Pristine Bandhavgarh a Magical Tiger Safari

After a long drive from Jabalpur Airport, through one of the finest road experiences we near our destination. The final moments are absolutely stunning, as looming cliffs, and tabletop mountains come into the vision and the pure air begins to enhance the sense of well-being.   

Bandhavgarh is one of the finest wild holiday destinations on Earth. Tucked away in the remote corner of Madhya Pradesh (MP), this Central Indian paradise is the land of the tiger. The drive is through quaint hamlets, rustic villages, and dense forests but the experience of reaching the destination is truly enchanting. The sudden surprising emergence of steep cliffs is the most intriguing feature, the first glance captivates, and the holiday has just begun. 

In a modern urbanized clutter that the Earth is slowly turning into, experiencing Bandhavgarh is like entering into a dreamy fairy tale World. The central place Tala may be a little disappointing but the surroundings are absolutely stunning and holidaymakers prefer to stay on the outskirts.     

The tiger reserve and National Park is a mix of exotic and esoteric with dense forests, swampy meadows, and streams running wild.  But the most eye-catching features are the steep cliffs, part sun-scorched and bare, partly enveloped in green, and down below are the glens that enchant. In between the rising cliffs, the sun descends to play hide and seek emitting sobering orange glows. The vivid landscape impacted by sunlight and the halo appears as a bizarre spectrum of striking colors painting the terrain in a romantic mix of shadows and light overpowered by amber glows. 

The terrain is rugged and surprises you on a tiger safari as you gain height and then descend down steeply into the meadows. The roller coaster game ride is an absolute thrill, a bit frightening due to the uneven surface, and the initial fear of a sudden encounter with the majestic beast.

Thrill on a Bandhavgarh Safari captivates visitors with amazing eruptions of the torturous terrain, sudden encounter with the big cats, and the sight of ancient artifacts scattered in wild abundance.  The latter makes Bandhavgarh unique, a creation of tribal, way back two thousand years ago, perhaps more. These civilized structures are a tribute to Lord Vishnu who resides in zoomorphic forms as a symbol of universal life. 

The Lord, the preserver is best revered at Shesh Shaiyya, the amazing fairy tale enclave of a shaded pool created by the mountain River Charanganga that trickles into the assemble mysteriously through the dense vegetation. Visit Sesh Shaiyya or the reclining Vishnu if you believe in fairylands.  This is the spot where tired soldiers back from the ravages of internecine wars once rested under the cool shade of the grove.  Now the big cats come here to rest.  Further up the hill lies the fort and the Ram Temple, out of bounds for visitors but nevertheless a place frozen in time - unique and esoteric.   

Safaris at the reserve begin early almost at predawn and last for three hours. It is the thrill of sighting the tiger in the wild that attracts people from far and wide. It is one of the most intriguing sights, a moment to remember for life such is the magical charisma of the Bengal Tiger in India. The search is an experience, and if you go for a large number of safaris then the guides will turn you into an expert tiger tracker. 

This wildlife experience is engaging, invigorating, and thrilling. Bandhavgarh is an ecosystem that contains several niches and each as exciting as the other. The amazing wilderness is a floral paradise and home to equally amazing life forms major and minor. It is an explorer’s paradise and a researcher's dream lab. Filmmakers and lensmen come here to capture exciting images of big cats and mammals in the pristine, unspoiled surroundings.   

Excitement awaits at every turn in the mysterious green alleys of paradise. One has to keep calm and silent as the guide searches for your favorite animal. The logical end is the sighting of big cats, sloth bears, and huge bison. The birds' delight, and you should have keen eyesight and sharp focus to sight them before they vanish into the foliage.   

Earlier you could sight the predators from a close quarter on the elephant's back, but that is not allowed anymore. Nevertheless, open jeep safaris are as exciting and help explore every nook and corner of the paradise. 

You should book a jeep safari in advance at Bandhavgarh. The booking is done on MPOnline Portal and directly at the gates if available.  Open jeep safaris are limited and available only to permit holders. Six tourists are allowed on one jeep and you can share to cut the cost. Hire a naturalist if, you are keen on the interpretation of the wilderness around you. Carry good quality binoculars, warm clothing in winter, and food and water. Bird hand guides and books on wildlife are handy.   

You need to stay for a few days in order to sight and photograph tigers. A longer stay is like a revelation on the mystery of natural Earth, undisturbed and unpolluted.  Understand life as you explore. 

You should stay at the best resort in Bandhavgarh hence book early. The holiday is a mix of wilderness experience and recreation. Good food, a comfortable stay, and a romantic experience for some, all is possible here. The wildlife resorts organize safaris, bird-watching trips, village tours, and more. Unlike urban hotels, the resorts are inclined towards nature and local surroundings and ambiance which is the experience of countryside living. Though they do not lack luxuries and style the ambiance is bound by local traditions, and peace and serenity prevail.

Experience life in remote India, amidst land that is nearly at a standstill undeterred by urban pursuits. The locals are peaceful and loving and understanding their life is a revelation. Life resonates with the robust nature in the surroundings and it is the best place to spend a few days on an exciting vacation. 

You can reach Bandhavgarh from Jabalpur Airport in Central India which is a four-hour drive. Another option is to drive from Kanha National Park which is five-hour drive. You can also connect the ride to the reserve from Khajuraho Temples also in Madhya Pradesh.   

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Uday freelances as a naturalist and loves to write about tiger conservation and the environment.

