Bandhavgarh National ParkSituated in Madhya Pradesh, and accessible bytrain to Katni, two hours away, Bandhavgarh is thesmallest of three parks in the region and consistsof thick sal and bamboo forest interspersed withopen marshland. This is an ideal habitat for wildboar, jackal and sambar. The park is known for itshealthy tiger population and as a result, sightingsare frequent. Game drives are taken in the earlymorning and late afternoon in small jeeps.KINGSLODGE, BANDHAVGARHThis property is situated in Rancha village, only a short drive from the Tala Gate entry toBandhavgarh National Park and is set amid fivehectares of sal forest. It comprises eight cottagerooms and ten stilt rooms, all with modern, en suite bathrooms. Each stilt unit also has awooden lofted balcony. The rooms are decoratedwith tribal art, giving the lodge a sense of thejungle. The hotel also has a library, swimming pool and watchtower. The lodge has been builtto blend with the surrounding landscape and haseco-sensitive and responsible policies; traininglocal villagers as naturalists and camp staff. Theirvision is that the forest's inhabitants are thegenuine protectors of the wildlife. The naturalistshere have a wealth of knowledge and experiencein tracking and wildlife conservation.MAHUAKOTHI, BANDHAVGARHThe name Mahua Kothi draws its inspiration fromone of India's most beautiful trees, the MadhucaIndica, or as it is commonly known, the Mahua orbutter tree. The twelve Kutiyas (jungle villagehuts) are set in the 16 hectare grounds of thisluxury tented camp (formerly known as ChurhatKothi). Each fan-cooled and air-conditioned roomfeatures traditional textiles. An enormous verandahas generous built-in seats for stargazing, whilehuge windows allow a cooling breeze into therooms. The swimming pool is perfect for arefreshing dip between game drives.Panna National ParkOnly 45 minutes from the ornate templecomplex at Khajuraho, Panna National Park is oneof Central India's most accessible tiger sanctuaries.This does, however, bring inherent risks for theiconic tiger. An expanding human population andcontinued high demand for tiger parts intraditional medicines meant that the park had lostall its tigers to poachers by June 2009. Two tigerswere moved here from other parks and threetiger cubs were born in early 2010, but sightingsare understandably rare. However, Panna alsohosts a variety of other animals. Leopard, liketiger, are adept at avoiding human contact, buttheir prey are not so reticent. Chital and sambardeer graze the grasslands while langur monkeyskeep watch from the forest canopy. Panna has anabundance of birdlife and is a great place to seebirds of prey such as eagles and vultures. Also inthe park, the River Ken is home to the marshmugger crocodile.80Royal Bengal tigers, Bandhavgarh National ParkView of Panna National ParkMahua Kothi, BandhavgarhKings Lodge, Bandhavgarh

Kanha National ParkKanha National Park covers over 940 squarekilometres and has two main entry points, at Kisli and the more remote Mukki gate, withaccommodation available at each. Over 200 birdspecies and 22 species of mammal, includingleopard, the Indian wild dog and swamp deerhave been recorded. Many can be seen from yourbreakfast table, or in the meadows during yourmorning game drive. There is a healthy populationof tiger and sloth bear, although the bear'screpuscular habits mean it is rarely seen outsidethe hours of dawn or dusk. Kanha can be reachedfrom Raipur and Nagpur airports or Jabalpur trainstation, but incorporating visits to the moreaccessible Bandhavgarh or Pench reduces journey times and enables you to experiencecontrasting parks.SHERGARH, KANHAWith fourteen years' experience as a naturalist,Jehan, and his English wife, Katie, run this tentedcamp on the quieter side of the park, which theyset up in 2004. They personally look after theirguests and the atmosphere is very relaxed andinformal. Set in reforested woodland around awaterhole which attracts a variety of birds, the sixtents are simple but comfortably furnished. Eachattached bathroom has a separate shower roomand dressing area, and the use of local materialsgives a rustic feel. The focus is on well-guidedwildlife and rural activities that are sensitive to theenvironment and local community. River and hillwalks, cycle rides through the jungle andsurrounding villages, and visits to weekly tribalmarkets are all part of the experience.FLAMEOFTHEFOREST, KANHAA dream hideaway for nature enthusiasts nestlingright next to the Banjar River and only tenminutes from the Kisli Gate, the lodge offersabsolute privacy with a stunning view over theriver and deep into the jungle. There are onlyfour luxury cottages, built and designed in gober(mud, water and cow dung mix). The ownerKaran, who previously worked as a naturalist for14 years, decided with his Swiss wife Isabelle, toprovide a small personal camp with an individualservice. Karan himself enjoys taking his guests onjeep safaris and is extremely passionate aboutKanha's wildlife and natural environment. Thereare no TV's or swimming pool, but an outsidewaterfall-style shower, a peaceful setting andbeautiful views over the river more than make up for it.Pench National ParkThought to have inspired Kipling's 'Jungle Book',Pench is a relatively new park, dedicated to theprotection of the tiger and is perhaps the leastknown national park in Madhya Pradesh. Despitebeing only two hours' drive from Nagpur airport,www.audleytravel.com/india ?01993 838 350 ?Wildlife in India81visitor numbers are low and its teak forestssupport a huge variety of birdlife. Although thetiger is more elusive here than in some of theother parks, mammals such as langur, spotteddeer and jungle cat are regularly seen. Entry to thepark is prohibited after dark, but a private nightdrive through the buffer zone with an expertnaturalist is an exciting way of viewing some ofthe region's nocturnal creatures, including the fascinating flying squirrel.Tadoba-Andhari Tiger ReserveThe Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, situated inthe Chandrapur District of Maharashtra, spansover 620 square kilometres. It became one ofIndia's 28 reserves, allocated for the protection of tigers in 1995. Its hills support a dense, tropicaldeciduous forest, largely made up of teak andbamboo sliced through by the Andhari River.Although Tadoba has a healthy population oftiger, they are not accustomed to human presenceand are slow to show themselves. It sis worthspending several days here to increase yourchances of sighting them. The park is also hometo many other mammals, such as leopard, slothbear, gaur, wild dog, striped hyena, jungle cat and chausingha (the four-horned antelope),not to mention a rich birdlife. Tadoba-AndhariTiger Reserve is ideal for those who want tosample a quieter, lesser-known national park andtiger reserve.Tent at Shergarh, Kanha National ParkTiger on the prowl, Pench National ParkFlame of the Forest, Kanha National ParkChital deer, Kanha National ParkWhite-eyed buzzard, Taboda-Andhari Tiger Reserve