Welcome to Bandhavgarh
National Park

The name ‘Bandhavgarh’ came from two words: Bandhav and Garh where the meaning of the first one is brother and the latter means fort. According to Ramayana, the great epic, Bandhavgarh was gifted to Lakshmana by his elder brother Rama after the battle of Lanka. The existing national park is named after this legendary Bandhavgarh Fort, which is situated on a hillock of the Vindhya range in Umaria. As per the ancient books, Shiv Purana and Narad Panch Ratna, the wrecked fort was being rebuilt by two monkeys who made a bridge between Lanka and the mainland. The Bandhavgarh fort is written with much convincing evidence of human activity and architectural techniques. You can see several man-made caves with inscriptions and rock paintings at the fort as well.

Until the shifting of capital to Rewa in 1617 A.D., the local rulers were based in the Bandhavgarh Fort, which is located atop the Bandhavgarh hill in the middle of the Bandhavgarh National Park. Bandhavgarh gradually became desolate once the capital was moved to Rewa, and as the forest took over, it was used as a royal hunting reserve. While doing so helped to protect the forests and the indigenous fauna of India, each of the maharajas set out to kill 109 tigers because they believed it to be lucky. By 1914, Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh had killed 111 tigers.

The devastation of the forests as a result of inadequate regulation severely affected Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa. In 1968, a 105 sq km area was first designated as a national park based on his suggestion. After the park was established, poaching was controlled. To address the water shortage, small dams were also built, providing refuge and relief for the animals and the local cattle were forbidden from grazing. The Indian wildlife population rose significantly as a result. The number of tigers began to rise as well. The park's size was enlarged to 448 sq km in 1982 to accommodate the growing population of tigers and other types of Indian wildlife. Bandhavgarh was included in 1993 as Project Tiger expanded its sphere of influence, and the territory was later expanded to encompass a core area of 694 sq km and a buffer area of 437 sq km. The Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve was now officially proclaimed for the entirety of this region.

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The vegetation of Bandhavgarh Park is diverse and includes heavily forested hills as well as grasslands. The Sal (Shorea robusta) and Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus) species, which form various combinations with one another, dominate the tropical moist deciduous region in which Bandhavgarh National Park’s forest is located. The other common flora in this park, which is technically known as Sal Forest, consists of species like Saja (Terminalia tomentosa), Dhauda (Anogeissus latifolia), Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon), Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Palas (Butea monosperma), Salai (Boswellia serrata) and Bhirra (Chloroxylon swietenia).

The deer and other herbivores in the Bandhavgarh National Park receive nutrition from the trees, bushes, and grasses all year long. The herbivores then serve as the tiger's primary source of prey, which rules the other species of fauna in the park.

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The wildlife of the Bandhavgarh National Park is truly the most glittering part of the entire forest. The Park is simply known for the various species of wild creatures and is best known for the preservation of the most astonishing tiger species. The presence of the abundance of tiger species in Bandhavgarh has driven many animal lovers in this explicit arena. It is believed that every white tiger across the world has its trace to Bandhavgarh National Park. It is also worth mentioning here that Mohan was the first white tiger spotted in Bandhavgarh by the then Maharaja of Rewa.

The extreme abundance of tiger population makes Bandhavgarh National Park one of India's most well-known national parks. This park is home to the largest populations of Bengal Tigers in the entire globe. There are three core zones in the national park such as Tala, Khitauli and Magadhi and three zones are equally popular for tiger sightings. Additionally, Bandhavgarh is also home to a wide variety of animals, including chinkaras, nilgais, and bison, who graze on the grasslands.

As you start exploring the deep forests of Bandhavgarh National Park, you might catch a glimpse of animals like nilgai, chausingha, chital, langurs, monkeys, muntjac, wild Boar, and jackals gathering around water bodies or the ancient caves. The wildlife collection of Bandhavgarh also includes 250 species of birds and 80 species of butterflies in addition to 37 species of mammals. You might catch a glimpse of some of the beautiful birds including Paradise Flycatcher, Indian Pitta, Shikra, Long billed Vulture, White backed shama and many more in winter specifically from October to December. Due to its varied topography and dry deciduous tropical biodiversity, a wide variety of animal and plant life take shelter in the park and that’s why nature lovers around the world adore exploring Bandhavgarh's densely forested areas every year.

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Making a magnificent trip to Bandhavgarh will definitely take you to the lush greenery of the forested regions of the park that are incredibly the natural abodes of the variant of wild species. Catching the amazing glimpses of these majestic creatures are simply amusing and with safari opportunities in Bandhavgarh you can have it all in a completely organised way. With jeep safari you can have a closer look to all these majestic creatures including the Royal Bengal tigers, leopards and capture the special moments to cherish forever.

There are two types of jungle safari available in Bandhavgarh National Park, Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari but currently Elephant safari is not operational in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Although there are severe restrictions on who may go and when. Only a certain number of vehicles are permitted on safaris at each departure time, which makes it crucial that you make reservations in advance to guarantee your spot. Safari timings and capacity depends on the season and forest authority. The reservation fee includes your park entry permit. It is not permitted to enter the park on your own; visitors must arrive with a guide and an approved vehicle. The tentative safari timings are given below in the table:

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Bandhavgarh National Park is divided into three core zones, and when you make your reservation, you'll need to decide which one you wish to tour. The major area, Tala, is the most well-liked safari choice because tigers are commonly observed here. Magadhi is a nearby area with good chances of seeing tigers but it is on the edge of the park. The last one is Khitauli, which is less commonly visited by tigers but is more picturesque and wonderful for bird watching. The ideal time to have a safari is definitely in the morning during the dry season. However, for elephant safari, you have to get written permission from the Field Director of Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve, and then only it can be arranged.

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