It’s been five and a half months since the country went into a lockdown. These past few months have seen so many travel plans being shelved, people restricted to their homes etc. But these 5 months have also been beneficial to Mother Nature to replenish herself after getting a long break from constant human activity. And now with intra state and interstate travel opening in the country, the travel enthusiasts can use this opportunity to start taking baby steps towards the new normal and post COVID travel experiences.
At a time like this, nature related travel would take precedence over going to more touristy or city destinations. India is a land of natural beauty and most states have such pockets of pure natural bounty. But one state that comes to my mind to explore nature and wildlife together is the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh.
And one of the crown jewels of Madhya Pradesh is Bandhavgarh National Park. Along with Kanha National Park, these two are the most popular national parks in the country. And now that MP Tourism has opened these parks, albeit with restrictions, several people will want to witness the refreshed parks once they open for tourists (post October 1st). Currently the bookings are available only for the buffer zones till September 30th.
Here are 10 things that I learnt from my experience of 3 safaris in Bandhavgarh, which may be helpful for anyone planning to visit there in the future.
1. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t see a tiger: The common expectation is that if you’re going to Bandhavgarh, with one of the highest density of tigers in its area, you are bound to have a sighting. Well, I can say from personal experience, that doesn’t always hold true. Even after 3 safaris in Bandhavgarh and 1 in Jim Corbett, I am yet to see a tiger in the wild.
2. There is more to the park than the alpha predator: Even though I did not see a tiger, the very presence in Bandhavgarh is magical. Early morning safaris in winter months presents a foggy sal and bamboo jungle to you that itself is a magical experience. Coupled with spotting of other animals – not just the herbivores deer and antelopes, gaurs, sloth bear, leopards and several species of birds – it presents a holistic experience to any wild life enthusiast.
3. Pre-book your stay: Even if you’re a backpacker or travelling solo, it is not only advisable, but also prudent to book accommodation in advance. Other than the park and its 1 km radius, Bandhavgarh (rather Tala village) is but a hamlet, hence it’s not advisable to be adventurous and reach there without planning accommodation in advance. Chances are you may not get any. This is more relevant in the post COVID world when anyways hotels / lodges have limited accommodation. The stay options range from the high-end Taj Safari Lodge and Pugdundee Safaris to mid ranged resorts available on booking.com / MMT. There is also the Forest Rest House in Tala, booking details for which is on the mponline portal.
4. Book your safari tickets in advance: To avoid last minute anxiety and uncertainty on whether you will be allowed in the safari or not, please book your safari entry ticket in advance. You can either book a single ticket or the entire vehicle (6 seater). Even if it’s a group of 4 people traveling together, best to book the entire vehicle. Also, check with your hotel if they can book the vehicle for you, since that gives you the comfort of the vehicle picking you up from the hotel and dropping you back post safari. Else, if you book single tickets, you must reach the forest office at least an hour before the gates open to be allotted the vehicle and then must share the cost with whoever else accompanies you on the vehicle. This is a little tricky since you must wait till other single ticket holders turn up.
5. You can only book the entry ticket online: Please note, what you book online on the MP Tourism site (https://forest.mponline.gov.in/) is only the safari entry ticket (either single ticket or entire vehicle). The charges for the vehicle ~ Rs. 2500 and the guide charges ~ Rs. 300 is additional and is split among other people (if you’re sharing the gypsy). There are 3 core zones – Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli. Tala is the most popular, but then depending on which zone the tigers are more visible, the zones change popularity. However, I am told, the chances of sightings are high in either Tala or Magadhi zones.
6. There are specific periods that the park is open: The core zones of the park are closed for the 3 months of monsoon – July, August and September. However, safaris are permitted in the buffer zones. As of today, you can book your safaris for the buffer zone, till Sep 30th. The MP Govt website needs to be looked up for further updates.
7. Be mindful of the transit requirement from your hotel to the safari gate: If you have booked single tickets, you’ll have to arrange for transit from the hotel/lodge to the ticket counter and back post safari. Most of the hotels / resorts are atleast 1km away from the safari gates. Which means that if you don’t have any transit, you’ll have to walk up to the forest dept. office (from where all the gypsys set out) in the pre-dawn darkness for the morning safari, and just post lunch for the afternoon safaris.
8. Be clear on the expectation from the safari: And communicate that to the guide. Let him know if your objective is only tiger sightings or you are there to get a complete experience of Bandhavgarh. The guide will then accordingly give you inputs on the topography, flora and fauna, anecdotes, first-hand experience sharing etc. If you have booked via the more luxury options of Taj and Pugdundee Safaris etc., they will have a naturalist accompany you.
9. Other than the safaris there is nothing else of tourist interest in Bandhavgarh: There is nothing much to do in Bandhavgarh other than the safaris. The Bandhavgarh fort was closed for tourists around the time that I visited there. One could check on the possibility of visiting this attraction.
10. Let the forest enamour you: Go to Bandhavgarh with an open mind, and let the forests enthral you and make you fall in love with the Indian jungles. Experience the silence and sounds of the forests alike.
How to reach Bandhavgarh
By Train : The closest railway station (most accessible from across India) is Katni, which is ~100kms from Bandhavgarh. You could hire a private taxi to drop you to Bandhavgarh.
By Air : Jabalpur (~200kms / 4hours) away is the closest airport, that is connected to all major cities of India by direct or connecting flights.
To follow my travel journeys and more, ping me on Instagram @thewanderjoy. See you around!!