2026 Tigers Safari
Workshop Information Packet

Contents:

I. General Information

II. To Do Checklist

III. Daily Itinerary

IV. FAQ’s

2026 Tigers Safari
General Information

Welcome!
Thanks again for joining our 2026 Tigers Safari: Realm of the Bengal Tiger. We are as excited as you to begin our India wildlife photography adventure. But first, a bit of planning is needed to make sure things go smoothly. This document contains important information to help you plan your travels and prepare for our adventure. Please take some time to carefully review it and don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions:

Workshop Dates

• Optional Taj Mahal Pre-trip Extension: March 16-18, 2026

• Tigers Safari: March 18–29, 2026

Workshop Overview
The Tigers Safari - workshop begins when our representative greets you upon your arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport (airport code: DEL) in New Delhi, India on March 18, 2026 (or earlier), and ends upon our arrival at the same airport on March 29, 2026.

Taj Mahal Extension - For those who wish to visit the Taj Mahal, we will pick you up from the airport on March 16th (or earlier). We will transport you to Agra, early the following day where you will visit the Taj Mahal and other attractions in Agra as time allows before returning to Delhi on March 18 in time for our Tigers Safari workshop overview meeting and welcome dinner.

During the Tigers Safari, we will visit three of India’s most famous tiger reserves, Bandhavgarh, Kanha and Tadoba, in pursuit of wall-worthy images of tigers and other Indian wildlife. We’ll embark on a total of14 early morning and late afternoon ‘game drives’ (aka tiger safaris) in open air 4-wheel-drive vehicles piloted by professional drivers. A tracker/guide will also accompany each vehicle.

We are also very fortunate to have my dear friend, Harsh Agarwal, an India native, professional photographer, guide and veteran of over 100 tiger safaris accompany us on our journey as a second instructor/leader.

Take a look at the Daily Itinerary in this packet or on the workshop page of our website for more details about the locations we will visit and the things we can expect to see and photograph throughout our journey.

Balance of Fees
The balance of your workshop fees is due as follows:

• Payment #2: $3000 due July 15, 2025

• Remaining balance: due by Nov 15, 2025 - the exact amount depends on options selected such as single lodging, extra hotel nights or the optional Taj Mahal extension.

You will receive an invoice by email after registration that contains all charges, payments and due dates related to this workshop. Click the link in the invoice to access your Customer Portal where you can make payments, view or download  statements/receipts and more at your convenience. 

Health/Medical

Immunizations – there are no specific immunization requirements to visit India, but you should consult with your doctor or travel clinic about any recommended vaccinations. Malaria prophylaxis may be recommended. The U.S. CDC website also contains general information which may be useful.

Prescription Medications – pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications (and supplements) you take, as they may not be available in India. I also carry a course of antibiotics when traveling, just in case. You can request a prescription for ‘traveler’s diarrhea’ from your health provider or travel clinic. 

Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.

Travel Logistics & Documents

International Flights –

Inbound –

• Taj Mahal Participants - book your flights to arrive in Delhi (DEL) anytime on March 16

• Tigers Safari Only Participants - book your flights to arrive in Delhi (DEL) by 2pm on March 18, 2026

Outbound – Book your homeward flight from DEL for departure after 9pm on March 29, 2026. Most US bound flights depart in the evening.

Extra hotel nights - if you are arriving early or wish to overnight in Delhi before beginning your homeward travels, just let us know your itinerary specifics and we can book the additional hotel nights for you ($210/night including breakfast).

Passport – now is the time to double-check the expiration date of your passport. India requires your passport be valid for at least six months past the date you intend to depart the country.

Visas 

American Citizens – a tourist visa is required to enter India. The easiest way to obtain your visa is to apply for an online for an evisa (aka ETA).

Don’t apply too early!  -  the application window for visas is no more than 30 days before your arrival date. We will provide links and details in a separate pre-trip email. Typical processing  time is only about 3 days. 

