Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh National Park is in Madhya Pradesh state of India. This park is among the best national parks of India where tigers can easily be viewed. The area of this park is around.

Bandhavgarh Hill, at the height of above sea level, is at the centre of the park. This hill is surrounded by sloping valleys.

History
The state of Rewa owes its origins to the foundation of a state dating to 1234 by Vyaghra Dev, a descendant of the Vaghelas of Gujarat. He married the daughter of the Raja of Ratanpur, bringing Bandhogarh (now known as Bandhavgarh) into the family as her dowry. The legendary fortress of Bandhogarh fell into Mughal hands in 1597, almost by accident. At the death of Maharaja Virbhadra Rao in 1593, his minor son succeeded and was sent to Delhi for his own safety, the emperor took advantage of his absence to send one of his loyal nobles as temporary governor. Once he had taken control of the fort, the Maharaja’s nobles and officials were expelled and the fort annexed by the Mughals. On his return to his remaining domains, H.H. Maharaja Vikramaditya was forced to establish a new capital at Rewa, from whence the state took its name.

Times have changed. You now ride elephants to shoot tigers with your Nikon instead of your rifle, and there remains something very evocative about riding through the Jungle on the look out for those black and orange stripes!

Landscape
The "jungle" is mostly sparse and dry undergrowth with large areas of woodland. The park is set around the "castle" - a huge outcrop of rock with a massive plateau top. The whole area is very dry and dusty. Covering 450 km2, Bandhavgarh is situated in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh among the outlying hills of the Vindhya range. At the center of park is Bandhavgarh hill rising 811 m above sea level. The lowest point in the park is at Tala (440 m above sea level). Bandhavgarh is densely populated with other species. Bandhavgarh is sided with great cliffs and eroded rocks and on its highest point stands "Bandhavgarh fort" thought to be some 2,000 years old. Around the fort are numerous caves containing shrines and ancients Sanskrit inscription.

Fauna
Although Bandhavgarh is a relatively small park in the last few years this former game reserve has become one of India's most prominent National Parks. The major reason for all the interest is Bandhavgarh's high density of tigers (The Bagh), which roam the mixed forests of in search of an easy kill. It was the preferred hunting place for the Kings of Rewa. The density of tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India—60 tigers at 450 km2 area in Bandhavgarh National Park. This is also white tiger country. The last known as captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951. This White Tiger "Mohan", is now stuffed and display in the place of Maharajah of Rewa. The tigers (the bagh) have not only bolstered the local population by breeding successfully, they have also brought international media attention to the park and the plight of the Royal Bengal Tiger.

While the star attraction is the tigers, there is a host of other wildlife: 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Leopards and sloth bears are the other two extremely rare animals, seen only by chance. Other wildlife includes spotted deer, samba, langur and red faced monkeys, jungle cats, Bengal fox, mongoose, striped hyena, bandicoot rat, Asiatic jackal, wild boars, nilgai, chausingha, chinkara, Indian bison and of course, the domestic elephants.

The vegetation along streams and morasses is rich in bird life, and include the oddly named "changeable hawk eagle" and storks. more common ones are little grebe, egret, lesser teal, white-eyed buzzard, black kite, crested serpent eagles, black vulture, Egyptian vulture, common peafowl, red jungle fowl, dove, parakeet, kingfisher, Indian roller, and the Indian national bird, the Indian peacock.

Reptilian fauna include cobra, krait, viper, rat-snake, python, turtle and number of Lizard varieties including varanus.

Flora
The vegetation is chiefly of sal forest in the valleys and on the lower slopes bamboo is found throughout the park.

Climate
Bandhavgarh experiences climatic conditions that vary to opposite extremes. In winters, the bitter cold forces the visitors to put on multiple layers as protection against the biting cold. Early morning rides can be in temperatures that dip about four, once you take the wind chill factor into consideration. In the summers, it changes drastically to the opposite. It now feels uncomfortable to even sometimes put on the cotton t-shirt.

The temperature in the winters varies from 4 to 20°C between November and February. In the summers, the temperatures move to the other extreme and can go up to 48°C. Towards late summer, it is also advisable to carry some protection, for yourself and for your camaras, from rain. Bandhavgarh has an average annual rainfall of 1200 mm. The rains here give very little prior warning and it is preferable to be prepared for your own protection, as well as for your equipment. These rains, however, bring good respite from the blistering heat. A single shower can make temp eratures fall from 45°C to 30°C. The main monsoon season mostly begins only once the park is closed from 1 July to 30 September.

Get in
The closest train station is Umaria. Sleeper trains run from Delhi and Agra. Umaria is a jeep ride from Tala, the village at the Main Gate to Bandhavgarh.

