Source: Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bengal_tiger_in_Bandhavgarh_National_Park_02.jpg
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh is known for one of the highest tiger densities in India. Sal forest, bamboo and grassy meadows spread around a steep hill topped by the old Bandhavgarh Fort, and the reserve also shelters leopards, sloth bears, gaur, deer and, in recent years, wild elephants.
Safari essentials: the core has three zones, Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli, each with a capped number of gypsies per shift; Tala is the most visited. Buffer zones around the core offer extra permits when the core is sold out. The core reopened on 1 October 2026 after its three month monsoon closure, and the tourism season runs to 30 June. Safaris run in morning and afternoon shifts in open gypsies with a forest guide. Book permits only on the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department portal, forest.mponline.gov.in, as early October and winter dates sell out fast.
- Address: Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Umaria District, Madhya Pradesh
- Hours: Morning and afternoon shifts. Core zones open 1 October to 30 June. Gate times from 1 October 2026: October and November 6:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM; December and January 6:20 AM to 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM; February and March 6:10 AM to 11:30 AM and 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM; April to June 5:30 AM to 11:00 AM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
- How to Reach: Umaria railway station is about 35 km from Tala; Katni and Jabalpur are larger rail junctions, and Jabalpur airport is about 170 km away.
- Website: https://forest.mponline.gov.in
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