Bandhavgarh- where tigers rule

Ever since we visited the Corbett national park, I and my husband have developed a deep liking for wildlife adventure trip. This time we specifically wanted to see more of tigers...as many as possible, as close as possible, and what can be a better place than Bandhavgarh, which is considered to be housing a good portion of tiger population in India.

Tiger in Bandhavgarh

Bandhavgarh is located in Madhya Pradesh and is famous for having the highest density of tigers in India. This national park is open from October till June for tourists. We visited Bandhavgarh during the Diwali holidays of 2008 October. We took a cab ride from Khajuraho at 8:00am to reach Bandhavgarh at 2:00pm. The journey though a tiring one, could not stop us from having the evening safari on the same day. There are 3 entry gates to the Bandhavgarh national park- amongst them Tala is considered to be the best with respect to the abundance of wild animals, naturally beautiful landscape, etc. The tourists can enjoy the safari in open gypsy, following the natural trails inside the forest land watching the wild by themselves. Spotting the tigers during evening safari is a matter of luck which is most of the time in favor of the visitors, simply because of the high density of tigers in the region.

Jeep safari in forest trail

The moment we entered the forest, we were greeted by a heard of spotted deers...which are in abundance in the entire forest area. As we moved on, we spotted a jackal coming from the opposite, looking equally curious as we were. It seemed to be in a hurry and immediately opted to go into the bushes and search for its food. Just then a gypsy came from the opposite direction and the driver informed us "Show khatam ho gaya..." which he meant that tigers were spotted, but have now moved inside deep jungle....ohh...we just missed by few minutes!.. :(..
There were only lucky few who could spot the tigers that evening. As we met our "alikes" proceeding further, the feeling of discontent ultimately vanished and hopes to spot tigers next morning were building up. The evening safari lasts for 3 hours, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. All the jeeps have to come out of the forest and report at the gate at 5:30 pm sharp, otherwise penalty charges are observed.

Spotted deers posing for photograph

After having a good nap that night, we woke up early in the morning for the morning safari which starts at 6:30am. We reached the forest gate at 6:00am to find a long queue of gypsy with enthusiasts from all corners of the world. Bandhavgarh has such popularity that it draws people from all around the world. As the clock struck 6:30am, the vehicles rushed through the forest gate, to begin a new search.....fresh search to see the wild in their wilderness. Of course, we were again greeted by the heard of spotted deers, but could also see wild boar, sambhars, and wide variety of avian fauna- Lesser Adjutant Stork, Red Wattled Lapwing, Crow Pheasant, Fantail, Serpent Eagle, King vulture, Parakeet Alexandrine, Green Bee Eater, White Heron, to name a few. As we moved ahead, we saw some gypsys standing close to each other trying to locate something inside the bamboo forest. There is a tiger lying on the grass!! Another one was sitting and resting under a nearby tree. All of us were so thrilled for we had spotted tigers ourselves...:). It was a great feeling..as if something great has been achieved!! Immediately all the gypsy drivers rushed their vehicles to reach the 'Center Point'- an area in the middle of the forest for having some refreshments, snacks, and above all...to get the tokens for the tiger show which is done with the help of trained elephants. The elephant rides are organized by the forest department and are very popular here, because they take the visitors very close to the tiger spot, which in turn gives good photography options. We could see the tigress with 2 cubs. The cubs were 18-19 months old, as told by the mahaout(one who guides the elephant). Our mahaout made some sound, to which the tigress reacted with a huge roar, enough to scare us humans.

Tigress enjoying the sunbath

Having taken some wonderful pictures and videos of this majestic creature , we moved on to explore the other areas in the forest. The morning safari ended at 10:30 am . After having lunch, we again went for the evening safari, this time we saw the Sesh shaiya - A 10th century statue of Lord Vishnu resting on Sheshnag. The river Charanganga which flows though the forest of Bandhavgarh, originates from the feet of this Lord Vishnu statue.

Sesh shaiya-10th century Lord Vishnu statue

The other place we saw was the Badi Gufa, which was used by the kings of Bandhavgarh to have secret meetings. These are the only two places inside the forest, where visitors are allowed to get down from the jeep. The Bandhavgarh fort is another good place to visit, it is on the mountain top , for which again separate permit has to be taken from the forest gate.

We took two more safaris for enjoying the forest wildlife, and could manage to see some rare species of spiders, a common vine snake and of course the supreme of all wild animals..Tiger. The spiders can be colorful too..:).

A colorful Giant Wood Spider

The wilderness of Bandhavgarh is incomparable. The landscape, rich fauna and well administered forest sightseeing is a memorable experience for lifetime. For more pictures of Bandhavgarh, visit my picasa album.
http://picasaweb.google.co.in/sonali.mukherjee/BandhavgarhNationalPark

Sunrise in Bandhavgarh

Best Time to visit: October- June. Summers are best time to view the tigers. Watch towers at Chakradhara and other areas in the forest can be good view points for tiger viewing.

How to Reach:
By train: Umaria is the nearest railway station. Direct train from Delhi- Utkal express. From Umaria private taxi can be hired or even the hotels arrange for pickups. Katni is another major junction nearby having connectivity with other cities in India.

Nearest airport: Jabalpur, Khajuraho.

Where to stay:
There are large number of resorts, hotels outside the forest gate. MP Tourism forest guest house is also there, offering the facility of online bookings. Local eateries in the Tala area offer good Indian food.

Useful Tips:

• Tigers in Bandhavgarh can be spotted in most unexpected trails. Take a route not frequented by other jeeps. Tigers donot come out of their hides when there is noise around.The chances of a chance encounter with a tiger is higher where there are lesser number of vehicles.
• Only 45 gypsies are allowed per gate. Book at least one trip in advance, ie, if you wish for the next morning safari, book for the permit while you are coming out of the gate after the evening safari.
• Carry plenty of cash, as there are no ATM in Tala.
• A good binocular is a must for any wildlife trip.
• The general rates for each gypsy ride is Rs.1000 per safari. The rates may vary during special time of the year- New year, etc. There are separate charges for permit for entrance into the forest area, elephant ride for tiger show, etc. The rates are different for Indian nationals and foreign tourists.
• The early mornings and late evenings can be very chilling even in early October. Its handy to carry some woolen clothes along with regular ones.