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An Escapade in Madhya Pradesh
9 Nights
A Raj hill-station, immersive village life, wildlife and the famed tribal museum – a great insight into Madhya Pradesh
Holiday Highlights
This escapade into Madhya Pradesh balances a stay in the quiet comfort of Pachmarhi hill-station with the seductive bustle of village life. In your week here you will discover the beauty of this great state and its tribal origins.
- Relax on your own private holiday
- Stay in simple, hospitable villages
- Experience daily village life, walk the jungle
- Visit the famed tribal museum
Itinerary | Day by Day
We look after you from the moment of your arrival at Delhi airport. Your holiday includes all rail journeys and transfers, simple, comfortable accommodation in the welcoming village guesthouses and the Champak Bungalow in Pachmarhi. All meals are provided during your stay in Madhya Pradesh. Please feel free to extend or tailor your holiday to your exact requirements.
DAY 1 | Outward Journey
Arrive Delhi, overnight Delhi guesthouse.
DAY 2 | In Delhi & night train
Enjoy a day in Delhi, there is so much to do and see: Humayan’s Tomb, the Lotus Temple or Akshardham, explore the Red Fort or shop in Dilli Haat. An evening transfer takes you to New Delhi station to catch the night train to central Madhya Pradesh at Itarsi.
Day 3 & 4 | Arrival in Madhya Pradesh and Pachmarhi hill station
A short transfer on arrival takes you to Pachmarhi and the comfortable Champak Bungalow in time for breakfast.The hill station is famed for its calm nature with great opportunities for exploring forest and temples. Your two days here are a relaxing introduction to Madhya Pradesh before settling in to village life.
Day 5-7 | Village life in Sabarvani and a wildlife walk
A couple of hours by road from Pachmarhi and you will be welcomed by your village host to Sabarvani. Settle in to your village guesthouse, your home for three nights in this traditional village. Take a guided walk, through the buffer zone of Satpura National Park, accompanied by a naturalist for the wildlife, to a wonderful picnic spot. In the village itself experience a bullock cart ride, visit the farms, discuss the crops and agriculture with the villagers, enjoy a cookery lesson or simply relax.
Day 8 | By road to Kekadiya village
A morning’s drive across the central Madhya Pradesh countryside transfers you to Kekadiya. The sweet little guest house is set in the fold of the farm, a relaxing place at the centre of village farming activity. Spend the afternoon wandering the fields and lanes. Find the thousand year old effigies, an early temple, lying, as if by chance, in a meadow.
Day 9 | The tribal museum and night train from Bhopal to Delhi
You have all day before your train leaves tonight. Though in the deepest countryside, Kekadiya is just half an hour from Bhopal. In the afternoon you will be taken around the city and have a guided visit of the Tribal Museum. This extraordinary place celebrates tribal life as it was (and still is) lived. The artwork is exceptional and would not be out of place in a modern art museum. After dinner, board the night train to Delhi.
Day 10 | Delhi
Day room befor a night flight home or an extra night in the guesthouse.
Village life in Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh the village communities have organised their hospitality for guests a little differently. With assistance with funding from the state government and technical help from Village Ways, the comfortable guesthouses created are owned by one or two families with the hospitality for your stay provided from across the village community. All join in to make your stay memorable. On this holiday we have chosen two interesting villages: Sabarvani and Kekadiya. Both are farming communities and through tribal origins have a great affinity with nature. They will offer you a real insight into village and farming life.
Pachmarhi & Sabarvani
Your journey of discovery starts with 5 nights in central Madhya Pradesh. On arrival you stay in Champak bungalow, a fine example Raj era architecture, in the lovely Pachmarhi hill station. Three nights follow in Sabarvani, a pleasantly bustling farming village with much for you to see. You will be offered a walk through the buffer zone of Satpura National Park accompanied by a village guide and a naturalist.
To Kekadiya village and the tribal museum
A morning’s transfer takes you to the heart of a farm in Kekadiya village. Wander the lanes, discover an ancient temple and visit the famed Tribal Museum before heading back to Delhi.
Climate
The region has a tropical climate with hot, dry summers, a monsoon season and a mild winter. The best time for wildlife spotting is between February and April, although each season has its own charm.
Summer: March to May
This is the hot, dry season when the forests begin to lose their leaves. Although the forests do not look at their finest during this period, the lack of dense foliage means there is greater opportunity to see wildlife. During March the peak temperatures begin to rise from around 20C to 25C. Evenings are warm and pleasant. April and May are the hottest months with peak temperates in May reaching around 40C.
Monsoon: June – October
The monsoon season comes as a relief after the heat of May. Days are warm, with temperatures of 20-30C, and there is heavy rainfall.
Winter: November – February
This season is pleasant and dry, with temperatures dropping from 25C to 10 C in December and January and rising again in February. The forests are lush after the monsoon rains.
An Escapade in Madhya Pradesh
9 Nights-
All meals in the villages
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B&B in Delhi Guest house
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Guide and Porter services
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Picnic lunches
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Entry to Bhopal Tribal Museum
HOLIDAY PRICES per person
SEASONS
PARTY 2-3
PARTY 4-6
15/10/2023-15/02/2024
£985
£695