If Kanha is Kipling’s country, then Bandhavgarh is the jewel in Madhya Pradesh’s crown. Situated at a distance of 195 km from Jabalpur and 225 km from Khajuraho, the Bandhavgarh National Park is a premier wildlife preserve in the Vindhya mountain range of Central India. It is a tiny park compared to Kanha but with nearly the same number of tigers and leopards, or at least that is the official figure. Besides tigers and leopards, Bandhavgarh is also extremely productive for medium-sized bison herds. Bandhavgarh came into existence as a national park in 1968 with a core area of 105 sq. km, which was later extended to include two adjoining sal forests in 1986. Before becoming a national park, it was the game reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa. But due to loss of royal patronage, it remained neglected for a long time until the government declared it a national park to control rampant poaching in the area.

Bandhavgarh has the highest density of tigers among all reserves in India and packs the same wealth of wildlife in a smaller area. It is famous as the original home of the white (albino) tiger, though this rare species has long become extinct here. Apart from tigers, Bandhavgarh is also famous for sloth bear, sambar, chital, muntjac, nilgai, chinkara, and wild pigs. There are also interesting cave shrines scattered around the park, with Brahmi inscriptions dating from the first century B.C. You can visit the remains of the Bandhavgarh fort believed to be 2,000 years old.