Bandhavgarh National Park Tour
BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK - UMARIA
Activities
Things to Do in Bandhavgarh National Park
1. Wildlife Experience in Jeep Safari
The park offers open jeep safari which is the best way to explore this wildlife habitat. It will add a texture of fun and adventure on your journey and will let you capture the astonishing wildlife moments. Jeep Safaris run in two shifts with the duration of 4 hours. One shift operates in the morning and another at around 2-3pm. If you are planning to visit the park, it is advisable to book a jeep safari in advance. Moreover, each jeep accommodates six people.There are four zones to enter the park, which are Tala, Magadhi, Panpatha, and Khitauli. The ticket price of the safari varies according to the zone from which you are entering. Before the safari, visitors are required to show their identity card at the entrance gate for security purpose. Moreover, the guide is given to each safari vehicle.
The safari tour includes certain must have things in order to make the journey or experience better.
- Sunglasses to protect the eyes from direct sunlight.
- Water bottle. Since the duration of safari would be around 3-4 hours, water is a must.
- Hat or cap to protect yourself from hot weather.
- Camera to capture the wildlife moments
- Binoculars to see animals from distance
- Memory cards and batteries. As the safari operates for around 4 hours, therefore, it is advisable to keep sufficient batteries and memory cards on your phone and camera with you.
2. Spot the Tigers at Chakradhar
Surrounded by the dense hilly regions, Chakradhara is the place in Bandhavgarh National Park which is famous for tiger sighting. It offers different species of both flora and fauna. On this meadow, one can also find a high density of tigers. The few amongst those wild cats are Bheema, Bamera, Chandini, Kankati, Rajbhra, Dotty Krishna, Sukhipatia, and Marchaini. It is through Chakradhar that one can head to another famous attraction in the park, Bandhavgarh Fort.
3. Relish a Stay Around Bandhavgarh for a Thrilling Experience
The national park has the huge gathering of visitors that come here to enhance their wildlife experience. The park has a number of accommodations to augment the experience of the visitors. While some are luxury accommodations and some are budget hotels, there are a few that have this quite obvious jungle theme. Below are the categories the accommodation in Bandhavgarh National Park is divided into:
High-End resorts: In this category, you will find
Taj Mahua Kothi: It covers more than 40 acres of land; the Mahua Kothi offers the rich and quality accommodation experience. It has 12 suites with combined facilities of twin beds, private sit out-veranda, fireplace, along with amazing foods served.
Syna Tiger Resort: Situated near to the entrance of Tala village, Syna Tiger Resort has covered 15 acres of land. An eco-friendly resort with 15 soothing cottage and a tree house. The accommodation is supported by the modern amenities. Since it is an eco-friendly resort, it serves food made from using the organic ingredients grown on the property itself.
Luxury Resorts: These are four top accommodations in the category
Tree House Hideaway: Situated close to the Tala Gate of Bandhavgarh Reserve, the resort is surrounded by the jungle and covers more than 21 acres of land. There are 5 air-conditioned tree houses with all necessary amenities. Each tree house has a living area, mini bar, and all day running hot and cold water along with the serving of Indian, Continental, and Barbeque meals.
Kings Lodge: The lodge can be found in Rancha Village of Bandhavgarh National Park. It has been built on 8 acres of land and is the best lodge to cater to the guest needs. Moreover, it has 18 cottages equipped with all modern amenities. The lodge comprises a multi-cuisine dining hall that serves brilliant food quality and quantity.
Bandhav Vilas: Same as Syna Tiger Resort, Bandhav Villas also has its own organic farm. It is situated in Kuchwahi Village and has 20 villas that are equipped with modern luxury amenities along with an open multi-cuisine dining restaurant. Along with that, a beautiful hall, library, bar and lounge, and poolside bar give a luxurious feel at Bandhav Villa.
Infinity Bandhavgarh Wilderness: It has 8 lakeside pavilions and 6 deluxe rooms and is situated on the border of a village close to the reserve. The accommodation has all modern amenities along with the multi-cuisine restaurant, amusement hall, and spa facility.
