The name "India" is originally derived from the name of the river Sindhu (Indus River) and has been in use in Greek since Herodotus (4th century BCE).

India has 8% of the world's recorded species in 2.4% of the total land area. This includes 45,000 species of flora and 91,000 species of fauna. There are over 400 species of mammals and 2000 species of birds. India is a top destination for wildlife lovers.

Most visitors to Indian parks have a single point agenda, which is to see a tiger. If you want to see a Bengal tiger your best chance is in India. With 3000 wild tigers, India is the tiger capital of the world. India is also home to the only lions outside of Africa - the Asiatic lion - found only in the Gir Forest.

We get a lot of visitors who have been on safari in India many times and have never seen a tiger. To get the best from the safari it is essential to go through an experienced operator as there are many nuances and subtleties specific to each reserve. There being over 50 tiger reserves, we help you choose the one with the best fit to your India itinerary, which should also include some of the many amazing historical monuments as well as an experience of the Indian way of life.

Kindly check the India Itineraries section to view a few of our recommended itineraries. Each itinerary is indicative, and can be customised for you.

FACT FILE:

Formation: 15 August 1947

Head of State: President Ram Nath Kovind  

Head of Government: Prime Minister Narendra Modi 

Major Political Parties: BJP, INC, AITC, YSRC, DMK, SS, JDU, BJD, BSP, TRS, LJP, NCP, SP, others

Area/Population: 3,287,263 sq kms / 1.35 billion

GDP (USD) PPP: $9.5 trillion (2017) / Per Capita $7,200 (2017) / 6.7% pa growth (2017)

Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)

Capital: New Delhi

Other Major cities: Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad

Major Wildlife Parks: Corbett, Bandipur, Nagarhole, Kaziranga, Mudumalai, Ranthambhor, Kanha, plus 43 others

Highest point: Kanchenjunga (8586m)

Natural resources: Coal, iron-ore, manganese, bauxite, mica, chromite, natural gas, diamonds, limestone, thorium, oil

Major Exports: Petroleum products, precious stones, vehicles, machinery, iron & steel, chemicals, pharma products, cereals, apparel

Bordering countries: Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka (no border)

Languages: Hindi (44%), Gujarati, Tamil, Bengali & 20 other regional languages. English is the subsidiary official language of communication

Seasons: Winter (Dec-Feb), Spring (Mar), Summer (Apr-May), Monsoon (Jun-Oct), Autumn (Nov)

Telephone Country code: +91

Time: UTC + 5.5 

Ethnic Groups: Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and others 3% 

Religion: Hinduism 80%, Islam 14%, Christian 2%, Sikh 2%, others 2%

Literacy: 74.4%

National Flag: Three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility; the blue Ashoka chakra symbolizes the progressiveness of the nation