Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh is a little nature preserve in Central India in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the best place to see tigers in the wild. The park is home to many wild animals and birds besides Bengal tigers. The preserve boasts of unique grasslands that are marshy and support a large prey base for the big cats. The big cats love to hunt here as the movement of the prey is slowed down.

The rivers Charanganga, Umrar, Johila, Banbei are the lifeline of the park. Charanganga emerges from the highest mountain called Bandhavgarh. Besides this there are around 31 hillocks that accord the terrain a unique characteristic. The inaccessible regions are the best breeding grounds of tigers and leopards.

The preserve has been expanded to 1100 sq.km whence included in Project Tiger Program. This popular tiger heaven Bandhavgarh in MP is visited by thousands of tourists. The forests are tropical dry deciduous moist type with abundance of Sal, mixed forest, bamboo and extensive grasslands.

Other wild animals found in the reserve are Panther, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Jackal, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Four Horned Deer, Wild Boar, Langur and many nocturnal animals to be seen on night safaris. The park is exceptionally rich in birds and lot of migratory species arrive in cold winters.

Bandhavgarh is visited by tourists from far and wide to see the tiger. The park safaris offer panoramic view of the enchanting paradise. The jeep safaris are interesting whence a thrilling encounter with wild tiger a big possibility. The terrain is enclosed with hillocks and intervening valleys. The interesting feature are the marshy grassland or meadows that cover the valleys fed by small rivers of Narmada River System.

The tiger activity is high in the grasslands as they are the favored hunting grounds. The prey movement is sluggish in the marshy grass and hence easy for tigers to ambush. The safaris are conducted in the early morning hours and after noon till dusk. The basic formalities are the gate fees, vehicle fees and the guide fees. The entry is strictly through assigned gates and the park guide is a must.

In case tiger is not sighted on jeep safaris the tiger show on elephant back makes it possible to see the tiger from the close. The elephant ride is from the jeep to where the Bengal tiger is sitting. There is a separate charge for tiger shows.

Recently the preserve has been divided into four tourism zones. The Tala Zone is the prime zone with greater entry fee than others. The other tourism zones are Panpatha, Maghdi and Khitauli. For entry into the park advance bookings are advised as vehicle entry are restricted in all gates. During the Holiday season the rush is unmanageable one should avoid this period. Else book in advance all hotel accommodations, travel services and park entry.

Bandhavgarh abounds in avian species both residents and winter visitors. With more than two hundred species to sight it is a birders paradise. The habitat is diverse hence the avi-fauna all around the differs. Though there are large wetlands outside the park smaller water holes exist within the refuge.

Hence birding takes place both within and outside the park. during the jeep safari one can come across best of the forest and hill birds. Hence the targeted species are Malabar Pied Hornbill, Peregrine Falcon, Grey Hornbill. Shama, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Crested Hawk Eagle, Honey Buzzard, White Eyed Buzzard, Grey Headed Fish Eagle, Pallas Fish Eagle, Long Billed Vulture, White Backed Vulture, Brown Fish Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Common Iora, Indian Scimitar Babbler, Alexandrine Parakeet, Plum Headed Parakeet, Racket Tailed Drongo, White Bellied Drongo, Spangled Drongo, Painted Francolin, Grey Francolin, Shikra, Common Kestrel, Black Naped Monarch, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Verditor Flycatcher and many many more.

The wetlands outside are preferred habitat of Nakta or Comb Duck, Lesser Whistling Teals, Northern Pin Tails, Common Teals, Painted Stork, Wooly Necked Stork, Open Bill Stork, Black Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Green sandpiper, Common Sandpiper, Wood Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Black Winged Stilts etc.

The best season is in winters whence the migratory species arrive but summers also yield an exciting array of resident bird species. One needs a good pair of binocular and a spotting scope to discover a large number of species. A birding guide is needed if you are a first timer or into bird photography.

Bandhavgarh has a full fledged tourist infrastructure in place outside the park confines. Bandhavgarh is a hub of tiger tourism in India. For exciting tiger safaris and birding one needs to stay over for the night. There are plenty of lodges, hotels and resorts for luxury or economy stays. The economy hotels are cheaper but some may not be very comfortable hence find out before you book your stay. There are one or two five star hotels besides many three stay hotels in the periphery. These offer very costly packages but luxury and good food is usually there/.

The accommodations are placed outside the park near the buffer zone. During the peak season the prices go up and advance booking may also be required. Many resorts have naturalist guides whose services can be hired for birding and animal watching. Some resorts offer services of trained guides for free. The places can be booked online through the website and many provide online payment facilities for confirmed bookings.

The most popular hotels of Bandhavgarh offer luxury stay and good food. They are of the best class but can be costly. Foreign tourists are given package accommodation as well, known as Jungle Plan. The plan covers accommodation, jungle safaris and food.

The Jungle plans are affordable and offer comfort. Since the booking hassles are taken over by the hotels. Tourists can also stay on room only basis or on American Plan. The hotel bookings have to be done in advance as there can be a rush. During Diwali, Christmas and New Year accommodation is difficult to obtain.