Best wildlife & safari holidays in India

Delve into untamed India, a sprawling world of wild tigers, elephants and gutsy langur monkeys. Spot the rare Indian Great One-Horned Rhino, plod into the sunset on a camel safari and see sambar deer grazing in the early morning light.

It’s like watching the Jungle Book in action, so be prepared for an eye-opening experience.

Sway off into the twilight and sleep under the stars of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan on a camel safari.

Travelling from the giant sandcastle of Jaisalmer, you’ll pass nomadic villages and traditional clay huts as you trudge into the rolling dunes on your clumsy steed. Later, watch the sun sink into the sand with a steaming cup of chai and gaze up at clear, star-studded skies.

If you fancy your chances of spotting Jungle Book‘s Shere Khan in real life, then head to Ranthambore National Park. A beautiful landscape sprinkled with regal ruins, crumbling lookouts and old forts, it’s an adventure waiting to happen. Here, you can set off on safari at sunrise, scouring the dense scrub for tell-tale tiger stripes, see Indian gazelles skitting between the trees and pass crocodile-filled lakes. Packed with both wildlife and nostalgia, it’s a pretty unbeatable place.

We work closely with our local partners on the ground to ensure that our wildlife experiences make a positive impact on you, our destinations and the animals that belong to them. Elephants, in particular, are a huge draw for tourists visiting India. Sadly, elephant riding safaris are still very popular and might be offered even at the parks, where captive elephants are used for patrolling the territory. We don’t include these experiences in any of our trips and will always discourage our travellers from taking part in these activities. You can read more about why we’ve said no to elephant riding.

By visiting protected areas, such as Periyar National Park, where you can watch elephants alongside other wildlife roam in their own space, you are helping various conservation programmes dedicated to wildlife preservation and research.