Discover Bandhavgarh National Park
A Thoughtful Introduction
Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the most exciting wildlife destinations in India and is widely regarded as the best place in the country to see a wild tiger up close. Located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, the park covers an area of about 716 square kilometers of core zone, with a much larger buffer zone surrounding it. Bandhavgarh consistently records some of the highest tiger densities of any national park in India, which means your chances of spotting a tiger on a safari here are significantly better than at most other reserves in the country.
The park is named after the ancient Bandhavgarh Fort, which sits on a 800-meter high rocky hill right in the middle of the forest. The fort is believed to be over 2,000 years old and contains ancient caves, Hindu temples, and a large reclining statue of Lord Vishnu carved directly into the rock face. The combination of this ancient fort rising above the jungle and the roar of tigers in the valley below creates an atmosphere that is found nowhere else in the wildlife world. The park is divided into several zones including Tala, Magdhi, Khitauli, and Panpatha, of which the Tala zone is the most famous and most productive for tiger sightings. Beyond tigers, Bandhavgarh is home to leopards, sloth bears, gaur, sambar, chital, nilgai, and over 250 species of birds.
This Bandhavgarh National Park travel guide covers the best time to visit, how to book safaris, which zones to choose, and all the practical information you need to plan a successful wildlife trip to one of India's greatest tiger reserves.
