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Bandhavgarh Factfile |
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The Bandhavgarh National Park is located
within the district of Sahdol in the central Indian state of Madhya
Pradesh. This forest nestled among the Vindhya hills came into existence
in 1968 when the Maharaja of Rewa handed over the area to the government
for it's formation. At the time when it was handed over to the
government, the fauna was not faring too well due to the difficulty in
the control of poaching. Once this became a protected area, the animal
population took a drastic turn and began to flourish. At this time, the
entire park covered an area of 106 square kilometers whereas it
presently consists of an area of 448 square kilometers. These much
required extensions, to the northern and southern areas, of the park
were done in 1982. These areas consisted primarily of Sal forests, which
is the main tree-cover found in the entire park along with Bamboo. It
was finally declared a tiger reserve under Project Tiger in 1993. |
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Much of the park is covered in Sal forest,
replaced by mixed forests in the higher elevations of the hills. There
are extensive stands of bamboo and grasslands. Generally the forests are
less dense here, with less undergrowth than in North India, thus
offering better sightings of wildlife, notably mammals, including the
daylight sightings of Tigers in the grassy 'maidans'. 40 + Tigers are
estimated for the park.
Other inhabitants of the
park include the Muntajac, Jungle Cat, Ratel, Jyena, Porcupine, the
Rhesus Macaque and the back-faced Langur. The park also has numerous
ancient caves and rock shelters, with shrines and inscriptions. About
150 species of birds known from the Tala area are also found over here
including the Brown Fish Owl, Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, Malabar Pied
Hornbill and Shahin Falcon.
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The National park is dominated
by the ancient Bandhavgarh Fort, located on a plateau and reached after
a steep climb. The fort is now in ruins, its monuments and tanks beings
gradually reclaimed by the forest, thus providing additional shelter for
wildlife such as Black Bucks.
You can also check the path for tiger pug
marks, as this path is frequented a lot by them during the night. You
will come across many other temples on your way up. Most of them
depicting the various reincarnations of Lord Vishnu. Some of these
reincarnations are in the form of a boar, a fish and a tortoise. One of
the most overwhelming sights is the 7 meter high statue of Narasimha,
the reincarnation in the form of half human, half lion. All these
temples and statues date back to around the 10th century. One of these
temples also has the carvings of Lord Ganesha, which were done at a
later time. You are at eye level with soaring eagles and vultures.
There could be very few people who would have come away from there
without wishing they could fly like the birds. The best bit about this
walk is the absolute harmony with nature of all that you come across,
including the temples and statues. A walk to each of the numerous lakes
within the fort boundaries is a possibility but it must be kept in mind
that your exit is still dependant on the park timings. Once within the
fort confines, it is fascinating just following the numerous tracks
leading through tall grass, over rocky boulders, around lakes and ponds.
For those interested in archaelogy and other related subjects, this is
heaven on earth. Even for the religious minded, the number of temples in
the fort comes as a very pleasant surprise. All in all, the fort is a
"must visit" place for people of any interest |
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White Tiger Lodge |
At Bandhavgarh,
there are accommodation facilities to suit almost all budgets. Ranging
from lavish hotels and luxury camps to budget hotels to rooms let out by
locals - all can be found at Tala. The quality of hotels and the
facilities provided by them are of a generally good standard. The
service sometimes at some hotels tends to be a little lackadaisical but
can be sorted out very quickly. The palace of the royal family of Rewa
has also been converted into a hotel. The boundaries of this palace also
harbor a small museum with artifacts of bygone eras.
One of the tried and tested luxury camp set ups personally visited, and
approved, by us is the "Bandhavgarh Jungle Camp". This camp offers
extremely comfortable tents with attached washrooms. It is set in
extremely jungle like surroundings and evenings give you a true wildlife
experience here. The service provided is warm and efficient. The camp
management looks after all the requirements of their guests during their
stay in Bandhavgarh. What makes the difference here is that the
management themselves come across as true wildlife enthusiasts
themselves
An excellent medium budget accommodation option is the goverment run
"White Tiger Lodge". This offers excellent rooms and cottages at
reasonable rates. It offers excellent catering facilities and is located
right at the edge of the reserve. Some of the rooms are interesting
built on stilts which gives it an interesting atmosphere, although
sightings of animals below is becoming very rare with the passing of
every season. This resort also offers conference facilities for
corporates planning a trip to this area |
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Luxurious Tented House |
Jungle Camp |
White Tiger Lodge |
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Excursions & Activities |
| Folk music and dance
entertainment is organised on request for the visiting groups. |
| To and fro transport
from Khajuraho, Umaria & Satna can be arranged for the tourists, by
paying an extra amount. |
| Wildlife viewing by
jeeps, elephant rides, bird watching trips, nature walks, wildlife
trekking are also be organised for visitors. |
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Facilities |
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The resort restaurant serves Indian,
continental and Chinese cuisine delicacies. |
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Room service facility is also available at
the resort. |
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Laundry |
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Recreational centre |
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Seasons |
Bandhavgarh experiences climatic conditions
that vary to opposite extremes. In winters, the bitter cold forces the
visitors to put on multiple layers as protection against the biting
cold. Early morning rides can be in temperature that dip below zero,
once you take the windchill factor into consideration. In the summers,
it changes drastically to the opposite.
The temperature in the winters varies
from 0 to 20 degrees centigrade between November and February. In the
summers, the temperatures move to the other extreme and can go up to 46
degrees centigrade. Towards late summer, Bandhavgarh has an average
annual rainfall of 1200mm. The rains here give very little prior warning
and it is preferable to be prepared for your own protection, as well as
for your equipment. These rains, however, bring good respite from the
blistering heat. A single shower can make temperatures fall from 45
degrees to 30 degrees centigrade. The main monsoon season mostly begins
only once the park is closed from June to November.
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Tariff
Plan |
| Net rate
inclusive of taxes |
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Unit |
Category |
No . of Rooms |
Traiff (Rs) |
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Single |
Double |
Extra Person |
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AC |
14 |
INR 1490/- |
INR 1490/- |
INR 200/- |
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Non Ac |
24 |
INR 990/- |
INR 990/- |
INR 150/- |
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Peak Season (October 3-17, October 25 -
November 4 & December 20, 2005 - 2 January, 2006). |
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15% increase in tariff. |
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