and will follow the river down to your next camp.
DAY 7 | HIKING + DENWA RIVER | 1 NIGHT
Hike for the greater part of the morning along the escarpment above the Denwa River before being collected by vehicles for transfer back to the Denwa Backwater Escape. Enjoy a rest and lunch before heading into Satpura Tiger Reserve on a jeep safari in search of Satpura’s famous sloth bear, sambur, spotted deer and leopard sightings.
DAY 8 | KANHA NP | 3 NIGHTS
Today, you will drive across the fertile state of Madhya Pradesh, one of the bread baskets of India, with a lunch stop at the famous Indian Coffee House in Jabalpur. A relatively long, but incredibly fascinating drive through rural Rajasthan, delivers you to Kanha Tiger Reserve in the late afternoon.
DAY 9 & 10 | KANHA
Your days are spent searching for what is arguably the most breathtaking animal on our planet, the tiger. Kanha is known as “Kipling Country”, for it was here that Rudyard Kipling based The Jungle Book.
DAY 11 | BANDHAVGARH | 3 NIGHTS
Depart after an early breakfast and drive to Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, arriving at your lodge for lunch. The afternoon is set aside for leisure and rest, though there are amenities such as swimming, cycling, and hiking if you are feeling energetic.
DAY 12 & 13 | BANDHAVGARH
Bandhavgarh is very different in both scenery and atmosphere to Kanha. Your daily program will be similar to that of Kanha. The Sal jungle of this region has plentiful bird life, as well as gaur (Indian bison), sambur, spotted deer and leopard. Bandhavgarh has what is probably the largest population of tigers in all of India.
DAY 14 | DELHI | 1 NIGHT
After breakfast, you will depart for Jabalpur, where you will have lunch before boarding your mid-afternoon flight to Delhi overnight before taking the train into the Himalaya.
DAY 15 | SHIMLA | 3 NIGHTS
Depart your hotel early this morning, bound for Delhi Railway Station, where you will board the express train to Kalka – the town where the Indian plains meet the foothills of the Himalayas. Reach Kalka around noon and board the Toy Train, which has changed little in the last 120 years when it was completed by the British Raj during the last decade of the 19th Century. After three hours, you will alight at the small station of Kandaghat and continue your drive to Shimla.
DAY 16 | SHIMLA HIKING
Today, you have the opportunity to attempt the “neckline” hike – a relatively challenging 16km walk, which will take you far down into a deep valley, through forests of cedar and deodar. The breathtaking icy peaks of the Himalayas will dominate the northern skyline, and you will pass temples and traditional villages. After your descent, you will contour around the hills for several kilometres and enjoy a picnic prior to the long hike up to the highest ridges. (At this point, a vehicle will offer an option should you wish to shorten the hike.)
DAY 17 | SHIMLA
Undertake a walking tour of Shimla today. One of the most historical towns in India, it was the summer capital of the British Raj between 1830 and 1947. Like a graceful horse saddle, Shimla straddles an 11-kilometre ridge, which descends from the nearby Himalayas. You will see stunning examples of British Victorian Gothic architecture, and there will be ample time if you wish to shop. Return to your hotel mid-afternoon, where the rest of the day is at leisure.
DAY 18 | END OF ITINERARY
Drive down through the foothills to the town of Chandagarh in time to board your afternoon flight to Delhi. Your journey ends on arrival in Delhi.
NEED TO KNOW
Please enquire for pricing
Start: Delhi, India
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Finish: Delhi, India
Operates February and March – just three departures per year.
A single supplement may apply
Flights and insurance on request
Terms and conditions apply – please request a copy of our booking form for all details.
Please contact us for pricing, dates and a full itinerary.
YOUR GUIDES
Iain Allan
A Fellow of The Royal Geographical Society, Iain has written two books, entitled ‘Guide to Mount Kenya & Kilimanjaro’ and ‘Snowcaps on the Equator.’ Iain is also one of the main characters in Rick Ridgeway’s acclaimed book ‘The Shadow of Kilimanjaro’, which describes the first 22 days, 300 mile (480 km) walk from the summit of Kilimanjaro to the beaches of the Indian Ocean.
