| and animals and the highest population of
tigers anywhere in India. The park is now home to 22 species of wildlife, including the
regal ‘gaur’, umpteen varieties of deer, and carnivores such as the striped
hyena, jungle cat and sloth bear and over 250 species of birds. Within the park itself is
the Bandhavgarh Fort, now in ruins and largely overrun by the surrounding forest. Although Bandhavgarh is in
the area where the famous white tigers of Rewa were first found, don’t expect to see
any of the exotic beauties around. What you will see, however, is an amazing
diversity of flora and fauna which can certainly make a trip to this wildlife preserve
utterly worthwhile.
Entry Requirements
All visitors to
Bandhavgarh need a permit to enter the wildlife national park; this can be obtained at the
entrance to the park. Entry fees for foreigners are Rs 200; for Indians and members of
SAARC countries, Rs 20. Additional charges are levied for the entry of vehicles, for
cameras and for elephant rides.
Access
If you’re
looking to sight the majestic tiger in his natural habitat, head for Jabalpur by jeep,
bus, plane or train and from there onwards to the Bandhavgarh
National Park, 165 km northeast. The nearest airports are in Khajuraho
(210 km away) and Jabalpur. Buses from Khajuraho to Bandhavgarh do the trip in about five
hours.
The closest
railhead is the town of Umaria, which is 30 km from Bandhavgarh; it’s linked by train
to cities in Madhya Pradesh and other states, including Delhi. Private and state owned bus
services operate regular buses to Bandhavgarh from Umaria, Jabalpur, and other towns in
Madhya Pradesh. Taxis too can be hired to get to Bandhavgarh. The wildlife park’s entrance is at a tiny
settlement called Tala, which has facilities- although limited- for accommodation.
Within the bounds
of the Bandhavgarh National Park, vehicles may be hired at the entrance to drive around;
in addition, private vehicles are allowed in. You could also ride through the jungle on
elephant-back -- and if you kept completely quiet and are very, very lucky, you could even
spot a tiger!
Best time to visit
Like many of
India’s other wildlife preserves, national parks and sanctuaries, Bandhavgarh
National Park too closes for visitors during the monsoon months, July to October. Between
November and June is the best- and only-time to visit the park.
Accommodation
The Madhya Pradesh
Tourist department has a forest lodge in Bandhavgarh; the PWD and the Forest Department
also have guest houses within the park, where the accommodation, though not the height of
luxury, is adequate. Rooms range from some interesting cabins on stilts to individual
cottages.
Besides this,
there are hotels and forest lodges at Tala (at the entrance to Bandhavgarh).
More
information on Bandhavgarh may be obtained from the Director, Bandhavgarh National Park,
P.O. Umaria, District Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh. Reservations for the MP tourism lodge can be made at
the MP State Tourism Development Corporation in Bhopal (Tel: 0755-2778383 or
0755-2774343). |
