Nagpur To Aurangabad Via Melghat Tiger Reserve & Akola

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Nagpur

Stop At: Sitabuldi Fort, Between Twin Mountains, Nagpur India
On arrival at Nagpur airport assistance and transfer to hotel.

Later city tour visit Sitabuldi Fort a significant historical importance. The fort is situated atop a hill and is the site of the Battle of Sitabuldi, 1817. The highlight of the fort has a cell where Mahatma Gandhi was imprisoned. Besides, it has a war memorial dedicated to soldiers who lost their lives in the battle. The fort is now home to the Indian Army's 118th infantry battalion.
Duration: 1 day 6 hours

Stop At: Dhamma Chakra Stupa, Nagpur Centre, Nagpur India
Dhamma Chakra Stupa a very important place for Buddhists built out of Dhaulpur sandstone, marble and granite and is 120 feet in height. Followers of Ambedkar and Buddhism gather here on Ashoka Vijaya Dashmi, marked to celebrate the amalgamation of many Dalits to Buddhism by Doctor Ambedkar, to offer their tributes. The place is of great religious importance to them.
Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Central Museum, Museum Road, Nagpur India
Central Museum (Mondays closed), this eclectic museum is a treasure-trove of specimens related to archaeology, art, anthropology, natural history and geology. The collection housed here has been sourced from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and some parts of western Maharashtra. This comprises sculptures with a representative collection of fossils, minerals, pre and proto-historic metal tools, pottery, beads, coins, inscriptions, ethno-anthropological articles, architectural pieces, manuscripts, paintings, etc. The museum is spread across 11 galleries with a thematic scheme for each. Rest time free and easy to relax.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 2: Nagpur - Amravati - Melghat Tiger Reserve (260kms/ 5hrs approx)

Stop At: Ambadevi Temple Parking /अंबा देवी मंदिर वाहनतळ, Akshay Rajgure Rd, Amravati, Maharashtra 444601, India
Breakfast at hotel drive to Melghat Tiger Reserve. Enroute visit The Ambadevi Temple at Amravati. This ancient, spiritual temple finds its mention in ancient gazetteers and it is believed that Rukmini, daughter of King Bhishmak's, a day before her marriage to Shishupal, visited this temple. Lord Krishna is said to have abducted her from here and married her thereafter. The temple & its walls are adorned with sculptures telling the tales of different Puranas. Inside the high walls of the temples, one can find a spacious hall called "Garbhagriha. The Garbhagriha is split into three main arches with a sandstone idol of Goddess Ambabai, Lord Ganpati, Lord Mahadev, Lord Vishnu and Goddess Parvati. In the main chamber, one can see the huge idol of Goddess Amba with Lakshmi and Narayan. The Western wall of Garbhagriha has idols and engravings of various gods and goddesses.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Melghat Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati District, Maharashtra
Continue drive to Melghat Tiger Reserve check in at hotel. Later as per your interest you can go on Jungle walks and trekking. There are many trekking routes along the Sipna River with scope for birdwatching. One popular route is a 12-km long trek from Semadoh to Bandarkahu (towards Chikaldhara). The 10-km long jungle route to Makhla from Semadoh is also scenic. Most of the reserve is flat land with very few climbs, and therefore, Melghat lends itself easily to treks. Rest time free and easy to relax. Dinner
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
• Lunch
Accommodation included: overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Melghat Tiger Reserve - Akola (100kms/ 2hrs approx)

Stop At: Melghat Tiger Reserve, Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati District, Maharashtra
Breakfast at hotel. Morning game drive safari in tiger reserve and capture the colours of the forest. Besides tigers, the park is home to gaur, leopards, sloth bears, dholes, jungle cats, common palm civets, jackals, striped hyenas, sambar, cheetal, barking deer, mouse deer, four-horned antelope and nilgai. Birdwatchers may be able to spot these five critically endangered bird species: white rumped vulture, kesser kestrel (falcon), forest owlet, rufous babbler and green avadavat.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Akola, Akola, Akola District, Maharashtra
After lunch drive to Akola check in at hotel. Later visit Akola Fort along with Narnala and Akot forts. Initially fort was built in the form of mud by Akol Singh during the reign of Aurangzeb. One day, Akol Singh saw a hare chasing a dog, considering it as a holy sign, a fort was built around the village. Later, the fort was constructed by using large granite stone blocks, line stones, mud blocks, clay bricks, woods, irons, and mortars. Along with strong, it's beautiful too. In the year 1803, during the second Anglo-Maratha War, the fort became the camping ground of Arthur Wellesley. Later in 1870, Britons destroyed the fort and left it in ruins. Within the Fort complex visit the Rajeshwar Mandir, one of the oldest Shiva temple in the region. Also, there are many stone structures in the fort complex, which were built in later part of times by its consecutive occupant.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel.

Day 4: Akola - Ajanta - Aurangabad (250kms/ 5hrs approx)

Stop At: Ajanta Caves Road, Ajanta 431001 India
Breakfast at hotel, drive to Aurangabad. Enroute visit Ajanta Caves (Monday closed). The Buddhist Caves of Ajanta were discovered by the British officers in 1819 while tiger hunting. Ajanta Caves were first mentioned in the writings of the Chinese pilgrim Hiuen Tsang who visited India between A.D 629 and 645. The Caves at Ajanta are older than those at Ellora, which date from about 200 B.C to 650 A.D. Thirty beautiful Buddhist Caves with mesmerizing sculptures and paintings depicting Buddha's life as well the lives of the Buddha in his previous births. Five of these Caves are Chaityas (Place of worship) while the other twenty-five are Viharas (monasteries). Ajanta Caves are divided in two categories based on two schools of Buddhist thought - Hinayana Caves and Mahayana Caves.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Aurangabad, Aurangabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Continue drive to Aurangabad check in at hotel. Overnight stay.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel

Day 5: Aurangabad – Ellora (36kms/ 1hrs approx one way)

Stop At: Ellora Caves, Ellora Cave Rd Ahead of Hiranya Reosrts, Aurangabad 431005 India
Breakfast at hotel, excursion to visit Ellora Caves & Grishneshwar jyotirlinga Temple.
Ellora Caves a UNESCO World heritage sites (Tuesday closed). It houses 34 monasteries and temples with some exclusive uninterrupted sequence of monuments that date back from 600 to 1000 AD. The temples of Ellora are dedicated to Brahmanism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It also has some of the excellent stonework depicting the legends related to Lord Shiva.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga Temple, Grishneshwar, Ellora Nr. Ellora Caves, Aurangabad India
Grishneshwar Temple one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana. The temple is an important pilgrimage site in Shaivism tradition of Hinduism, which considers it as the last or twelfth Jyotirlinga. Made of red and black stones boasting intricate carvings and patterns the temple was constructed by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, in the Maratha style of architecture. On way back visit Daulatabad Fort one of the most powerful forts of the medieval Deccan. The defense system that made Daulatabad virtually impregnable comprises fortifications with double and even triple rows of massive walls.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Aurangabad, Aurangabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Later city tour of Aurangabad visit Bibi ka Maqbara Built by Azam Shah in 1678, the Bibi ka Maqbara is a son's loving tribute to his mother. Due to its similar design standing spectacularly on the lawns of the landscaped garden with ponds, fountains and water channels, the white marbled monument is popularly known as the mini Taj of the Deccan.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Overnight at hotel

Day 6: Aurangabad – Departure

Stop At: Aurangabad, Aurangabad, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra
Breakfast at hotel. As per flight schedule transfer to airport to board flight for onward destination.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.