My Wild Life Adventure in Bandhavgarh Forest

Forests give you a sense of peace and calm. A whole different universe exists in them that works on its own terms. Every bird, reptile or animal has a well planned strategy to capture prey for their survival. They need to be sharp, fit and constantly aware and alert of their surroundings. Danger could be at their doorstep without having any sense of its existence. Teamwork is the key to succeed in finding food and after a successful hunt, it is important to hide your catch and keep it for yourself. Bandhavgarh forest in Madhya Pradesh is no exception.

For us humans, a jungle safari or game drive is a competition. Which jeep is going to spot the tiger first! Like the fastest finger first on a game show! The competition and stress on the guide and the driver to deliver the majestic tiger for the never ending demand of tourists is unparalleled. Something similar happened to us on our safari expedition in Bandhavgarh Forest.

We woke up early morning at 4:30 am for our jungle safari. The entry gates open at 6 am. The gate assigned to us was the Magadhi gate. We were staying at Kings Lodge owned by a group called Pugdundee safaris. They also have another property called The Tree House Hideaway in Bandhavgarh. We have been to both their properties and both are exquisite with a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. The manager, Mr Prasantha at Kings Lodge had amazing stories which he narrated to us while we enjoyed a bonfire in the evening. He was very experienced since he has travelled around the forests of the world including Tanzania.

The first Game Drive in Bandhavgarh forest, Magadhi Zone

After a breakfast of hot tea and muffins, we left our hotel at 5:30 am and were at our assigned gate by 6 am. As soon as we entered, we saw a few spotted dear grazing peacefully. Their innocence was welcoming. Driving on we spotted a few birds like the hoopoe, kingfisher, eagle, and heron.

But here is the most interesting part. We met a wildlife naturalist whose job is to keep an eye on the movements of the tiger in the forest. He directed the way we should be headed and just 100 meters ahead, bam!

We were graced with the sight of a female tiger, Dottie and her two cubs. What a piece of valuable information that was. We saw a cub playfully chasing a sambhar. I wondered if that was some kind of a learning from the mother on how to hunt! The cubs seemed least bothered by our presence as the news spread and the jeeps kept piling up.

While one of the cubs took the inside path, the other cub was bold! He led the way and the jeeps just followed after him. He sat in the middle of the road making it very clear to us that he was the king of the jungle. How majestic!

Our day was made. We had such an amazing sighting. We headed back to our hotel with high spirits. It felt like we had achieved something big. We spent the entire day narrating our experience to the other tourists. A few tourists who visited the Tala zone had spotted a leopard and a sloth bear!

Second Game Drive in Bandhavgarh Forest, Tala Zone

The next day we were assigned to a safari in the Tala Zone. Around 5 to 7 years ago, the Tala zone was considered the most popular zone to spot tigers. The Zone is quite vast and hilly and is considered to be a stunning part of the forest. For the first hour we did not spot much and the forest seemed rather quiet.

Then, to our delight we heard a call from a monkey. The call persisted for quite some time but after being still in a particular spot there wasn’t any movement from the animals. This was a classic example of teamwork by monkeys and deer. The monkey from high up on the tree alerts the animals nearby on the movement of the tiger. Unfortunately, this was the only exciting part of the safari as there was no other tiger sighting that day.

However, all was not lost. While we were exiting we spotted a few sambar grazing. With the setting sun as the backdrop it was a wonderful sight.

That marked our last safari in Bandhavgarh forest. We would have loved one more but since we booked our safaris quite late, no additional safaris were available. So make sure you plan your trip well ahead of time and make your safari bookings at least 2 months before your visit.

We ended our trip to Bandhavgarh forest feeling content and at peace. The forest is always a great way to reconnect with nature and realise that there is a whole different world out there, one that can find beauty and happiness despite the sudden threat of danger.

Do look out for my blogs on Incredible India, Around the world

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