India Wildlife & Culture Photography Safari 2026
Just Released!
05 - 19 March 2026
15 day Wildlife Safari: tigers & rhinos
Plus 28 Feb - 05 March optional pre-extension: 6 days Taj Mahal, Holi Festival & sloth bear sanctuary
India destinations also available as a tailor made photographic safari
Specialist Photography / Film Making Safari Featuring A Diverse Range Of Indian Wildlife & Cultural Experiences
Small group: min 4 /max 5 plus tutor
India Wildlife & Culture Photography Safari Highlights include:
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Bandhavgarh: India's premier tiger reserve
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Kaziranga: India's premier rhino reserve
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Wildlife highlights: tiger, Indian rhino, leopard, sloth bear, multitude of birds and small mammals
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Diverse range of vehicle game drives, boat cruise and optional walks & cycling
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Max 3 photographers per jeep
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Experience Indian culture & traditional life
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Photograph Holi - India's most colourful festival - in authentic Mathura
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Enchanting Agra: Taj Mahal, city highlights tour, Yamuna River cruise & wildlife rescue sanctuaries
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Tour Leader & Photographic Tutor: Trai Anfield, award-winning wildlife photographer, film maker & BBC presenter (The Living World, Blue Planet Live)
Why Choose This Indian Safari?
There are many trips to India on the market, but this is especially set up for wildlife photographers who also like to appreciate and photograph the culture of the countries we visit.
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Highlights of the safari include
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Two major wildlife reserves:
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Bandhavgarh - here our main focus will be on tigers
10 core zones jeep safaris + 1 full day all zone safari
optional cycling and walking excursions with expert guides and naturalists
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Kaziranga - last stronghold of the Indian One Horned Rhino
6 jeep safaris + 1 buffer night safari for nocturnal species
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Each reserve has varied habitats, all of which offer extremely photogenic backdrops and frequent encounters with these iconic species, plus an abundance of other wildlife, including leopard, elephant, sloth bear, Indian wild dog, alongside a multitude of birds, smaller mammals and reptiles. ​
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Private safari jeeps with maximum 3 photographers in each including tutor
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Small group - min 4 / max 5 photographers plus tutor
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Photograph the legendary Taj Mahal in Agra at sunset and sunrise
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Experience and photograph Holi, India's most vibrant festival amongst India's most authentic settings and celebrations
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Boat cruise on the Yamuna River, Agra Fort tour
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Visit nearby sloth bear & elephant sanctuaries
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Safari scheduled for optimum wildlife encounters: as well as happily coinciding with Holi, March/April is an exceptional time of year to visit India's tiger parks: before the great heat of May sets in, but late enough for the foliage to have died back for clear visibility and shots, and for tigers to linger close to waterholes, bringing increased possibilities of interactions. This is also the time that migratory birds swell the local population dramatically - there's no better time to head to India! ​
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India Wildlife & Culture Itinerary
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Day 1: Having completed your international flight, on arrival at Delhi international airport you will be met and transferred to your first night hotel, to relax or explore the city as you please. Meals today are self-arranged, and you are invited to join Trai for a pre-tour dinner to get to know each other and discuss and look forward to the next weeks of safari.
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Day 2: Our India cultural pre-extension begins early today, with a transfer by road to Agra (a journey of approximately 5 hours), stopping to visit Akbar’s Mausoleum at Sikandra with the opportunity to brush up our wildlife photography of rare blackbuck antelope plus chital and monkeys in the grounds. Check in to our Agra hotel for your overnight stay.
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Day 3: early start for a sunrise viewing of the Taj Mahal - this is the quietest time to visit, staying for a guided tour before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Later we will be taken for a guided tour including Agra Fort and Itimad-ud-daulah, with a private boat cruise on the Yamuna River, and finishing the day with a visit to the Mehtab Bagh (moonlight garden) in order to view the Taj Mahal from the opposite bank as dusk falls.
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Day 4: (Holika Dahan) After a leisurely breakfast we set out to visit the nearby Sloth Bear sanctuary run by Wildlife SOS http://wildlifesos.org/. From here we will be driven to Mathura (a journey of approximately 2 hours), checking in at out Mathura hotel. With our local guide we will plan the optimum time to get to the key areas of celebration and maximise photographic opportunities for tomorrow's Holi celebrations.
