One of the most well known Central Indian wildlife parks, Bandhavgarh National Park is a place steeped in natural beauty and history. For many, among the top reasons to visit Bandhavgarh National Park is to realise their dream of spotting the magnificent tiger for the first time! The dry deciduous forest is home to a plethora of amazing wildlife species, captivating the hearts of veteran photographers as well as curious first-time enthusiasts.
Our skippers have led several tours to Bandhavgarh, each one being more unforgettable than the last. From these experiences that we have enjoyed while hosting Toehold Bandhavgarh Tours, we’ve made a list of things that make this reserve a must-visit for wildlife enthusiasts.
1.The Diverse Habitat
With the glorious Vindhya hills in the background, the enchanting woods of the Bandhavgarh National Park are blessed with diverse habitats. Rich sal forests, rocky and rugged mountainous terrains, sprawling meadows and tall bamboo groves all add to the forest’s surrealism and uniqueness. Spotting any animals against any of these habitats is a thrilling experience. This magnificent setting also makes Bandhavgarh nature photography a truly satisfying experience.
2. Frequent Tiger sightings
It goes without saying that Bandhavgarh tiger sightings is the number one reason for tourists to visit this national park. These forests host one of the highest densities of tigers in the world! The sparse vegetation and the high temperatures of the summer months make it easier for one to spot a tiger here than in other forest reserves of India.
It is believed that in Indian jungles, it takes at least four safaris to spot at least one big cat. But, in the case of Bandhavgarh, one usually ends up spotting four or five individual tigers and depending on one’s luck, sometimes even more. Some extremely fortunate participants on Toehold Bandhavgarh tours have been blessed to sight 14 individual tigers over three full-day safaris!
3. Opportunity to Follow Legendary Tiger Dynasties
In this historic central Indian National Park, several tigresses have successfully nurtured their cubs and raised them to adulthood and this tradition has carried on till the present day. Over the recent years, Bandhavgarh has been home to some legendary tigers in India! Read our blog “Tigers of Bandhavgarh” to know more about these fierce but charismatic big cats that you can encounter during Bandhavgarh wildlife tours.
Visitors are thrilled to see even one big cat and remember it for the seasons to come. But tracing the journey of a mother raising her litter of two or three cubs to adulthood over the seasons is one of the most fulfilling feelings for wildlife enthusiasts! This is also one of the reasons to visit Bandhavgarh for several photographers who can capture the journey and create mesmerising visual tales.
4. Photography Haven
The perfect backdrop of the Vindhya hills, the dense canopy and the spectacular wildlife make Bandhavgarh wildlife photography a rather unique experience. As the searing summer heat dominates the forests in April and May, tigers are spotted more easily around the few remaining water holes in the parks. If one is lucky, one can spot and photograph an entire tiger family frolicking in the water or play-fighting in a glade. It is not just the tigers that draw photographers here, Bandhavgarh nature photography and the historic sites nestled in the reserve also make for great storytelling.
5. Experienced Naturalists
The naturalists at Bandhavgarh are extremely well-educated and they have a huge role to play in making Toehold Bandhavgarh Tours successful. They know the forest like the back of their palms and their pinpoint accuracy and their almost flawless intuition help a long way in guiding guests during Bandhavgarh wildlife tours.
Across our tours in Bandhavgarh, we have built a close bond and camaraderie with these skilled naturalists. Their long hours of efforts and intense focus to ensure that every tourist venturing into the park has the best possible experience must not go unnoticed. Most often, tiger sightings are much celebrated but the thankless work of these unsung heroes is overlooked.
These naturalists are some of the most friendly and sincere people. We have had the pleasure of working with them for more than a decade and they are a significant reason why we hold Bandhavgarh very close to our hearts. They make each Bandhavgarh wildlife safari even more meaningful by sharing their knowledge and passion for the reserve and its residents.
6. The Ambience
We love the forests and Bandhavgarh’s biodiversity, but we also cherish the comfort and hospitality of some of the lodges around the forest. We at Toehold operate our photo tours out of the Aranyak Resort for its proximity to the forest and the opportunities for a wildlife safari.
But, Bandhavgarh resorts and lodges such as Tiger’s Den, Mogli, Jungle Lodge and Infinity around Bandhavgarh offer incredible service to visitors and pamper them.
Want to learn more about the various accommodation options in Bandhavgarh? Check out our blog ‘Top 9 Bandhavgarh Resorts’.
But the one thing all these resorts have in common is their ambience and that is what we love. We are surrounded by nature and the peace helps in listening to the various ambient sounds of the great outdoors. We enjoy the company of the constant chirping of the crickets, the occasional eerie hooting of owls, the croaking of a distant toad and we love the silence that prevails all of them. We love the stars shining over our heads and the crisp rejuvenating air we breathe. We love the crackling of the fire, the aroma of the delicious food and the sound of our laughter. We love living in the moment and making memories without knowing it!
You have to be there to experience all this!
7. The Intermingling of History and Myth
Bandhavgarh’s history spans over two thousand years! The park derives its name - ‘Bandhavgarh’ which means ‘brother’s fort’ from the popular belief that Lord Ram gifted the fort, which is within the forest today, to his brother Laxman! The fort is situated in the Tala zone which one of the most sought out zones in the park.
The Tala zone also is home to the famous Shesh Shaiya - a reclining 35 foot-long stone statue of Lord Vishnu dating back to the 10th century. The Lord’s head rests on the seven-hooded serpent called Shesh Naag and the pristine stream known as Charan Ganga has its source from the idol’s feet.
The National Park is also dotted with several caves whose walls are inscribed with figures of tiger, elephant, pig, and horsemen. The exact purpose of these caves is still a mystery to man.
If you want to know more about Bandhavgarh’s history, read our blog ‘History of Bandhavgarh’
8. Elephant Safari
Bandhavgarh’s elephant safari is one of its most unique featuresi. Only a couple of other national parks in India offer such an exciting activity. Also known as elephant joy ride, this mode of safari is thrilling, especially for children, as it gives us a different perspective of the mesmerising woods. It also enables us navigate areas of the forest that Gypsies cannot. Sometimes resulting in an exciting big cat sighting!
Now, Here’s Why We Love Bandhavgarh
For the past decade, Bandhavgarh has been one of our favourite destinations for a wildlife holiday. One of the top reasons to visit Bandhavgarh is for its frequent big cat sightings and the endless game-viewing and photography opportunities it provides.
These mystical woods charm not just avid wildlife enthusiasts and photographers, but also are a great escape for anyone needing a break from the hustle-bustle of city life. A few days in the lap of nature, the amazing comfort of the lodges and the potential sightings of some of the most magnificent wildlife species is sure to help refresh you and make you fall in love with the experience of visiting the wild!
We have listed out our favourite reasons to visit Bandhavgarh National Park. Have we missed anything? Do let us know in the comments!
