Bandhavgarh National Park
The Bandhavgarh National Park features among the most exotic Indian wildlife spots with its densely laid out bamboo and sal trees and forested face of the Vindhyas. The park came into light in 1968 when the erstwhile Maharaja of Rewa donated it to the Government of India. This rambling park in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh boasts of an area of 437-sq-kms and doles out mesmerizing wildlife experience to the visitors.
Visitors enjoy activities like chasing down tigers on Elephant Safari and the Jeep Safari to have an eye to eye contact with the tiger. And to get through the steep tracks of forests easily assure a truly matchless wildlife experiences in the state. Jeep safaris are undertaken during the early morning hours till evening. A forest department guide is always with the visitors on these jeep trips taken inside the park. Elephant safari trips are organised for tiger tracking early in the morning.
Visitors find more than a few engrossing aspects to carry out in the park that offer immense joy and adventure. The activities like the chasing down tigers on Elephant Safari and the jeep safari to get through the steep tracks of forests let the tourists enjoy an unrivalled wildlife experiences in the state.
The sanctuary is set apart by an incomparable vegetation concentration and its vastness of sal trees and thickets of greenery make it more endearing. You are likely to get the mixed vegetation towards higher altitude with long and dense stretches of dhobin, sali and saja. The enormous terrains of grass and reed-covered lowlands mark the northern regions of the park with bamboo coppices.
Wildlife Attractions
A tiger reserve under 'Project Tiger', Bandhavgarh is famous for having the highest density of tiger population in India. Spotting a wild tiger can come true for visitors here. Besides tigers, sambar, dholes, nilgais, leopards, rhesus, gaur, chital (spotted deer), wild boars, sloth bears, jackals, foxes, wild dogs, chinkaras, chausinghas, ratels, macaques, black faced langurs etc are some of other animals reside here.
Other Attractions
- Kalchuri Archeological Remains
- Bandhavgarh Fort
- Jeep Safari
- Elephant Safari
How to get there
With the nearest airport at Khajuraho (270 km) and the nearest railhead at Umaria (35 km), travellers throng the park in almost horde from mid-November to June.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
Periyar wildlife sanctuary is superbly set amid the elevated ranges of the Western Ghats in the beautiful Indian state of Kerala. A scenic lake right at the heart of the sanctuary further adds charm to the sanctuary. The Periyar is basically a Tiger Reserve, but draws a vast number of tourists from all over for its Indian elephants. The elephants are great in numbers here and catch the imaginations of travellers for their ablution and teasing in the Periyar Lake.
Periyar wildlife sanctuary attracts tourists for its perfect settings, as it’s in the lap of the mountains and scatters numerous shades of nature. The months of October and June are considered good for tourists to come here and enjoy the sight of diverse species of animals and birds.
Wildlife Attractions
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary relishes its vastness and diversity in terms of the species and comprises even more than the Indian Elephants. Gaur, Mouse Deer, Dole or Indian Wild Dog, Wild Pigs, Sambar, Barking Deer besides tigers are some of other animals that have made habitat here. The Sanctuary boasts of around 40 tigers. These apart, tourists can also fancy their visits by looking at four species of primates like the rare lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri Langur, Common Langur and Bonnet Macaque.
The elusive Nilgiri Tahr Periyar, almost nowhere else to be seen easily finds home at Periyar. Birds with lots of diversity can also be seen here like Kingfishers, Darters, Cormorants, the great Malabar Hornbill and racket-tailed Drongoes. Monitor Lizards fill in the seat of the reptilian population here, and can
be seen basking in the sun. A Python and sometimes even a King Cobra is not a rare sight at Periyar
Other Travel Attractions
- Kumily
- Cradomom Hills
- Boat Cruises
How to get there
Air: Kochi (Cochin) at 200-kms or Madurai in Tamil Nadu at 140kms are the nearest airports from Periyar.
Rail: Kottayam at 114kms is the nearest railhead from Periyar.
Road: Kumily, the nearest town from Periyar is well served by both state and private buses from Kottayam, Ernakulam and Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
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