Madhya Pradesh Cycling

Première Inn to Inn ✦ 10 days ✦ Moderate ✦ From $4550

Cycling Ethnic Villages & Game Drives

Discover the wild heart of India on our 12-day cycling safari through tiger country. This extraordinary adventure takes you deep into national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, where you'll encounter tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and a wealth of other fascinating creatures. Cycle through towering Sal forests, visit tribal villages and weekly markets, and learn about the rich cultural traditions of the Gond and Baiga people. This India bicycle tour offers a unique blend of wildlife encounters, cultural immersion, and exhilarating cycling through some of the lesser-known parts of India.

Our journey begins in Nagpur, with a transfer to Pench National Park, where we'll settle into our eco-lodges and enjoy nature walks with expert naturalists. We'll embark on thrilling game drives in Pench, searching for tigers and other wildlife, and then cycle to the Pench River, visiting a weekly tribal market and participating in a traditional outdoor cooking experience. We'll explore the Rukhad Wildlife Sanctuary, a crucial tiger corridor, and cycle through Gond tribal villages, learning about their unique customs and traditions.

Our adventure continues with a visit to Baiga tribal villages, where we'll meet the elders and learn about their fascinating history and culture. We'll then cycle through the beautiful forests of Kisli in Kanha National Park, visiting tribal hamlets and markets. The highlight of our tour is two full days of game drives in Kanha, one of India's premier tiger reserves, where we'll have the chance to see tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and the endangered Hardground Barasingha deer. This India bike tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the magic of India's wildlife and tribal cultures.

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Madhya Pradesh Cycling
rides: 30 to 65 kms
sleep: boutique inns
eat: best regional cuisine

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children and their bike in ethnic village

herbs and spices used for dinner cookout

India bicycle tour day by day details

day 1: Arrival in Nagpur & Pench National Park – Teak Forests & Wildlife Whispers

Accommodation in treehouses or cottages
Nature walk or relaxation
Introduction to Pench National Park at dinner

Your Central Indian adventure begins at Nagpur Airport. From there, we'll journey through rural India, passing teak forests, farmlands, and bustling market towns. Upon arrival at our lodge near Pench National Park, you'll settle into your unique treehouses or luxurious cottages. The rest of the day is yours to relax—take a nature walk with the lodge naturalist or unwind by the pool. At dinner, we'll gather with our naturalists to learn about the park and its wildlife before enjoying a delicious meal.
Relax: Free time befroe dinner
Eat: Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Pench Treehouse Resort

day 2: Pench National Park Game Drives – Tiger Tracking & Jungle Tales

Early morning game drive with picnic breakfast
Afternoon game drive until sunset
Searching for tigers, leopards, and sloth bears

Today, we'll embark on two exciting game drives into the forests of Pench National Park, searching for tigers, leopards, and sloth bears. Our first foray will be before dawn, including a picnic breakfast inside the park. After lunch at the lodge and bike fittings, we'll head back into the park mid-afternoon for more wildlife viewing until just after sunset.
Safari: Game drives
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Pench Treehouse Resort

day 3: Pench River Ride & Tribal Market – Countryside Cycling & Cultural Encounters

Cycling to the Pench River
Visiting a weekly tribal market
Cooking traditional dishes for dinner

After an early morning pick-me-up, we'll set off on a ride to the Pench River and back. This is our first taste of the beautiful Central Indian countryside. The ride takes us through national park forest, farmland, and villages. Our local riding guide/naturalist will lead us to the best spots, sharing stories of local village and cultural life. We'll cycle through the forest, spotting langurs (monkeys), peacocks, and passing by small streams. We'll enjoy a picnic breakfast and lunch before reaching a weekly tribal market. Back at the lodge, we'll help pick organic vegetables from the garden and learn to cook traditional dishes over open fires for dinner under the stars.
Ride: 35 mi / 56 km, Land: flat & small hills
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Pench Treehouse Resort

day 4: Rukhad Wildlife Sanctuary – Exclusive Exploration & Colonial Charm

Exclusive access to Rukhad Wildlife Sanctuary
Learning about animal tracks and signs
Lunch at a colonial-era rest house

After an early breakfast, we'll drive to Rukhad Wildlife Sanctuary, the very forests of Seoni mentioned in *The Jungle Book*. With special permission, we'll explore the sanctuary and its surrounding forest by bike, accompanied by a local park guide. Rukhad is the starting point of the crucial Pench/Kanha Forest Corridor. We'll cycle slowly, learning about animal tracks and signs. We'll leave the sanctuary in time for lunch at Sakata Forest Rest House, a 1904 colonial bungalow with western-style toilets. We'll finish our ride at Kurai and drive back to the lodge.
Ride: 31 mi / 50 km, Land: flat & small hills
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Pench Treehouse Resort

day 5: Wildlife Corridor & Gond Villages – Untouched Landscapes & Tribal Traditions