In 1979, shortly after starting Tropical Ice, Iain shifted his focus away from mountaineering and towards the endless bush country of Kenya’s largest, unspoilt wilderness – Tsavo, home to the largest concentration of elephants in Africa! He is now a leading authority on this area, with a vast knowledge of the region’s animal behaviour patterns and conservation ‘ups and downs’. He has been successfully operating walking safaris along the Tsavo and Galana Rivers for over 30 years.
In 2000, Iain was made an Honorary Warden by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
He is married with three children and lives in the Nairobi suburb of Karen.
Alex Fiksman
Alex met Iain Allan through the Mountain Club of Kenya where each recognised a kindred spirit in the other and a shared passion for the pursuit of adventure. In 1999, Alex left the teaching profession and joined Iain at Tropical Ice.
With Iain as his mentor, Alex quickly showed his talent for guiding in the African bush, developed a deep appreciation for Kenyan and Swahili culture and took on the management of a successful outdoor adventure company.
Alex is a widely acknowledged East African climber and has guided numerous professional expeditions, as well as logged many a recreational hour on Mount Kenya and other renowned crags in Eastern and Southern Africa. He is a member of the American Alpine Club and a contributor to its annual journal.
Alex is an Honorary Warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service.
In 2010, Alex guided Tropical Ice’s first commercial expedition from the summit of Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean following the route as described in The Shadow of Kilimanjaro.
Alex is married and lives with his wife and their son in the Nairobi suburb of Langata.
An absolutely fantastic travel company - every one of the many trips they have organised for us over 22 years have been faultless and fabulous.
Judith & Roger Williams
Would do it all again and not change a moment. Best holiday ever!
The McGowan Tribe
It certainly was the best trip we have EVER had. The experiences were mind blowing. We want everyone we know to experience Africa - the animals, the people - magical.
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The Classic Safari Company is the best I have dealt with. Extremely knowledgeable & professional, friendly, patient & understanding of first timers to Africa.
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Classic Safari Company were brilliant - 10/10
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If you want the most sensational experience in Africa let Julia and the staff at Classic Safari Co plan it for you! Their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for their job means your every wish will be fulfilled.
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Their experience and knowledge of Africa is evident and we couldn't have been happier with the total package. This has given us a taste for Africa - now we are ready for more.
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Classic Safari Company has done it again! A unique experience that ticked all the boxes - wildlife, culture and dining experience. A dream come true!
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Absolutely everything was first class & so well organised.
Simon & Jackie Adams
The trip of a lifetime, couldn't have dreamt of a better adventure if I tried.
Emma Jeffcoat
You can't improve on perfection. I had my best birthday and holiday with my family celebrating my 80th birthday in Africa. Everything that Julia organised was perfect and the whole trip was a highlight!
Buckingham Family
Everything was perfect! Advice and information on destinations and activities hit everything I had hoped to experience. I contacted the Classic Safari Company upon recommendation and have now, in turn, recommended to others.
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Very knowledgeable and patient. Our trip was all that we hoped for. Wonderful!
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Thank you for making our trip to Africa so spectacular. The attention to detail really made it special. It really was the trip of a lifetime.
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An amazing experience - the best family holiday we have ever had. We were extremely impressed by the meticulous attention to our itinerary. I can't speak highly enough of all the elements of this exciting journey!
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The trip exceeded my expectations and was the best family holiday I have ever had. Our children simply loved it and now I know more about African wildlife than they do about our own farm animals.
Rowntree family
We are so happy we put our trust in CSC, we had an amazing adventure and would recommend them to anyone.
Kim & Brad Balance
Julia you did a fantastic job - everything was first class. Well organised, efficient and stress free. We all agreed it was the best holiday we've ever had. Cant wait to travel with CSC again.
Milford family
We wanted the opportunity to see as many wildlife parks as possible and the Classic Safari Company provided an action-packed itinerary that included six, with 11 tiger sightings and nine leopard. This was overlaid with an introduction to Jaisalmer, Jaipur and the 'real' India. Pench and Panna were the hidden gems of a really great trip, very well organised, seamless and enjoyable. As a solo traveller I felt incredibly safe at all times. I want to go back!
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Elizabeth Mackintosh
Thank you for putting together the ancestral adventure of a lifetime. I cannot speak highly enough of the trip.
Jenny Kidd