Other Nationalities– Please check here to determine if a visa is required

Travel Insurance – is mandatory for workshop participants. Please forward us a copy of your travel insurance policy (summary page is fine). The primary purpose of this requirement is in case of medical emergency – cost should not be a consideration in getting you quality medical care. Policies that cover medical evacuation as well as other things like trip cancellation, travel delays, lost luggage, theft/loss, etc. are widely available and reasonably priced.

Notify Banks & Credit Cards – notify your financial institutions about your travel plans to prevent problems using credit cards or ATM’s while traveling.

Phone Carrier – look into your phone carrier’s international roaming policies and rates BEFORE leaving home or you may return to an extremely expensive bill. You may want to pre-purchase a data plan from your carrier.

WhatsApp – is a free communications app that is used widely in Asia. We will be using this for inter group communications. Please download & install WhatsApp and create an account before arriving in India. You may want to also want to have your loved ones at home install this app also.

What to Pack

Weather Note – expect cool mornings and evenings with hot to very hot temperatures during the day –  that’s unavoidable but we’ll spend most of the midday hours inside our air conditioned lodges. Average high temps in March are low to mid 90's but 100°+ temps are possible, especially in Tadoba. Rain is possible but not likely.

Clothing & Personal Items – thin, cool and quick-drying are the order of the day for this trip. Long sleeves and pants are recommended for protection from the sun and insects. In addition, you should also bring:

• Brimmed hat

• Sunglasses

• Spare eyeglasses/reading glasses or contacts

• Bandanna, buff or face mask – for dust protection

• Light jacket – mornings and evening can be chilly

• Rain jacket – just in case

• Sports Bra – the roads can be quite bumpy (a top suggestion from past female participants).

• Swimsuit

• Sneakers - there is no hiking on this trip, but you want comfortable shoes with good traction.

• Flip flops/sandals – for around the lodge

• Sunscreen & Bug Spray

• Lip balm

Don’t overpack, laundry is available at all our lodges for a reasonable fee and there are no ‘dress up’ occasions on this trip.

Photo Gear – it’s tempting to bring everything you own, but that usually works against you. If you decide to bring the kitchen sink, I strongly recommend bringing a smaller camera bag/backpack that you are comfortable carrying all day as well. You will be able to safely leave extra items in our vehicle while we are out walking around.  I’m happy to give more specific brand/model recommendations for specific items. Just ask.

• Camera Body – 1 or 2 camera bodies. Mirrorless cameras, especially models that have animal eye tracking  are truly game changers for wildlife photography – highly recommended. Bring a paper or electronic copy of your camera’s operating manual. Your smartphone is also a great camera – don’t forget it.

• Lenses:

  • your longest telephoto will be the workhorse of this trip. We recommend a lens that reaches 400mm minimum (300mm for crop sensor cameras) before adding teleconverters.

  • A medium telephoto like a 70-200mm zoom will also be useful

  • Shorter focal lengths (or your phone) are optional but can be handy when you want to show the environment.

• Filters – a polarizer can be nice to have but completely optional

• Batteries and Memory cards – you will be shooting a lot, maybe more than you ever have, easily in the thousands of images and hundreds of gigabytes (possibly >1TB) total. Bring PLENTY of memory cards and batteries. You should NOT erase/overwrite any memory cards until you get home, even if you have downloaded the images to your laptop or hard drive.

• Battery Charger – don’t forget this critical item!

• Monopod (optional) – can provide extra stability. Also useful for low angle shots in combination with a remote release.

• Shower cap or small towel -  to protect your gear from dust during game drives

Other Gear

• Laptop or tablet – highly recommended. Your photography will improve if you review your images daily. Doing preliminary selects and ratings also makes the mountain of images more manageable when you get home. We will also have several sessions on post processing and image management in Adobe Lightroom.

• Portable hard drive - ideal for image storage/backup. If you are purchasing one, look for a solid-state (SSD) type that is   “bus powered” – a drive that gets its power from the computer and does not require a separate power cord (most SSD’s are bus powered).  1TB capacity minimum, 2TB is better.