Deluxe Resorts: These resorts have some fantastic arrangements and remarkable facilities that attract tourists who want a quality accommodation without splurging. Moreover, they offer a great experience by providing comfort, and security along with good quality food. Nature Heritage, Tiger Trails, Maharaja Royal Retreat, Bandhavgarh Meadows, Tiger Den, Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge, Jungle Mantra, Tiger Lagoon, Bundela Jungle Lodge, Hotel Tigergarh are the deluxe resorts in Bandhavgarh to book your stay.
Standard Resorts: These are the budget category accommodations that do fairly well to cater to the needs of their guests. Some of them are based on the jungle theme such as Mogli Jungle Resort. Other standard resorts you will get in Bandhavgarh National Park are Salvan, Greenwoods, Bagh Sarai, Jungle Inn, Tiger Inn, and Tiger Heaven. All these resorts comprise decent amenities and food.
4. Shopping in Bandhavgarh Market
Bandhavgarh is not just limited to its wildlife reserve but also offers an opportunity for shopping as well. There are a number of shops outside the park from where you can get small stuff/souvenirs like; t-shirts, wildlife books, and more. You will also get pictures of tigers which were taken inside the park. To buy souvenirs and books, shop located behind the museum is a great option. Shopping in Bandhavgarh is the must do activity amongst the tourists.
5. Trek to Bandhavgarh Fort
This one-hour trek that starts from the Tala Zone of Bandhavgarh National Park to Bandhavgarh Fort is something you must not miss while your visit the reserve. The visitors are required to have a guide with them to reach the fort because the trail traverses the national park itself. The fort is situated on a hill with an altitude of 807 m above the sea level that is located at the center of the park. Bandhavgarh fort is one of the oldest forts in India with the age of more than 2000 years. The fort has several caves adorned with painting and scripts. Also, you will find a statue of Lord Vishnu which is 35 feet in height. A trek to this fort is not only exhilarating but is a source to get plenty of insights about the region and its history.
Things to Do Outside the Park
Since Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the most popular wildlife getaways in India, it offers numerous things to do in the reserve which we have discussed earlier. But apart from the reserve, there are several things that you must do when you visit Bandhavgarh which are outside of the park.
1. Rural Tourism at Tala Village
Tala Village is one of the major attractions of Bandhavgarh. It is also one of the chief entrances of the wildlife reserve. The village comprises of mud houses that reflect the simple lifestyle the people inhabiting here are following. Besides, most of the resorts are also located near Tala Village along with the numerous souvenir shops, since the village can be a short distance from your resort you must include it in your wildlife tour itinerary.
2. Spend Quality Time at Bamera Dam
Located in Panpatha Sanctuary and 10 km away from the Bandhavgarh National Park, Bamera Dam and its surrounding are ideal for the activity of bird watching. When it comes to reaching there, one can either hire a jeep. The place is also perfect to plan a small picnic with your family where each of you can enjoy the tranquility of nature and its beauty of the majestic Bamera Dam.
3. Seeking Blessings at Jwalamukhi Temple
Situated on the bank of river Charan Ganga, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Jwalamukhi and is just 10 km from Bandhavgarh National Park. It is believed that the Goddess Jwalamukhi has the power to fulfill the desires and wishes of her devotees who come here in faith, and hence this shrine is counted amongst one of the most popular temples in the region. Since the temple is around 12 minutes drive away from the reserve, people prefer to visit both the attractions on the same day.
4. Explore Khajuraho
Khajuraho is known as the temple town and is located in Chhattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. This one of its kind place is around 235 km away from Bandhavgarh National Park. If you want to explore some religious places then Khajuraho is the best place as it has numbers of Hindu and Jain temples. Along with this, the erotic sculptures are the key attractions in Khajuraho. There are 22 temples that are divided into three groups of temple, i.e., western, eastern, and southern. Amongst these, the Western Group of Temples are the key attractions with architecturally opulent shrines like Kandariya Mahadeo.
5. Jabalpur
One of the oldest cities in India, Jabalpur is located on the holy shores of the River Narmada and is 195 km away from the Bandhavgarh National Park. The city is mainly recognized for its marble rocks formations and the gorgeous Dhuandhar Falls in Bhedaghat. It is indeed one of the best gateways from Bandhavgarh National Park as it allows to see more beauty of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