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Day 5: Today is Holi and with our local guide we will immerse ourselves in the colourful, joyful and playful celebrations, and maximise photographic opportunities. We go very early morning to around midday, depending on how the celebrations evolve and security of the group....as the day goes on it gets more and more boisterous!
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Day 6/1: END OF CULTURAL PRE-EXTENSION / START OF FOCUS ON WILDLIFE SAFARI
For those on the cultural pre-extension: after a leisurely start we take a relaxed guided tour of Vrindavan and its temples, said to have been where Krishna passed his childhood. Later you will be driven back to Delhi to overnight at your airport hotel for your overnight stay. DInner this evening is self-arranged.
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For those now joining the safari, this is the day your international flight should arrive in Delhi. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel where you may relax or explore the city as you wish. Meals today are self-arranged, and you are invited to join Trai for a pre-tour dinner to get to know each other and discuss and look forward to the next weeks of safari.
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Day 7: morning transfer to the domestic terminal to connect with a morning flight to Guwahati. We will be met on arrival and transferred to the ‘Infinity Kaziranga Resort’ (a journey of approximately 5 hours). When check in is complete we have the rest of the afternoon and evening free for relaxing, editing photos with Trai or birding around the lodge grounds.
Day 8: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Kaziranga National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on social/ village photography or birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
Day 9: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Kaziranga National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on social/ village photography or birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
Day 10: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Kaziranga National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on social/ village photography or birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
Day 11: After breakfast, transfer to Guwahati airport to connect with our Spicejet flight back to Delhi (16:10-19:05) On arrival we will be transferred to check in for our overnight stay at Radisson Blu Plaza. Lunch and dinner in transit today are self arranged.
Day 12: Morning transfer to Delhi airport to board flight for Jabalpur. Alliance Air 9I-617; 0730:0930 hrs). On arrival we transfer by road to Bandhavgarh (4 hrs). Check in to King's Lodge, our home for the remainder of our tour. After lunch our early afternoon is free before we take our first evening safari into the National Park.
Day 13: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on photography of birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
Day 14: morning jeep safari inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Afternoon optional walking or cycling excursion with local expert guides and naturalists.
Day 15: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on photography of birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
Day 16: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on photography of birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
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Day 17: morning and afternoon jeep safaris inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Between safaris there is time to rest, focus on photography of birds around the lodge, book 1-2-1 tutorials with Trai.
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Day 18: full day jeep safari inside Bandhavgarh National Park. Today we have free access to all zones and permission to enter the park 15 minutes before others, remain for 15 minutes after, and stay in the park during the middle of the day when everyone else has gone back to their lodges. It can be hot and is definitely expensive, but worth doing at least once, and promises to be the highlight of our stay here in Bandhavgarh.
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Day 19: free morning before we are transferred to Jabalpur airport to connect with an evening flight for Delhi. We will be met on arrival and transferred to our airport hotel for our final night in India. Meals in transit today are self-arranged.
Day 20: When appropriate you will be transferred to Delhi international airport to connect with your flight home. Kindly advise whether late check out is required when you have booked your flight. For those who have late flights an optional Delhi photo tour can be arranged with local expert guide (guest's own account).
2026 Dates and Rates
DATES
28 February - 19 March 2026
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RATES
Based on 2 people sharing double/twin rooms throughout.
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15 day focus on tigers & rhinos (15-29 March) £8000
Single supplement £1040
20 day tigers & rhinos plus Taj Mahal & Holi festival £9500
Single supplement £1400
INCLUDES: all internal flights and road/rail transfers, all jeep safaris, walks, cycling outings, activities/excursions, all reserves and attractions entry fees, local specialist English speaking guides throughout, expert photographic tuition and 1-2-1 sessions with Trai Anfield, accommodation and meals as described.
EXCLUDES: *international flights; visas, gratuities, personal insurances, drinks other than filtered water.
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*Allow approximately £800 per person for flights from the UK to Delhi - we are happy to assist with advice on flights.
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Please note - accommodation at Holi is limited and always sells out 100%. Early booking is therefore essential to secure your place!
