The Best Way to Reach Bandhavgarh National Park in Central India

Famed for its tiger Bandhavgarh attracts thousands of wildlife enthusiasts and holidaymakers every year. The forests of Bandhavgarh were once connected to the forests where the white tiger was first discovered.

The legendary tracts were in the focus whence the hunting was legal in India. The reserve was a protectorate of the erstwhile Maharajahs of Rewa, and escaped undue wood felling and hunting by the locals. The privilege was granted to a few elites besides the royal family.

Hell broke loose whence India gained independence and locals indulged in reckless hunting besides the elite. Eventually, the forests were declared as a National Park and subsequently came under the aegis of the Project Tiger Program and hence were declared as a tiger reserve.

Additional protection was a boon and tigers began to flourish again, the ecosystem bounced back and all life forms experienced a new lease of life. Today in an area of 1100 sq. km the project tiger reserve holds 55 tigers perhaps more as breeding is continuous.

For the tourists, the tiger is the main attraction but the reserve is home to some enchanting creatures like the leopard, wild dog, sloth bear, and the bison. Deer and antelope are a common sight while birds are aplenty.

Bandhavgarh Safari Permit

In order to experience the wilderness at Bandhavgarh one needs to book a permit for each ride. You can book safari permit at MPOnline portal or at the entrance gates if available. The morning ride is longer while the evening ride is shorter but both the excursions are thrilling and the big cat surprises await on each.

In the present times, a conservation unit has become a major tourist destination with a good number of overseas visitors arriving every year. Tourism has turned the conservation unit into a holiday destination but to secure wilderness only twenty percent area of the core is open to wildlife safaris.

The tourism is conducted zone wise and any one of the three zones can be booked for a ride in an open jeep. If your stay is extended you can experience each zone and enjoy the amazing diversity. Hotels in the periphery are of great help in booking tiger safari at Bandhavgarh. They also organize open jeep safaris in the company of a trained-naturalists. You have a wide range of properties to choose from for a stay. The availability of budget lodges is equal to the luxurious ones hence it depends upon your budget.

Reaching Bandhavgarh

Although the place is connected to all nearby towns like Khajuraho, Katni, and Satna the preferred route is Jabalpur. Connected by an airport Jabalpur is just a few hours, ride to the reserve. The motorable distance makes it a short journey of 3 hours to the destination. Flights connect Jabalpur to Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkatta, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad. The destination is also connected by railways with a number of towns.

Hence for the Jabalpur Airport, you can hire a taxi to reach Bandhavgarh National Park. The best route is vis Shahpura to Umaria Township which is just 32 km from the preserve. You can make a stopover at the Ghagua Fossil Park to explore 60 million years old floral fossils and get some refreshments. The ride is smooth on good roads traversing enchanting hamlets, rivers, and forests. The green fields on the way are indicators of India being an agriculture-dominated country.

The park is closed from the end of June till the end of September. In between is the monsoon with heavy rains and slush all around. The closed period coincides with the breeding of most of the mammals and accords respite from tourism.

Remember during weekends and holidays the destination becomes crowded and permits and accommodations are not available. Book in Advance!

Uday writes often on Indian wildlife especially about the tigers. He works as a naturalist and is fond of travel. Uday also provides search engine optimization service and website contents in English.