• Power adapters – India runs on 230-volt electricity with Type C, D or M outlets.

  • We recommend simple adapters like this or this

  • A small power strip is also handy for charging multiple devices simultaneously but make sure it is specifically designed for travel or rated for 230+ volts. Here’s  the one I use.

  • Chargers for phones/tablets, laptops, camera batteries  and other electronics have built in voltage transformers and work just fine with a simple adapter.

  • Check higher power devices like hair dryers and shavers to make sure they are compatible with 230-volt power.  Here is a link to a good article on travel adapters if you need more info.

• Chargers and cables for your mobile phone and other electronics

• Power bank – extremely handy when traveling. You can even use it to charge a camera battery in a pinch (USB battery charger required)

• Phone Leash  - optional, but helpful to prevent drops during game drives

MISC

A Word About Gratuities – for your convenience we’ve included tips for porters, driver and trackers in your workshop fees. Therefore, the only gratuity you need to plan for is for Harsh. Normally, gratuities for workshop leaders/instructors are not expected, but Harsh (along with his wife, Arti) is playing a dual role here as second instructor and guide/logistics coordinator.

As always, amounts are completely up to you, but since everyone always asks for guidance:

Drivers, Porters & Trackers:  included in workshop fees

2nd Instructor (Harsh) : $15–$25/day

Tipping at hotels and restaurants is not expected, but small gratuities are appreciated.

If there’s anything we’ve missed or you have questions, please contact me.

I look forward to meeting you in Delhi,

Ken Lee
+1 949-282-9660 mobile/WhatsApp
ken@artofseeing.com

Tigers Safari 2026
To Do Checklist

___     Send us a copy/photo of your Passport picture page (a cell phone snap is all we need)

___     Book Inbound/Outbound flights  and forward a copy of your flight itinerary to us.

___     Let us know if you need any extra hotel nights

___     Apply for India eTourist Visa (wait until 30 days in advance of arrival to applyWhere is?)

___     Purchase Travel Insurance and forward copy of your policy

___     Notify Banks & Credit Cards of your travel plans

___     Check mobile phone carrier’s international roaming policies and plans

___     Make personal packing checklist (click here for a downloadable Photo Trip Packing List template you can customize to your own needs)

Daily Itinerary

FAQs

Q: How is this workshop different than other tiger safaris?

A: Unlike African safaris where off-road driving is common, Indian parks have strict regulations that we must follow. Tigers are solitary and elusive, and their movements can be unpredictable. Our experienced drivers maintain a respectful distance to ensure both safety and ethical wildlife viewing. This approach prioritizes animal welfare while still offering excellent opportunities for photography.

1) 100% photography focused - everything from our itinerary, choice of lodging and daily schedule is designed around maximizing opportunities to produce portfolio-worthy images of tigers and other wildlife.

2) Individualized instruction – a maximum 3:1 instructor to student ratio ensures plenty of personal attention to help you raise your wildlife photography skills to the next level.

3) Top notch logistics & support – we partner with top notch lodges and safari outfitters to ensure the safest and glitch-free experience for our guests.                  

Q: How should I book my travel?

A: Book your international flights to arrive and depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport (airport code: DEL) in (New) Delhi, India. Additional information to help you plan your travels will be provided to registered participants

Q: Do I need a visa to enter India?

A: Yes, Americans need a visa which is easily obtained online. Full details of how to apply will be provided to registered participants. If your passport was issued by another country, check online or with the Indian embassy/consulate in your country.

Q: What will the weather be like?

A: Cool mornings & evenings, hot to very hot middays with low to medium humidity. Average high temps in March are low to mid 90's but 100°+ temps are possible, especially in Tadoba. Rain is possible but not likely.

Q: Do you guarantee tiger sightings?

A: No. We have high confidence that we will experience multiple quality tiger sightings, but Mother Nature makes no guarantees and neither do we.

                              Something we missed? Send us an email or schedule a phone call. We’re happy to address any questions