Madhya Pradesh Tours & Experiences

Things to do in Madhya Pradesh

Track tigers at Bandhavgarh

Bandhavgarh's core is compact, and the reserve counts itself among India's parks with the highest density of tigers. Our Bandhavgarh tiger safari runs a pre-dawn and an afternoon drive each day, with permits for the Tala, Magadhi or Khitauli zone booked ahead. Plan two to three nights, and see the Bandhavgarh page for the meadows, the old caves and the birds.

Look for barasingha at Kanha

In the Maikal hills of the Satpuras, Kanha saved the hard-ground barasingha, now Madhya Pradesh's state animal, and its open meadows are where to watch the deer. Drives pass through sal forest, bamboo and grassland in four core zones. Our Kanha tiger safari takes one zone on each drive, and the Kanha page has the rest.

Try Satpura, Panna or Pench

The forest department also sells permits for Satpura, Panna and Pench, among other reserves, and describes Satpura as unique in the state in allowing cycling, canoeing and trekking. MP Tourism lists boat trips on the Ken river in Panna, whose Madla gate is 25 km from Khajuraho, and jungle walks with trained guides in Pench. We do not run trips to these three.

Read Khajuraho's carvings with a guide

Khajuraho was the seat of the Chandela rulers, and its richly carved temples have been a World Heritage Site since 1986. Our Khajuraho temples tour spends a day on all three temple groups with a private guide and vehicle, and the Khajuraho page adds the museums, the evening show and the dance festival.

Take a boat through Bhedaghat's marble gorge

At Bhedaghat, about 22 km from Jabalpur, the Narmada runs between white marble cliffs up to 100 feet high, and boats take visitors along the gorge, on moonlit nights as well as by day. The Dhuandhar falls are close by. Jabalpur is the usual airport for both tiger reserves, so the gorge fits easily into a safari trip.

See Sanchi's stupas and Bhimbetka's rock paintings

Two more World Heritage Sites lie near Bhopal. At Sanchi, about 50 km away, the gateways of the Great Stupa are carved with episodes from the Buddha's life and the Jataka tales. At Bhimbetka, 45 km south-east of the city, a path leads past painted rock shelters, the Zoo Rock among them, crowded with animals, hunters and battle scenes.

Attend the Bhasma Aarti in Ujjain

Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple, on the Shipra and one of the twelve jyotirlingas, begins each day with the Bhasma Aarti before dawn, when the lingam is covered in sacred ash. Places are booked in advance on the temple's official website, and queues form well before the start.

Choosing between our tours and experiences

In Madhya Pradesh we sell two experiences and one tour package. The Bandhavgarh and Kanha safaris are experiences: drives in a single park, with permits booked and a naturalist included, for travellers who put wildlife first and stay two to three nights. The Khajuraho temples tour is a tour package, a guided day with a private vehicle, for those who want the carving explained. Compare them on Madhya Pradesh tour packages and wildlife safaris in Madhya Pradesh.

When to go for these

For safaris, the core zones of the tiger reserves are shut from 1 July to 30 September and reopen in the first half of October, while their buffer zones stay open all year. Winter is cool and busy, with frost possible at Kanha in January. April to June is hot, though some travellers choose it in the belief that animals stay near water. Khajuraho's temples are best seen from October to March, by the Ministry of Tourism's advice.

Planning tips

Book safari permits early: the forest department sells them online, and the December to March slots sell out. Every safari vehicle must carry a licensed park guide, and every protected area in the state closes to visitors on Holi and Diwali, so check your dates against both. Distances are long: Bandhavgarh's Tala village is 170 km from Jabalpur, and Kanha's Khatia gate 160 km. Our Madhya Pradesh travel guide covers the routes.