Learn more

Back to Itineraries
From $ 6,200 per person

Wildlife of Central India

India
16 days (15 nights)
Early morning safaris among jungle-clad temples, your senses on high alert, tuned to signs of a predator’s prowling.

Afternoons spent drifting on serene lakes alongside lazing crocodiles, and nights watching owlets and seeking pangolin. Central India is a naturalists’ dream.

From the bountiful deer, langur and peacocks to the elusive tigers, leopards and sloth bears, combining these fascinatingly varied parks ensures sensationally diverse wildlife safaris. Inspired? Tell us what you most want to see or do, and we’ll design a bespoke itinerary built around your own highlights.

You’ll be met at the airport and driven straight to your hotel before heading out on a tour of Colaba, a district known for its rich colonial heritage, vibrant street life and strikingly iconic architecture including the Gateway of India.
See
  • Heritage tour of Colaba, Gateway of India, Taj Mahal Palace Hotel
Flying to Jabalpur, you’ll then be driven four hours to your lodge at Bandhavgarh. Your route will wind through small farming villages towards the forests of the park, offering glimpsed rural snapshots of dhoti-clad men herding goats and driving bullock carts.
Today you have morning and evening safari drives deep within Bandhavgarh National Park in a private jeep. An expert naturalist guide will accompany you, explaining why this is one of India’s top tiger reserves and introducing you to the rich biodiversity.
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives
Two safari drives today criss-crossing the park watching deer, antelope and bison, you’ll be immersed in the forest, keeping your eyes peeled for predators including tigers, leopards, Indian wolves and jackals, who may nonchalantly appear, strolling past the plethora of jungle-clad temples.
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives
Your drive today takes you southwest to Kanha National Park, one of the largest parks in India with a tiger population to match. You’ll arrive with time to check in and relax surrounded by the 20 acres of vibrant woodland at the tented camp.
Your two safari drives will introduce you to this photographers’ favourite park where golden meadows and pockets of wetland punctuate dense sal forests. Look out for the park’s distinct sightings including barasingha deer, the Indian giant squirrel and the sloth bear.
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives

Today could be your day for spotting one of the park’s many Bengal tigers. Elusive and majestic, the tigers here are most often seen on safaris at either end of the day near to the waterholes or forest trails.
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives
You’ll drive further southwest today to your Pench treehouse, passing through richly forested tiger territory. You’re likely to see the mud-plastered houses of the rural communities, cattle grazing the roadside and bustling chai stalls, as you head for the distant Satpura hills.
Widely believed to be the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Pench is home to over 40 species of mammals and 280 species of bird. Your two safari drives will envelop you in the cacophony of sounds from the dense jungle canopy
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives
Heading northwest to Bori today you’ll pass through central Madyha Pradesh and watch as the dry teak forests of Pench change into the lush valleys and rugged hills of Satpura. You’ll have plenty of time to check in and relax into the wilderness
With a cooler air and greater raw jungle than in many other reserves, you’ll experience the off-the-beaten-track atmosphere of this park. It offers a calmer pace for your two safari drives and is one of the best places to spot the sloth bear.
See
  • Morning and evening safari drives
You’ll drive to your safari lodge at Satpura National Park today in time to enjoy the rare privilege of a night patrol to glimpse the elusive nocturnal wildlife. You might see spotted owlets, jungle nightjars, Indian civets, wild boar or even a pangolin.
See
  • Night safari drive
This morning you’ll return to the park for a daylight safari drive where you can revel in the intimate, peaceful wildlife experience on offer here. You’ll change perspective with an afternoon boat safari, drifting the jungled backwaters of the Tawa Dam Reservoir.
See
  • Morning jeep safari drive, afternoon boat safari
You’ll drive to your hotel in Bhopal today, visiting the Bhimbetka Caves along the way. The prehistoric rock paintings here are among the oldest in the world, dating back 30,000 years and depicting scenes of wildlife and daily tribal life.
See
  • Bhimbetka Caves
This morning you’re visiting one of the best-preserved Buddhist archaeological sites in the world at Sanchi, with its 3rd century Great Stupa. Later, you’re on a heritage tour around the old havelis, hidden mosques, century-old wells and local bakeries of Old Bhopal.
See
  • Sanchi UNESCO World Heritage Site, heritage tour of Old Bhopal
Your driver will take you to Bhopal airport where you’ll board your domestic flight to Mumbai, in time to connect with your onward flight home. Time to share the tales of wildlife sightings and jungle adventures with family and friends.

Does this sound like the ideal adventure for you?

