1 experience in Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh tiger safari 
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh tiger safari
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Bandhavgarh National Park travel guides
Bandhavgarh National Park Travel Guide: Zones, Fort and Seasons 
Travel guide · Destinations
Bandhavgarh National Park Travel Guide: Zones, Fort and Seasons
Bandhavgarh National Park, notified in 1968, is a tiger reserve in the Umaria and Katni districts of Madhya Pradesh and, by its own account, among the parks with the highest density of tigers. It is seen on gypsy safaris in three core zones, Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli, below an old fort on its highest plateau. The core is usually open from 15 October to 30 June.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside Bandhavgarh Fort?
No. The forest department restricts entry to the fort, which stands on the reserve's highest plateau inside the core. You see its walls from the forest tracks, and Shesh Shaiya, on the slopes of the fort hill, can be reached on a Tala-zone drive.
Which village is the base for a Bandhavgarh safari?
Tala, at the reserve's main entrance, where almost all of its tourism is based, from the forest department's own rooms to private lodges. Buffer drives leave from separate gates, Parasi for Dhamokhar, Cechpur for Johila and Pachpedi for Panpatha, so check where your permit starts.
Can you get out of the vehicle on a Bandhavgarh safari?
Only when the guide tells you to. The reserve's rules keep visitors in their seats, hold vehicles to about 20 km/h, give animals the right of way and ban horns, music and noise. The guide's instructions are for your safety.
Is Bandhavgarh good for birdwatching?
Yes. The reserve has recorded more than 250 species, and Gopalpur, approached slowly, is its spot for kingfishers, storks, lapwings and stilts. Vultures nest on the cliffs around the hillocks, three of their species listed as critically endangered, and migrants arrive in winter.
About Bandhavgarh National Park Tours & Experiences
The main things to do in Bandhavgarh are gypsy safaris in its three core zones, Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli, for tigers, leopards and sloth bears; the 10th-century reclining Vishnu at Shesh Shaiya on Tala drives; and birdwatching at its meadows and cliffs. Our Bandhavgarh tiger safari books your zone permits, and a private naturalist collects you from your lodge for each drive.
Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 21 Oct 2026
Things to do in Bandhavgarh
Take a gypsy safari in the core zones
Drives run twice a day, early morning and afternoon, in Tala, Magadhi and Khitauli, which together open about a fifth of the core to visitors. Each park-registered gypsy takes up to six visitors with a driver and a licensed park guide; the reserve makes a guide compulsory in every vehicle. Our Bandhavgarh tiger safari books permits ahead and advises on zones; Tala is the most requested.
Look for leopards, sloth bears and dhole
Tigers are the draw, but watch too for leopard, dhole, gaur, chital and sambar. Sloth bears now use the old caves at Three Cave Point, which can be seen from the Ganesh hillock road.
See Shesh Shaiya and Bari Gufa
Tala-zone drives can reach Shesh Shaiya, a 10th-century statue of Vishnu reclining on a seven-hooded serpent, where the Charanganga stream rises at the god's feet. Bari Gufa, the park's largest man-made cave, also dates from the 10th century and now shelters bats.
Wait at the meadows
Guides know the reserve's named spots. Chakradhara, a marshy meadow ringed by hillocks, is a good place to see tigers; Sehra, the largest meadow, faces the fort hill and has breeding sarus cranes in June; and Rampur hillock, called photographer's point, looks out over sal and bamboo.
Drive the buffer zones
Dhamokhar, Johila and Panpatha, the buffer zones, have their own gates and permits, and the state's rules keep them open all year, so they still run when the core is shut for the monsoon. Bamera Dam in Panpatha, 12 km from Tala, is good for birds.
Choosing between our tours and experiences
What we sell at Bandhavgarh is an experience: the tiger safari, with drives, permits and a naturalist over two or three nights, for travellers who put a tiger sighting first. It is listed on Bandhavgarh wildlife safaris. None of our tour packages stays in Bandhavgarh; the safari pairs well with Kanha, and our guided temples tour is on the Khajuraho page.
When to go for these
The reserve's usual season for core drives is 15 October to 30 June, and the core is closed from 1 July to 30 September. By the forest department's figures, December and January nights fall to about 4°C and May days reach about 42°C. Migrant birds arrive in winter.
Before your drives
Wear muted colours, skip strong perfume and carry water, as the reserve asks, with a warm layer for winter mornings. How to reach Tala is in our Bandhavgarh travel guide.
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