Some of the rarest species in the world are found in the fascinating wildlife reserves of eastern India, including the furry, tree-dwelling red panda and the prehistoric-looking one-horned rhino. With Trip Leader Devendra Basnet, an inveterate naturalist who has been leading for WT for 35 years, we'll be immersed in the richness of India's natural habitats each day as we explore from the Himalayan foothills to the grassy savannas of Assam. To look for red pandas, we'll fly from Kolkata to Bagdogra in West Bengal and make our way by road up into the rugged Himalayan landscape of Singalila National Park, which straddles a dramatic ridge on the India-Nepal border. A population of endangered red pandas resides in the forests here, and with our local trackers, we'll look for these beautiful creatures as we hike peaceful trails. We'll also witness Himalayan panoramas from Singalila's high viewpoints. Afterwards, we'll descend into India and unwind in charming Darjeeling, known as the Queen of the Hill Stations. Our next Indian wildlife adventure begins in Kaziranga National Park in the lowlands of Assam. Spread across the floodplains of the great Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga is home to some of the world's last one-horned rhinos, along with a host of other wildlife including tigers and large breeding populations of elephant. This unique journey is limited to just eight people, so early signup is advised.
Arrive: Kolkata, India
Depart: Kolkata, India
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
In Singalila, the only vehicles available are old-fashioned “vintage” land rovers with limited shocks and suspension systems, which make for bumpy rides on the dirt roads. In Kaziranga, we use open-roof safari vehicles that guarantee everyone a “window” seat and great wildlife viewing opportunities. All other road travel will be in modern and comfortable vehicles—typically a Toyota Innova.
"It was a fantastic trip and we were very lucky to see the red pandas. I enjoyed the opportunity to see and photograph the many birds in the areas where we were. Learning history and culture made it a well-rounded and interesting trip. "
Dory B.
Waunakee, WI
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
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With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.