Complete Travel Guide For Pench National Park
Housed in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh, Pench National Park owes its name to the river Pench which cuts a path through the forests. It is so vast that it straddles the realm of Madhya Pradesh and the neighbouring state Maharashtra. The beauty of Pench National Park is so enchanting that it has sparked one of the best creations of Rudyard Kipling- The Jungle Book.
Laden with rocky trails, wooded hills, glassy rivers, and gushing streams, the park lures in large herds of visitors every year, and is a nature lover’s wildest dream! The beautiful, lush woods foster over 300 varied species of flora and fauna, something no other place in India can boast of! There are also flocks of resident and migratory birds that live here.
The park also shelters the iconic Royal Bengal Tiger and is India’s finest sanctuary, Pench Tiger Reserve. It offers splendid opportunities for tiger spotting, especially in the summers.
The swaying trees and gurgling streams are a melodious combination, lulling the senses of all those who come here. With no dearth of luxury resorts, cottages and lodges that line the interiors of the park, a perfect balance of comfort and wilderness enhances your trip. There are countless stimulating activities that you can lust after at this national park.
The Pench National Park Safari is the best of its kind in the entire country. Besides that, activities like nature trails, elephant safaris, boating, bonfires, bird watching, wildlife spotting, and cycling rides add magic and excitement to your stay.
Flora Of Pench National Park :
Receiving heavy rainfall, Pench National Park is lined with beautiful Sal trees throughout. The leaves of Sal are good quality fodder, while the fruits are heavy on the nutritional value. Besides Sal, the park is home to the rare Crocodile Bark, also known as Saja or Ain.
Terminalia Arjun can also be found here in large numbers near water sources and is distinguished by the thick girth. Numerous other species like Terminalia Chibula, Billerica, and Axle Wood or Dhaoda are also shaded within the bounds of the park.
Find stunning, vibrant flowers like Amaltas and Flame of The Forest (Butea frondosa), while the trees of Baja, Haldu, and Jamun (Black plum) stand guard.
Fauna Of Pench National Park :
The park is home to a large variety of fascinating animals like Bison, Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Wild Dog, and Wild Pig. Other animals that the park shelters are predators like Leopard and Wolf, while species like Barking Deer, Chinkara, Hyena, Porcupine, Jungle Cat, Palm Civet, Fox and countless more can be spotted here.
If that sounds impressive, have a look at the species of various birds that grace the interiors of the park- Malabar Pied Hornbill, White-eyed Buzzard, Grey-headed Fishing Eagle, and Indian Pitta. It is a true paradise for bird watchers and nature lovers alike.
Migratory birds like the Brahmini Duck, Coots, and Bar-headed Geese, and endangered species of vultures greet you. There are more than 50 species of fishes, 30 reptiles, numerous kinds of butterflies, moths and amphibians in the park.
Buffer Zones in Pench National Park
Turia Zone
The most elegant zone in Pench National Park, the Turia gate is located just 1.5 km away from Village Machaan Resort. The entry gate sits adjoining a wildlife museum, which holds information of the various flora and fauna in the park.
Turia zone is open from October to June. You can book Turia safaris online, for an advance booking is required to enter the gate.
Karmajhiri Zone
Another premium entry gate of Pench National Park, Karmajhiri shares part of Turia zone, including water bodies like Bodanala, and Sitaghat.
Karmajhiri zone is located about 45 km from Village Machaan Resort and is open from October to June. It is advisable to have advance bookings for entry through this gate.
Jamtara Zone
Jamtara zone is a lovely expanse, famous for sightings of Sloth Bears. It Falls in the Chhindwara district of MP. You can avail online booking to the park from this zone.
It is located at a distance of 65 km from Village Machaan Resort.
Rukhad Zone
Alternatively known as Bison retreat, Rukhad zone is situated at a distance of 35 km from Village Machaan Resort. The zone houses beautiful dense trees and is a wild whispering to nature lovers who flock here in search of beauty, respite, and solitude.
The zone carries various species of flowers and trees and is open to visitors from October to June. No online bookings are available, which means tickets must be booked directly at the booking window.
Sillari Zone
Sillari zone invites entries throughout the year but is shut on Wednesdays. The zone is replete with trees of Garari, Teak, and Bamboo.
Sillari is shaded in the Maharashtra part of Pench National Park and is located 35 km away from Village Machaan Resort. Online bookings are available.
Khursapar Zone
Another zone sheltered in the Maharashtra part of Pench National Park, Khursapar is seated 9 km away from Village Machaan Resort. It harbors various natural water bodies, which draw many species of birds and wild animals to it.
