Bandhavgarh National Park

Location: Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh
Ideal Time To Visit: Mid-November to June
What To See: Tigers and leopards

Spread over an area of 437 square kilometres, the Bandhavgarh National Park is circumferenced by the Vindhyan mountains ranges. The wetlands that dominate the plains of the park are ideal for the inhabiting Kingfishers and Egrets. Inside the holes in the sheer cliffs nestle the vultures.

Initially the park was spread within an area of 105 square kilometres. It had about 25 tigers at that time. But now the park covers an area of 437 square kilometres, approximately half of which is filled with Sal trees. It is the main tree cover that exists along with Bamboo in the entire park area. As one proceeds towards the higher areas of the park mixed forests will be found covering most of the landscape.

Established in the 1968, the Bandhavgarh National Park was declared as a tiger reserve in 1993. It boasts of housing the maximum number of tigers in the country. At present, there are about 50 tigers that can be spotted in the Bandhavgarh National Park. Wildlife exists in the core area of the park. Bandhavgarh is fondly called the White Tiger Jungle as white tigers were discovered at this very site. But in the last 50 years no white tigers have been observed in the wilds of Bandhavgarh.

The chances of spotting the Royal Bengal Tiger are good if you wander through the park on the back of an elephant. Other animals that exist at the Bandhavgarh national park include Chausingha, Wild Boar Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara and Jackal.

Entry Requirements

The foreigners are required to pay Rupees 100 as the entry fees while the Indians have to pay Rupees 20. Extra charges are levied for hiring a guide, hiring a vehicle and carrying photographic equipments inside the park.

Take into account that all the fee charges except the entry and the camera fees are charged on 'per entry' basis. The rest of the two are charged for one complete day. It is mandatory to take along a guide inside the park. They provide information about the flora and fauna that exists in the park.

Getting There

The most convenient airport is at Khajurao which is 230 kilometres from Bandhavgarh. Regular flights connect to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Umaria is the nearest railhead. It is just 30 kilometres away from Bandhavgarh. Satna which is 117 kilometres off, is another nearby railhead. Private as well state transport buses are available from Satna, Katni, Rewa and Umaria on a regular basis.

Don't Miss

You cannot afford to miss some of the attractions that are in near vicinity from the Bandhavgarh National Park. These attractions are as popular as the national park itself.

Apart from wildlife, Bandhavgarh is equally famous for the archaeological remains of the Kalchuri period. Excavations revealed the existence of these historically rich remains in Bandhavgarh.

The Bandhavgarh Fort that lies inside the Bandhavgarh National Park is a structure that one must definitely see. This majestic structure was constructed in the 14th century. Several age-old caves can be seen around the Bandhavgarh Fort.

Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari are two ways that enable a wildlife tourist to view the wilds in Bandhavgarh at heir best. Jeep safaris are organized from the morning till the late evening while elephant safaris are organized in the morning time for spotting tigers. Both these safaris are great fun.