He also provides SEO and Content and teaches  Digital Marketing in his hometown Jabalpur. 

Contact: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

9755089323

An Exciting Stay at Pench Resort in India

After a lackluster stay at Tadoba, my friends joined me at Pench National Park.  This was their first trip to Central India, and their first lag was a disappointment. Their aim was to sight the big cats, and surprisingly Tadoba was disappointed.  

Most tourists to tiger reserves arrive with only one goal in mind, and that is the sighting of a big cat. This has almost become a prestigious issue a thrilling memory to take back home. But working for a number of years as a naturalist I have come to realize that all safaris are not the same and all visits are not the same. The disappointment is greater whence the visitors are from foreign lands and may never return. Overseas visits are costly and generally, travelers keep them to one visit per country. The best way to enjoy the excursions is to take interest in everything the jungles have to offer the bird and the bees for sure. Birds, reptiles, insects or butterflies, and mammals should be your goal to make your wild holiday fulfilling. Not only tigers!

This was not on job trip, and a leisurely drive from Jabalpur took us to Pench. The Jabalpur Nagpur Highway is a lovely drive amidst forests, green fields, and quaint hamlets. From Seoni the landscape becomes not only panoramic, but it is also an esoteric experience driving through pristine forests as dense as they were during Mowgli’s time.  Seoni is a small town surrounded by forest-clad hills which Kipling penned as Seoooni Hills!

About two hundred kilometers down the highway there lies a small township called Khawasa, this is the end of Madhya Pradesh, and across the barrier lies the State of Maharashtra. Pench forests stretch through Maharashtra as well although the tiger reserve in that part is managed by Maharashtra Forest Department.

Pench tiger reserve lies in the forests now notified as Seoni and Chhindwara Districts of Madhya Pradesh. It is a region well known for its Sal and Teak forests. Both are top-quality hardwoods and much in demand. Sal forests abound in moist regions while Teak prefers drier regions. Tigers love to make these forests their preferred habitats. Other animals that can be seen in Pench are antelopes like Nilgai, four-horned antelope, and Indian gazelle. Deer abound and you can see the spotted and barking deer frolicking in the meadows.   Besides the deer which include the Sambar, wild boars, langur monkeys, and peacock pheasants are a common sight. A leopard or a sloth bear sighting could provide the utmost thrill. Like the wolf, both animals are sighted rarely. Another good sight is that of the massive bison or guar which weighs anywhere from 700 kilograms to over 1000 kilograms. The males are the heaviest and a sight to behold.  Reptiles are a rare sight being nocturnal but you can often see the monitor lizard hanging down the branches or slithering on the ground. Birds are everywhere and if you are a serious birder this is the place to be.      

Our safaris were slated in MP or Central India and we were not disappointed.  I was looking forward to the trip since we were to stay at Jungle Home a resort as good as they exist in the remote woods. We reached early enough for lunch by the time our friends arrived.    

From Khawasa visitors from Jabalpur have to turn left as we did and drive for ten km to reach Turia where our resort Jungle Home is situated. This drive is through jungles and full of wilderness, and it offers the best chance to see Indian wolves.  They are sighted often in this area which is outside the National Park.

We had a wonderful bird-watching session that evening and check listed a large number of species with help of a senior lodge naturalist. A quick dip in the pool and then a long evening spent on the balcony watching the electric moon surface in the company of twinkling stars. After a long exciting Gupshup full of jungle lore, we moved in for dinner in the large spacious dining.  

We spent one full day searching for big cats and we could not find them. Two safaris no tiger see. But at this reserve, birding is exciting and the lodge naturalist did not disappoint us. Eventually, on the second day, we worked out a plan. Noticing the rising heat, I suggested that we should score for big cats across the River Pench which intersects that park. And we did visit the zone on a wild tiger safari to see our first cat at Pench. I have been here earlier when tourism had not begun and it was an exciting discovery but I returned without sighting any tiger. That was not the aim of the visit since it was an exploratory trip but this time, I did not want to disappoint my friends.

We could hear the alarm cries from bushes very close to us, but we could see not any stripes. Across the bush, we could see the river beach and the jungle. The alarm cries continued for a long time and we waited patiently in our jeep. Nothing happened.

Eventually, the cries dried down and the reduced decibel was disappointing. What could be the reason I began to conjecture. I had not realized that the tiger in the bush had moved away towards the beach perhaps disturbed by us. But nevertheless, our eyes were well set on the beach. It was not futile for soon we could see the stripes moving towards the sandy beach heading straight for the jungle. That was a long walk and we wished it was longer well enough so my friends could get some nice pictures for stored memories to carry back home.   

There were many more trips to come and Jungle Home Pench became our second home. Raju Bhai the owner of the luxury jungle resort never disappointed us. The place is luxurious and well kept with all modern amenities and grand service. If you visit here in winter stay in the luxury tents under the starry night sky and watch the electric moon. Romantic, exciting, and full of new finds that are a holiday at Pench National Park.

You can reach from Nagpur Airport a distance being only ninety kilometers or drive two hundred km from Jabalpur Airport as per your travel plan.  From here you can drive to Kanha National Park another Kipling Country. It is just five hour drive.   

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Uday works as a freelance naturalist and loves to write on related issues. He also provides SEO and content writing services. He runs classes on digital marketing in summers in his home town Jabalpur.  

He can be contacted :

pateluday90@hotmailcom

9755089323