This zone is closed on Tuesdays, and online bookings are available.
How To Pick Right Pench Safari Gates And Zones
Places To Visit Near Pench National Park
Pachdhar Potter’s Village (55 km from Pench National Park.)
Totlah Doh Dam (20 km away from Pench National Park.)
Kohka Lake
Pachmarhi : One of the most stunning hill stations in Madhya Pradesh, Pachmarhi is known as ‘The Queen of Saputara’, (200 km away from Pench National Park.)
Kanha National Park (187 km away from Pench National Park.)
Jungle Safari
The Pench National Park Jungle Safari surpasses all your expectations, and offers unbeatable excitement! Since Pench National Park is home to countless fascinating species of wildlife, traversing the interiors of the lush forests and being gifted with glimpses of the rarest animals is an unrivaled form of tourism. Spot leopards, tigers, wild boars, nilgai, and a variety of deer.
Highlight:
- Spot the rarest species of wild animals in the shelters of Pench National Park.
- Take an open jeep safari, and experience the thrill of spotting wild beasts the likes of which can be seen nowhere else.
- Indian Bison, Chital, Wild Boars, Sambar, Flying Squirrel, Black Bear, Jackal and Jungle Cat roam the park freely.
Location: Pench National Park
Price: INR 2,000 to 3,000 per safari
Safari Timings:
Summer: Morning: 6:30 am to 9:30 am
Evening: 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm
Winter: Morning: 7:30 am to 10:30 am
Evening: 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Safari Cost: - INR 1500 per vehicle (for Indians)
- INR 3000 per vehicle (for Foreigners)
Bird Watching
Pench National Park is arguably the largest reserve in India, and the abode of over 300 species of birds, both resident and migratory. Birds like the Indian Pitta, Osprey, White-eyes Buzzard, Brahmini Duck, Coots and Bar-headed Geese form only the tip of the iceberg! Each jeep safari is about 3-4 hours long.
For the best bird watching experience, consider planning your trip between the months of October to March.
Highlight:
-Indian Pitta, Osprey, White-eyed Buzzard, Brahmini Duck and many more birds grace the lush Pench National Park.
-Migratory birds are best spotted in the months of October to March.
-A long jeep safari amidst the dense woods is perfect for bird watching enthusiasts.
Location: Pench National Park, Seoni Dist., Kurai, Madhya Pradesh
If you love doing cycling, there are several routes for cycling in Madhya Pradesh offering scenic views and pleasant climate.
Essential Things to Keep in Mind
- Visiting Pench National Park during monsoons might turn out to be completely disastrous. Besides, parts of the park are shut post the month of June.
- Nagpur is the nearest town to Pench National Park, and it is more convenient to travel the park from there.
- Instead of evenings, take the morning Safari. It increases your chances to spot more species of wildlife.
- It is advisable to avoid wearing deodorant or perfume, as it may scare the animals.
- Mobile reception in the forest is tricky, so internet connectivity may be weak.
- Elephant rides in Pench Tiger Reserve are more suitable if you want to spot tigers.
- Prefer to wear light, simple clothing instead of flashy, bright ones to ensure you do not catch the animals’ attention.
Best Time to Visit Pench National Park
The massive Pench National Park is a splendid beauty all year long, though it can be best experienced between the months of November and June when sightings of various animals and birds are frequent.
The months of April-May-June are more favorable since animals move out in search of water more often, and if you’re in for the wildlife part of it, summers are your best bet.
The weather is pleasantly cool, but the nights may get slightly colder in the months of January and February. Some zones of the park are open to visitors only from October to June.
How do I get there?
Nearest Airport: Jabalpur and Nagpur
Nearest Railway Station: Jabalpur, Chhindwara & Nagpur
Why WildTrails?
WildTrails provides an easy way of seeing all possible wildlife trips for some of the top exotic wildlife destinations across the world [Currently Supporting India, Kenya & Tanzania] with an end-to-end trip right from your flights, to wildlife resorts to wildlife safaris to pickup/drops from local airports to even local experiences & that you probably don’t want to miss including 16-hr support via direct chat with our world-class support staff via our App or WhatsApp (in the event of any delays or last-minute issues to any general queries about your plan or destination).
WildTrails uses the network of best tiger tracker experts associated with the particular zone of the park.
WildTrails is the world’s first and only company to bring Sightings Data, analytics into planning Wildlife holidays. WidTrails have all the sightings info (4 years data) to create a predictive metric called the sighting index.
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