Bandhavgarh is the land of the tiger. It is located in Umaria District in the State of Madhya Pradesh. It is a National Park and a tiger reserve declared as a protected area by the State Government. A part of the reserve is slated for tourism.
The reserve encompasses fifteen
hundred thirty-six kilometers. The current core area is 716 sq. km while the
rest is the outer limit or the buffer zone. Tourism is conducted in 20 percent
of the core area while some forest patches are reserved for tourism in the buffer
area.
Bandhavgarh is a paradise on the
Earth. It is home to tigers, leopards, sloth bears, bison, deer, rhesus
macaque, Hanuman Langur, jungle cats, rusty spotted cats, jackals, foxes, and
small predators. The antelope family comprises four-horned antelope and the
Nilgai.
Bandhavgarh is also a place that
comprises ancient ruins. These ruins are over two thousand years old and
comprise zoomorphic idols of Lord Vishnu, idols of Shiva, manmade caves,
temples, stables, reservoirs, and an ancient fort completely in ruins.
Over 170000 visitors arrive at
the reserve for holidaying, photography, and filming. Before finalizing the
trip to Bandhavgarh one should book a permit issued by the forest department of
Madhya Pradesh. The next step is to book a luxury hotel for accommodations.
There are also budget and deluxe hotels outside the reserve most of them are
situated near the Tala Village.
The trip usually begins from
Jabalpur Airport which is at a distance of 175 km. You can travel Jabalpur via
Shahpura and Umaria. The latter is just 32 km from the park. The road is good
and you can cover it in four hours. There are other routes to the reserve but
they are longer.