Bandhavgarh National Park

Fact File
» Location from nearby major cities : Khajuraho (230 kms), Varanasi (340 kms)

» Known for : Tigers

» Climate & the best time to visit : Sharp variations could be seen in the climatic conditions of Bandhavgarh. In the winter months, temperature remains in the range of 0- 20 degrees centigrade. On the other hand, temperature rises to an extremely high 46 degrees during the peak summer months. Rainfall mainly takes place between the months of June and October. The average annual rainfall is 1200mm. The national park remains open from mid-November to June.


The Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is located in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Known for its variations in topography, Bandhavgarh National Park is encircled by cliffs and wooded Vindhyan mountains. The topography coupled with the thick forest cover makes Bandhavgarh an ideal track for wildlife habitation. Infact, it is said that the Bandhavgarh jungles provides its own climate, atmosphere, water and nutrition to its wildlife through its recycling systems. Bandhavgarh, together with the Kanha National Park, has earned Madhya Pradesh another name- the Tiger state of India.


» Attractions in the Park
» Flora : Bandhavgarh has a thick and diverse forest cover. Though the vegetation mainly comprises of mixed deciduous forests, half of the area is covered by Sal trees. As one goes higher, a variety of trees and plants could be seen in the higher reaches. Some of the species in the higher reaches are Sali, Saj, Saja and Dhobin. Stretches of bamboo and grasslands mainly extend to the north of the park.

» Fauna : Bandhavgarh has a sizeable population of Tigers. Infact, tiger conservation efforts have been lauded in the park. Moreover, it is one of the sanctuaries where tigers could be spotted easily. Of the many species of animals inhabiting the park apart from tigers, some are Leopards, Gaur, Chital, Sambar, Dholes, Nilgais, Wild Boars, Chinkaras, Sloth Bears, Rhesus Macaques, Langurs, Jungle Cats, Hyenas, Porcupines, Jackals, Foxes, Wild Dogs, and Chausinghas.

» Avifauna : Bandhavgarh may be famous for some of its four-legged inhabitants, but the bird species found here are no less special. It would not be wrong to call Bandhavgarh a bird watcher's paradise also. Both local and migratory birds could be seen in the park. The commonly spotted birds are Brown Fantails, Steppe Eagles, Green Pigeons, Grey Malabar Hornbills, Parakeets, Bee eaters, Drongoes, Owls, Jerdon and Woodshrikes. Watching the antics of some of the migratory birds during the winter months is always great fun here.

Other Places to Visit
» Bandhavgarh Fort : The majestic Bandhavgarh Fort is located within the park area. It is a huge structure dating back to the 14th century and looks very attractive from some distance. The fort and the adjacent hills have a large number of caves belonging to the pre-historic period.

» Kalchuri Archeological Remains : Another attraction in the park area are the remains of the Kalchuri period. Though the remains are mostly in ruins now, they have still not lost all their charm.


How To Reach
» By Air : The nearest landing facility is the Khajuraho airport located at a distance of 230 kms from the national park. Commercial flights operate from national capital Delhi and some other destinations like Agra and Varanasi.

» By Rail : The nearest railhead is Umaria at a distance of 32 kms. But it is a very small station mainly connected by local trains. The more convenient railway station would be Katni which is better connected with the rest of the country. Located some 100 kms away, many Express trains operating between northern and southern regions of the country routinely halt at Katni.

» By Road : National Highway No. 78 between Katni and Umaria touches some parts of the national park. After Umaria, the road leading to the main entrance of the national park is mainly deserted and not in good condition either.