Dudhwa, Indian Himalayas, India

The Terai – a vast band of swampy jungle separating the Himalayan foothills from the Gangetic Plains – remains one of Asia's least explored and wildlife-rich regions. Several pockets of remote forest and marshland in the Terai near the Nepali border are protected as nature reserves, and you can visit four of the best while based at the lovely Jaagir Lodge, near Dudhwa, a day’s drive north of Agra. Elephants, one-horned rhinos, the rare Barasingha, a magnificent horned deer with up to 14 tines, a leopard, and a tiger may all be sighted, and a wealth of birdlife. Best of all, because these parks are relatively unknown when sightings occur, the animals aren’t besieged by other vehicles, as they often are elsewhere.

The accommodation is of an exceptionally high standard. A former hunting lodge has been extensively restored and beautifully re-furbished, with sumptuous wall coverings and wood furniture creating a homely, fresh feel with nods to the building’s colonial heritage. It feels like spending the weekend with friends who know how to live in great style. The service and food are five-star, and the grounds are superbly relaxing, with a small pool for dips between safaris and a ‘machan’ platform offering a vantage point over the surrounding jungle and sugarcane fields.