Tala (Bandhavgarh) is well connected to Katni which is one of the major railway junctions nearby. Generally it takes 2-2½ hr and you can easily get vehicles to and from the station by jeeps or similar vehicles waiting at the exit of the Umaria railway station.

The park is closed 1 July - 30 September.

Fees and permits
There is a park permit fee on top of the cost of hiring a jeep, and any elephant rides are extra. Any safari organised with your lodge normally includes all the jeep and park fees although elephant rides are still extra. You don't have to pay in the jungle but normally pay at your lodge later, although taking a little cash to tip the elephant rider is a good idea. one can book safari by MP online safari portal

Rules Regulations and Forest Permit Charges

₹2000 per person for 1 hour during Maghadhi Zone jeep safari at morning.
 * Park entry fees Jeep Safari : (Magdhi, Tala, and Khitauli Zones): ₹1550 for Indians and foreigners.
 * Guide fees: ₹360 per drive.
 * Jeep Charges: ₹2500 per drive
 * Wednesday evening is holiday of Bandhavgarh National Park, Festival time also jungle close for tourist, Holi, Diwali,
 * Elephant Safari for foreigners:


 * Elephant Safari for Indians: ₹700 per person for 1 hour during Maghadhi Zone jeep safari at morning.
 * Elephant Safari for whole day: ₹80,000 per elephant for 1 whole day for 4 people.

New Year, Holi, Diwali are peak season timing, its recommended to book park permits, jeep and hotel well in advance during that period.

Get around
Tala is a tiny village at the entrance to Bandhavgarh with one or two shops and an internet cafe. The lodges are a few minutes walk to the village. Travel into the park is by Jeep, again normally provided in the price by the lodges.

See
The wild animals are not the only attraction in the park. On at least one safari your driver will take you up the mountain where there is a line of ancient caves, and a huge 10th-century statue of a reclining Vishnu. It is also possible to head to the far side of the park to the elephant enclosure where the elephants are kept. Often this is where the young elephants are and it is a great photo opportunity



Do

 * Jeep safari The Jeeps all head to the Main Gate before it opens to collect a guide who joins the Jeep for the safari and you then head off into the Jungle. Visitors to Bandhavgarh are allowed into the park twice each day for 3-hour Jeep safaris, once at dawn, and again in late afternoon. These are times when animal activity is most visible. The commonly used safari vehicles are open 4WD Gypsys. The Jeeps stick to well-worn tracks but the park covers a large area and you'll often end up on your own.  Most of the wildlife is seen from the Jeeps, but the star attraction - the tigers - are tracked each morning by elephant.  If they are found the Jeeps dash towards them.  If they are visible from the track the Jeeps bustle around trying to get the best view or, alternatively, your driver enters you in a queue for an elephant ride to see the tigers in the bush. The safari lasts about 3 hours before the park closes at lunch time.  There is a second slightly shorter Safari in the afternoon which lasts until dusk. You cannot travel in the park without a Jeep and a guide.
 * Elephant treks Elephants are used every morning by the Forest Department for tiger-tracking. If a tiger is found, the elephant will take you directly to the tiger from a nearby area reached by Jeep/car. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you, or you may choose to pay for a naturalist, instead. This guide/naturalist will be able to direct you and point out wildlife.

Eat

 * Jain Bhojanalaya at Bandhavgarh - Serves pure vegetarian food. Golbro Tiger View Resort Campus in front of National Park, very near to Tala Gate No.1 and Petrol Pump. Cost is very economical.

Drink
Always use packed drinking water. There is no nightlife here at all (thank goodness) but a cool beer after a day in the jungle is a wonderful thing! Remember to take plenty of water on every safari.

Buy
Once you've paid for the Jungle Package at a Lodge you will struggle to spend anything at all in Tala. Elephant rides are extra but not expensive at all (2005: ₹300 per person per ride) and the only thing you buy in the lodges are those cool evening beer

Stay safe
Bandhavgarh is hot, dry, and dusty. If you are visiting between October and February, do not forget to carry warm clothing, as temperatures have been known to drop as low as 0°C.

Go next
The national park is close to following places of interest:
 * Jabalpur (164 km): Nearest city, Jabalpur houses an assortment of forts, temples and museums. The prime attraction is the Dhundhar Waterfall and Marble Rocks
 * Kanha National Park (240 km): Combing Bandhavgarh with Kanaha can be an interesting wild life experience. Kamha, which is one of the biggest in India and has the distinction of the successfully implemented Project Tiger, as part of the tiger conservation program in India. Every year the park attracts large numbers of tourists for watching tigers from close proximity. The park was also the inspiration for the Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling.
 * Khajuraho (237 km): A group of magnificent temples, listed on UNESCO World Heritage List
 * Pachmarhi (408 km): Hill station in Satpura Range with the touch of the Raj
 * Pench National Park (282 km): A forest known for tiger spotting