Bandhavgarh National Park Hotels & Resorts

Tracking tigers in Bandhavgarh National Park is like living out your every jungle fantasy. Bandhavgarh, like all of India’s national parks, is divided up into different zones only one of which you can explore on each outing.

On a full day safari though you can explore all four zones which is a little more expensive but fantastic. The star attraction is the park’s Bengal tigers of which researchers still only know around 8% of their behavioural patterns. Among the huge array of fauna, there are also leopard, sloth bears, four species of deer and a multitude of bird life. The topography is riveting; tall sal trees, sloping hills, vast grassland and thick forest. Each animal sighting is as unique as the next but there’s nothing more special than seeing the distinctive stripes of your first tiger sighting.

There are many walks that you can take from Samode Safari Lodge but one of the most popular is a walk to the local village. It will help you understand the dynamics of the neighbouring tribe - its history, culture and lifestyle. You’ll get to learn about the different hierarchies within the community and the fascinating way they’ve built their village.

Some of the houses, constructed out of clay, cow dung and sand, must be a thousand years old yet are scientifically way ahead of their time. You’ll see how they still use original wooden beams even after all these years, how the roof doubles up as storage and how its dome like structure allows for air circulation. They’re the perfect examples of an eco-friendly house. The village visit is at its most picturesque when the sun is about to set and, in the distance, you can see hundreds of cows steered by a herder crossing the grassland on their way home as their hooves kick up dust into the sky.

Enjoy a bicycle ride along the grassy perimeters of Bandhavgarh National Park. Pedalling through you’ll see a forest alive with the noise and flitting of many, many birds. The rural track trails through sal trees. You won’t enter the park itself but occasionally you might still spot some of its wildlife.

People have seen sloth bears trundling across the way as well as grazing spotted deer. If you’re lucky you may see a flying squirrel gliding from tree to tree - easily mistaken for a bird. If you want to stay out for longer, you can make a detour to the neighbouring village for an insight into the traditional local culture.