Is Bandhavgarh worth going or not?
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Bandhavgarh is a place of mythological and legendary significance. The ancient Bandhavgarh Fort is of great importance as it is believed to have been gifted by Lord Rama to his younger brother Lakshmana. ‘Bandhav’ in English means brother and ‘Garh’ means fort. Hence the name, Bandhavgarh. Bandhavgarh dates back to 2000 years ago and you will find several man made caves with inscriptions and rock paintings.
Bandhavgarh is also the land of tigers. This is the place to visit if you want to spot the big cat. India’s top dwelling for tigers, Bandhavgarh National Park (Bandhavgarh Tiger Sightings) has the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers in the world. The sight of the majestic tiger, up close and personal, is said to trigger a sense of awe in you, of the kinds you would have only experienced in your childhood.
Points Of Interest In Bandhavgarh:
Sheesh Shaiya
Bandhavgarh holds a rich blend of cultural and natural heritage. Beyond tigers, the place is also known for its rare statue of reclining Vishnu from the 10th century situated inside the national park. The spot can be reached via jeep safari in Tala zone.
Bandhavgarh Fort
Tourists can see the magnificent site on the top of the highest plateau from the tiger tours of the park.
Badi Gufa
One of the biggest caves in the Bandhavgarh National Park, Badi Gufa dates back to the 10th century. Carved out of solid sandstone rock, these caves served as shelter for the army of the king during the medieval period.
Three Cave Point
The Three Cave Point is one of the most mesmerizing spots in the Bandhavgarh National Park. This beautiful point has magnificent carvings and is home to leopards, tigers and sloth bears.
Flora & Fauna of Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is mostly visited by the tourists from worldwide for the white royal predators. It also has a huge list of other animals and birds that can be spotted in the park which includes Bengal Tigers, Nilgai, Sambar, Barking Deer, Gaur, Chausingha, Wild Boar, Chinkara, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Striped Hyena, the Asiatic Jackal, Bengal Fox, Ratel, Grey Mongoose, Jungle Cat, Spotted Deer, Dhole, Palm Squirrel, Small Indian Civet, Little Grebe and Bandicoot Rat.
The species of birds found abundantly are Egret, Sarus Crane, Adjutant, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Kite, Black Vulture, Common Peafowl, Egyptian Vulture, Dove, Red Jungle Fowl, Indian Roller and Parakeet. Grey Hornbill, White Breasted Kingfisher and Common Teals are some other species of birds spotted in the park.
Reptiles like Cobra, Viper, Krait, Rat Snake, Turtle, Python and varied species of lizard including Varanus are also found in the park.
Bandhavgarh is divided into three core zones:
Tala (the park’s main zone, where Bandhavgarh fort is situated) and adjoining Magdhi (located on the fringe of the park and excellent for seeing tigers), plus Khitauli separated by a road (scenic and less-visited, although tiger sightings do occur there. It’s particularly good for birding).
Three buffer zones were also added to the Bandhavgarh in 2015, with the aim of reducing tourism in the core zones and providing an opportunity for people who cannot afford to visit the core zones to experience the park. The buffer zones are spread over Umaria and Katni districts. They are Dhamokhar (adjoining Magdhi zone and entered from Parasi), Panpatha (adjoining Khitauli zone and entered from Pachpedi), and Johila (entered from Cechpur/Gajwahi). Tiger sightings have occurred in these buffer zones.
Jeep safaris are conducted in all zones. Safaris in the buffer zone continue throughout the monsoon season. Johila has a couple of waterfalls within it.
Climate of Bandhavgarh
Bandhavgarh National Park enjoys North Indian Monsoonal climate. The major seasons of Bandhavgarh are winters, summers and rains. The mercury drops to 2°C during winters and rises up to 45°C in summers. During monsoons, it receives an average rainfall of 1133 mm. The southern cyclones are the reason for some rains in this region. It occurs between the November and February.
Best Time to Visit Bandhavgarh
To enjoy the fullest in Bandhavgarh National Park, plan your wildlife holiday tour keeping in mind the weather of that region.
The weather remains pleasant and favorable from November to March and is considered as the best time to visit the park, if you don’t want to travel during summer. But if you want to spot the Royal Bengal Tigers stalking inside the park, you should visit there during the hottest month of April, May and June.
Wildlife Safari Timings
The park has 4 major divisions or zones named Tala, Magadhi, Khitauli and Panpatha. Tourists can enjoy jeep or canter safari in Bandhavgarh National Park within a specified time. There are two shifts of safari conducted every day. The jeep safari carries 6 tourists at a time while the canter safari allows 16 tourists. The number of vehicles allowed to enter the park during each shift is-Tala Zone (25), Magadhi Zone (66), Khitauli Zone (35) and Panpatha Zone (35).
The safari entry and exit timings changes according to the change of seasons. Jeeps carrying groups of tourists or individuals along with naturalists are allowed to enter the park. In winters, the entry time is stretched a little in the morning and exit time is reduced.
Visitors can enjoy safari in Bandhavgarh National Park from 15th October to 30th June. One can take the morning safari from 06:30 Hrs to 11:00 Hrs or the evening shift from 14:30 Hrs to 17:30 Hrs in 15th October to 15th Feb. The safari shift timings from 16th Feb to 31st March are 06:00 Hrs to 11:00 Hrs (Morning) & 15:00 Hrs to 18:00 Hrs (Evening). April to 30th June the safari is scheduled from 05:30 Hrs to 10:00 Hrs (Morning) & 16:00 Hrs to 19:00 Hrs (Evening).
Important Note:
- On every Wednesday, the Evening Safari shift remains closed for visitors at Bandhavgarh National Park.
- During Holi (celebrated in the month of March), both the safari shifts remains closed.
How to Reach Bandhavgarh
To reach Bandhavgarh one can opt for the available options as per their convenience.
Airways : Umaria doesn’t have any airport of its own. The nearest airports to Bandhavgarh National Park at Umaria are Khajuraho airport and Jabalpur airport that connects the major cities to Umaria. These airports have access to international and domestic flights providing opportunities for tourists from all over the world to visit Bandhavgarh National Park.
Railways : The nearest railhead to Bandhavgarh National Park is Umaria railway station located at a distance of 35 Km and takes 45 minutes to reach. The next nearest railway station to the park is Katni Railway station, which is at a distance of 100 km and takes 2 hours to reach there.
Roadways : Bandhavgarh National Park has good road connectivity. It is connected with the major cities of the world and the country as Madhya Pradesh State Transport operates buses from Rewa, Satna, Katni and Umaria.
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Originally published at https://stevemarkwildlife.blogspot.com on October 24, 2019.