Tailor-made holidays designed for adventure, relaxation, and memories that last

Let's get planning

What our travellers say

If Red Dot ever ceased to exist and I wanted to return to Sri Lanka I would probably go somewhere else instead. They were, in every way shape and form, impeccable. From Samanthie who created the itinerary to Wicky who drove us here, there and everywhere I cannot imagine anybody doing it better. Impeccable. I need say no more except it doesn’t get any better.
Stuart (March 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
We chose this company as we wanted our money to benefit the people of Sri Lanka rather than international companies. Their work supports smaller businesses, projects and communities as well as the environment
Jessica E (August 2025) London, UK Read the whole review here Feefo
Our 11th visit to this magical Island with always something new to discover and see. This time we made it up north to Jaffna, via Mannar Island, after beginning in the tea country and acclimatising to the heat, after leaving a very cold UK in January. We had total confidence that RedDot would organise everything to perfection, having used them many times before
Roy L (March 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Feefo
We had a fantastic holiday. The itinerary and choice of hotels was spot on, and seamlessly organised.
Charlotte (August 2024) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
Exceptional tour of Sri Lanka with Dami. We cannot recommend Dami at Red dot tours highly enough. As our guide over 9 days he made sure that our trip to Sri Lanka was unforgettable- always going above & beyond to impart his knowledge, show us things off the beaten track, looking after us, getting us to try many local delicacies & making us laugh .. a LOT. Cannot imagine anyone doing a better job- if we could take him with us on every holiday we would!
Sarah (July 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Feefo
Dulmini did a great job listening to our wishes and arranged an itinerary that was very busy but met all our needs. Sisira, our guide, was outstanding, providing us with great local knowledge and suggesting other activities on our travels. He was a great driver on the busy Sri Lankan roads, was always punctual but above all added colour to the whole trip.
Malcolm (April 2024) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
I cannot recommend Red Dot Tours more highly. Thank you so much to Samanthie for her patience with me and all her hard work at putting together the perfect itinerary for my family. I had done a lot of research before I contacted Red Dot and Samanthie created a tour that fitted in all the activities we wanted to do and secured the hotels I told her we would like to stay in (not easy to do in high season).
Nina (July 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
Wow what can I say, from start to finish we have had a wonderful holiday with Red Dot Tours. Dulmini was so helpful in putting an itinerary together for us as a family of 6 and catering to all of our needs. We have ticked off so many of Sri Lanka’s beautiful sights during our trip. Dulmini and Dhanu were a great help to us while we were out on our travels too.
Anupa (July 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here TripAdvisor
We spent 13 days on a Bawa tour with wonderful driver and guide Manjula, including Kandalama Heritance, The Kandy House, The Last House, Jetwing Yala, Jetwing Lighthouse and Club Villa hotels. We are 3 friends, one of them in the wheelchair. Dulmini Ekanayake from Red Dot Tours was very helpful and very patient and found solutions to all our special demands.
Rene (March 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
The itinerary was absolutely perfect and the hotels wonderful, especially Thotalagala, The Warden’s House and 41 Lighthouse Street. Our driver, Indika, was a delight-charming, knowledgeable, considerate and always punctual; he showed us more of this amazing country than we could have hoped for!
Karen - United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
Wanted to take a moment to thank RedDot Tours, and specifically Jayandi for helping book a wonderful family vacation for my family and I. First time for my family and Jayandi took care of every detail, was so courteous and professional, and genuinely cared about our experience in SL. I would also like to mention Pradeep, our kind and understanding guide/chauffeur who took such good care of us while we were out and about. I cannot recommend RedDot enough!
Bob (November 2024) United States Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
We used Red Dot for the first time for our holiday in Sri Lanka. Dulmini put together such a wonderful experience for us, creating an itinerary she drew up after many discussions about what we like and also gave us suggestions for excursions and activities. It was totally bespoke and we were able to make changes throughout this process.
Gill (March 2025) Kent, United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
This is an excellent tour company. They planned our Sri Lankan holiday from start to finish. The trip was initially planned for 2022 but due to Covid and other issues we didn’t manage to undertake the trip until this year. Throughout all this time we had the same travel advisor Lahiru who responded quickly to my emails and rearranged and adjusted our holiday each year!
Anne (January 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
As a group of 8 we have had the most fabulous tour of Sri Lanka organised by Dulmini from RedDot who totally understood my brief of "some" culture, agriculture, nature, trekking and relaxation. The hotels chosen were a wonderful mixture of homestay, tented and pure luxury (Ceylon Tea Trails). The experiences to local villages, trekking the Pekoe Trail and climbing Pidurangala were memorable and our wonderful guide, Ananda, was so informative and knowledgeable and adapted to our needs admirable (not easy with a group of 8)
Anna (February 2025) United Kingdom Read the whole review here Tripadvisor
Red Dot Testimonial

How it works

Booking with us is simple

Contact Us
Drop us a line through our website or give us a call - just let us know how you'd prefer to connect. Video call over coffee? A telephone conversation? Or maybe just a quick WhatsApp? Whatever works best for you.
Our Conversation
We'll ideally have a detailed chat to get to know how you love to travel. What gets you excited? Where have you already explored? We'll share some ideas and start crafting something that's perfectly you.
Itinerary Planning
This is where the magic happens - we'll put together your bespoke itinerary and send it over to you by email. Every detail tailored to make your heart sing.
Place a Deposit
Love what you see? Brilliant! Just a small deposit and we'll get everything confirmed for you.
Final Documents and Tips
As your adventure gets closer, we'll send you everything you need - through our handy app or by email, whatever you prefer. You'll be all set.
Return
Come home feeling absolutely inspired and wonderfully restored. And when you're ready for your next adventure? We'll be here, probably already bursting with ideas for you.
Cherylle, Travel Consultant

Meet our experts

Speak to our India experts to help you plan your trip

Ready to experience the real India? Our specialists have travelled from the bustling streets of Jaipur to the backwaters of Kerala, uncovering experiences that go far beyond the typical tourist trail. They'll understand what draws you to India and craft something that's entirely your own. Ready to start planning? Get in touch and let's design your incredible Indian journey.

Choose your adventure

Speak to one of our team to get started. After all, your travel journal won’t write itself.

Let's get planning