Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is a place of mythological and legendary significance. The ancient Bandhavgarh Fort is of great importance as it is believed to have been gifted by Lord Rama to his younger brother Lakshmana. ‘Bandhav’ in English means brother and ‘Garh’ means fort. Hence the name, Bandhavgarh. Bandhavgarh dates back to 2000 years ago and you will find several man-made caves with inscriptions and rock paintings.
Once the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Rewa, Bandhavgarh is THE place to visit if you want to spot the big cat. The sight of the majestic tiger, up close and personal, is said to trigger a sense of awe in you, of the kinds you would have only experienced in your childhood.
The forest has a complex tapestry of habitats dominated by tropical moist deciduous sal and bamboo, interspersed with marshes and grassy meadows. Extending over an area of 1536.93 sq sq km- a core area of 716.90 sq km and a buffer area of 820.03 sq km, the park has a tiger population of 130 plus individuals. Bandhavgarh is indeed one of the best reserves in India for viewing tigers in their natural habitat, making it the preferred destination for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Some of the most famous tigers of wild India namely Sita, Charger, B1, B2, Bamera and Bokha once lived in Bandhavgarh and popularised Indian wildlife all over the world with numerous wildlife documentaries made on their lives by BBC and National Geographic channel.
Other large predators include the Leopard, sloth bear and Indian wolf. The lesser predators include jungle cats, golden jackals, Indian fox and ruddy mongoose. The prey base comprises an abundant population of Indian Gaur, chital, sambar, barking deer, nilgai, Indian gazelle, wild boar and the chausingha (the only four-horned antelope). Primates found here are the northern plains langur and rhesus macaque. It is now also home to a herd of Asian Elephants who had migrated from the forests of nearby state Chattisgarh and settled here.
The avian highlights of Bandhavgarh include the mottled wood owl, grey-headed fish eagle, shaheen falcon, lesser adjutant stork, Asian openbill, white-naped and yellow fronted pied woodpecker, Malabar pied hornbill, painted spurfowl, jungle bush quail, gold fronted & jerdon’s leafbird, blue-bearded bee-eater, black-headed oriole, zitting cisticola, Indian scops owl, orange-headed thrush, tawny-bellied and puff-throated babbler, Indian nuthatch, sirkeer malkoha, Indian scimitar babbler, crested-tree swift and brown-cheeked fulvetta.
Safaris at Bandhavgarh National Park / Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve – Safaris at Bandhavgarh National Park are offered across – the Tala, Maghdi and Khitauli zones of the National Park. Dhamokar and Panpatha buffer zones are also becoming popular with increased tiger activity.
Regular Jeep Safaris: Regular Jeep Safaris are conducted twice daily- morning and evening. The morning safari starts around 6 AM ( changes with season depending on sunrise) and lasts for up to 4.30- 5.00 hours. Packed breakfast is provided to guests going on morning safari which can be eaten at a designated area inside the park during safari hours. The duration of the evening safari is 3.00- 3.30 hours again depending on sunset.
Full-day Safari: A full-day Jeep safari provides zone-free and route-free access to visitors across the tourism zones of Bandhavgarh National Park. Visitors are allowed to enter 15-20 minutes before other vehicles and are also allowed to exit the national park 15-20 minutes after the designated time slot for regular jeep safaris. This format is very popular with wildlife photographers and filmmakers as it provides flexibility in terms of time window and also access.
Night Safari in Buffer Zone: Night safari is also offered in the Dhamokar zone of Bandhavgarh National Park.
