Duration: 07
Nights / 08 Days
(Delhi - Bandavgarh - Kanha - Nagpur - Delhi )
Day1 : Delhi - Bandavgarh
We will receive you at the hotel and then after picking up some fruits, juice
and water for the journey proceed to station for train to Umaria (Bandavgarh).
Overnight will be on the train.
Day 2 : Bandavgarh
Reach Bandavgarh in the morning and check in at resort. Bandavgarh is a new
National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya hills of Madhya
Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a wide variety of
habitats and a high density of game, including a large number of Tigers. This
is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa
for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known in 1951. This
white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace of Maharaja of
Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh had long
been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The
Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well
protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers.
His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914. There are
32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort at its center.
The forts cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters)
above the surrounding countryside. Bandavgarh has been a center of human activity
and settlement for over 2000 years, and there are references to it in the ancient
books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama,
hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, stopped at Bandavgarh on his way back
to his homeland after defeating the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects,
who had engineered a bridge between the isle of Lanka and the mainland, are
said to have built Bandavgarhs Fort. Later Rama handed it over to his
brother Lakshmana who became known as Bandavdhish "The Lord of the Fort"
. Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in
a temple there. The oldest sign of habitation in the park are caves dug into
the sandstone to the north of the fort. Several contain Brahmi inscriptions
dating from the 1st century BC. Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example,
the Maghas from the 1st century AD, the Vakatakas from the 3rd century AD. From
that time onwards Bandavgarh was ruled by a succession of dynasties including
the Chandela Kings of Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho.
The Baghel Kings, the direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa,
established their dynasty at Bandavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their
capital till 1617 when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms)
to the north. Without royal patronage Bandavgarh became more and more deserted
until forest overran the area and it became the royal hunting reserve. This
helped to preserve the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made
full use of their rights. Each set out to kill the auspicious number of 109
Tigers. At independence Bandavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja
until he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968.
After the park was created poaching was brought under control and the number
of animals rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve
the problem of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village
within the park boundaries was relocated. The Tigers in particular prospered
and the 1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them. Check
in at the resort and overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day
3 : Bandavgarh
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris) . Trip to the
Bandavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more than 2500
years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of this trek
lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a
place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and
preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the
surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and
permission is required to visit it. However permission is available locally
and no trip to Bandavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the
fort. The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating
the trek to the fort.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 4 : Bandavgarh
Jungle exploration on elephant back and Jeeps. Enjoy bird watching and a walk
to the fort. Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 5 : Bandavgarh - Kanha (By Road : 250 km in 6 hr )
After breakfast drive to Kanh . This is the place that has been described by
RUDYARD KIPLING in his great book "The Jungle Book". Located
in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is a tiger reserve
that extends over an area of over 940 square km. A horseshoe shaped valley bounded
by the spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep rocky escarpments
along the edges offer breathtaking views of the valley. Realizing the danger
on the Tiger population in the country, the Government started the "Project
Tiger" at Kanha and in 1974 the area was declared a Tiger reserve. The
park is also the habitat of the high ground Barasingha. In 1930s, the Kanha
area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar of 250kms to 300kms
each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The area remained a protected
one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the year that followed
led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. Patient watching should
reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian Fox, Sloth bear, Striped hyena, Jungle
cut, Lepord, Mouse Deer, Chausingha or four horned antelope, Nilgai, Ratel and
Porcupine Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers should station themselves
in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour many species and in
the grassy forest clearings. Water birds can be seen near the parks many
rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the
area in front of the museum. Excursion to Kawardha just east of the Maikala
Range (up to 1100m) to the south east of Kanha National Park, Kawardha is a
small town in Chhattisgarh (34 forts) region of M.P. In this remote area Maharaja
Viswaraj Singh has recently opened his palace to visitors. It provides a delightfully
quite unspoiled contrast with Indias big cities and with the much busier
tourist circuit of Rajasthans palace circuit. This town is
in the center of the Baiga tribe, who live in forest surrounding the town, and
these are several eleventh century temples in the immediate region. Reach in
the afternoon and relax at the resort. Overnight will be at the Kanha Resort.
Day 6 : Kanha
Spend the full day viewing game and spotting TIGERS inside the jungle. (Two
safaris) .Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 7 : Kanha - Nagpur (By Road : 250 km in 6 hr )
Proceed for the morning
GAME DRIVE into the forest. Proceed to Nagpur.
Nagpur, popularly known as Orange Capital of India is also the second capital
of Maharashtra. The Gond King of Deogad, Bakht Buland Shah laid
the citys foundation in the year 1702. This city derived its name from
the river Nag that flows through it. Nagpur was the capital of Madhya Bharat
State (C.P. and Berar) after Indian independence and in 1960, the Marathi majority
Vidarbha region was merged with the new state of Maharashtra. Overnight will
be at Nagpur.
Day 8 : Nagpur - Delhi
Breakfast will be at hotel. Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Reach and
transfer to airport for connecting flight home. If your return flight is late
in the evening we would be organizing a hotel for day use which can be used
for relaxing.
TOUR ENDS
Tiger Safari India Travel Reservation Form