The tour starts n Mysore, a city of palaces, sacred temples, gardens and shaded avenues in the southern state of Karnataka. Karnataka has an agreeable climate, beautiful scenery and a rich culture with ancient temples and rich palaces, virgin tropical forests and endless beaches. It has everything to offer the wildlife enthusiast and the trip includes boat safaris, elephant rides and game drives in four Wildlife Sanctuaries in Karnataka - an amazing chance to see a host of wildlife in beautiful surroundings:

• Ranganathittu bird sanctuary is situated on the banks of the river    Kaveri and also has six islets on the river that teem with both    native and migratory birds such as spoonbills, open bill storks,    painted storks, ibis and darters - a birding paradise.

• Nagarhole National park is a magical place to visit with its numerous grassy swamps and moist    decidous jungle and is home to mammals such as leopard, panther, sloth bear, gaur, elephant,    sambhar, chital and muntjac, giant squirrel, slender loris, langurs, wild boar, pangolin and    macaques. The jungle cat, leopard cat and rusty spotted cat are also make their home here.    Among the 250 bird species of bird in the Park there are Malabar trogan, the Indian Pitta, green    imperial pigeon the Malabar pied hornbill and the great black woodpecker. Crocodiles, cobras,    pythons and several varieties of lizards are also found here.

• Bandipur National Park is separated from Nagarhole by the mighty Kabini river and provides a wide    range of habitat that supports a diverse range of animal and bird life. There is scrub jungle, dry    deciduous forest and tropical mixed forest interspersed by rivers and lakes. Elephant and gaur    (Indian bison) congregate in huge herds on the grasslands and around the backwaters of the    Kabini reservoir and make a breathtaking spectacle.

• Biligirirangan (BR) Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over undulating hills and valleys clothed in deciduous    forests and grasslands. The sanctuary teems with a variety of animals and birds including    elephant, tiger, gaurs, bears, the racket-tailed drongo and crested eagle.

There is time to take stock and relax in the beautiful hill station of Ooty in neighbouring Tamil Nadu before driving to Bangalore and the end of the tour.