Cycling through the wildlife corridor
Visiting Gond tribal hamlets
Interacting with a Gond family

After breakfast, we'll transfer towards Kanha National Park (2 hours) and then hop back on our bikes to explore another part of the forest corridor. The route dips in and out of agricultural valleys, flanked by forested hills and inhabited mainly by Gond tribal hamlets. This area is untouched by tourism, and local customs and practices remain prevalent. The Gonds live close to nature, practicing agriculture and pastoral activity. Their religion centers on the cult of clan and village deities and ancestor worship. We'll visit a Gond home, interact with the family, and drink chai (tea). Our goal for the night is a luxurious tented camp.
Ride: 401 mi / 64 km, Land: flat & small hills
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Bagh Villa Resort

day 6: Baiga Villages & Tall Trees – Aboriginal Culture & Forest Giants

Learning about the Gond and Baiga people
Visiting Baiga hamlets and meeting elders
Cycling through Sal forests

Today's ride takes us closer to Kanha National Park, through towering Sal trees and past Baiga tribal villages. We'll stop at the Tribal Museum in Baherakhar village to learn about the Gond and Baiga people. The Baiga are forest-dwelling aboriginals who claim to be harbingers of the human race. They believe they were hand-crafted by God and are the rightful rulers of the earth. We'll also visit Baiga hamlets and meet tribal elders before reaching our lodge at Kanha National Park.
Ride: 35 mi / 56 km, Land: flat & small hills
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Kanha Earth Lodge

day 7: Rural Cycling & Tribal Markets – Forest Tracks & Local Life

Cycling on forest tracks
Visiting a local school

Today's relaxed ride explores the beautiful Kisli forests, dominated by tall Sal trees. We'll cycle on forest tracks used by local villagers, following the Banjar River upstream and visiting tribal hamlets and markets. We'll cycle partly off-road, following a walking trail used by villagers. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest. We'll return to the lodge by late afternoon. On Wednesday afternoons, a large tribal market takes place in Kathai village. We'll stop for tea and samosas and visit a local high school where students have been given bicycles to encourage attendance. We'll learn more about Kanha NP from our naturalists at dinner.
Ride: 24 mi / 40 km, Land: flat
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Kanha Earth Lodge

day 8 & 9: Kanha National Park Game Drives – Searching for the Big Three

Four game drives in Kanha National Park
Learning about the park's conservation efforts

Over two days, we'll enjoy four game drives in Kanha National Park, setting off before sunrise and returning for afternoon game viewing until sunset. We'll be accompanied by an English-speaking lodge naturalist (who may also be the driver) and a local park guide in an open-top 4WD jeep. We'll have picnic breakfasts inside the park. Kanha is a large park, divided into four main zones: Kanha, Kisli, Sarhi, and Mukki. We'll try to visit all of them. Kanha is prime tiger country—the epitome of Kipling country, with Sal forests, streams, meadows, and diverse wildlife. Home to the endangered Hardground Barasingha deer, this park pioneered scientific conservation management in India and is a Project Tiger success story.
Safari: Game drive
Eat: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Sleep: Kanha Earth Lodge

day 10: Final Game Drive & Departure – Homeward Bound

Final game drive in Pench National Park
Departure from Nagpur Airport

Our adventure concludes with one last game drive in Pench National Park, a final chance to spot the "Big Three" of India: tiger, leopard, and sloth bear. We'll bid farewell at Nagpur Airport in the afternoon.
Travel: Shuttle to airport
Eat: Breakfast

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Whatcha gonna get

Expert local bilingual guides
Entrance and activity fees
Handpicked lodges, ensuite rooms, double occupancy
Daily breakfast, lunch, snacks*
Dinners featuring fine local cuisine*
Unlimited drinking water**
Wildlife viewing vehicle safaris
Park naturalist during wildlife viewing drives
Support van for baggage and lifts
Free use of bicycles
Airport pick up & drop off

*as noted in itinerary
**during activity

Getting there

The Madhya Pradesh Cycling Tour meets and ends at Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur, India

Guests should plan their flights to arrive in Jodhpur before 12:00 (noon) on Day 1 of the tour and their departing flights from Jaipur after 12:00 (noon) on Day 10.

Jodhpur Airport code: JDH Jaipur Airport code: JAI Local Time: GMT+5:30

Documents Please

A little prep goes a long way! All travelers need a valid passport, and some may require a visa for India. Check with the nearest embassy ahead of time so you can breeze through immigration and straight into adventure!

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You, family, friends, your preferred date, our handcrafted tour routes, privately guided, the ultimate adventure getaway.

Insider Tip: This tour is limited to the dry winter season from October through March.

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Première Inns: $4550 per person, double occupancy
Single Room: +$1025 Deposit: $450

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