Pench National Park: A detailed travel guide
Apart from the mountains and seas, most people prefer to visit forests to spend their vacations in the world. The lush greenery of thick forests makes people genuinely get lost in the wilderness of nature. Madhya Pradesh is one of the blessed places in India to have the most numbers of National Parks. Pench National Park is one of the most significant national parks in Madhya Pradesh, which shares its area with Maharashtra. Founded in 1983, this park was originally a wildlife sanctuary and then became a tiger reserve in 1992. As the park is spread over 411 square kilometers, it is located in the Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh and Chhindwara district of Maharashtra. Pench has a total protected area of over 1179 square kilometers, which is quite overwhelming.
The park might be quite familiar to you as Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” was based on Pench apart from Kanha national park. If you are a wildlife lover, you will find this national park to be one of the best places on earth. This park was commemorated as a tiger reserve because it is home to some majestic Royal Bengal Tigers. If you are planning on exploring the beauty of Pench, you must read this blog. In this travel guide, we will provide you all the necessary information about Pench National Park. The best part about this location is that you will get to spend your vacation quite luxuriously inside the park. There are different activities available in the wildlife sanctuary as well. In this blog, you will get to learn about all the essential information about the park.
The available ways to reach Pench
As the park is located 92 km from Nagpur and 192 km from Jabalpur, you will get to reach it in different ways. Primarily there are three different ways. They are via- road, rail, or air.
By road
As Pench national park is situated right on Jabalpur-Nagpur highway, you will be able to reach there from Jabalpur or Nagpur pretty easily. In case you visit Pench from Bhopal, you will have to drive for over six hours to reach there. As the distance between Bhopal and Pench is around 500 km, you will need the entire day to reach the park. In case you are planning on boarding a public bus, you will have to travel from Nagpur. You will get hourly buses from Nagpur, which will take you to Seoni or Khawasa. These villages are around 12 km from Pench. The resort you will be staying in will send you transportation to pick you up from the said villages.
By rail
Even though you can avail trains to Nagpur or Jabalpur to reach Pench, we suggest you take the train to Nagpur. As Nagpur and Pench’sPench’s distance is lesser than the distance between Jabalpur and Pench, you will save time by traveling from Nagpur. You will get cars from both Nagpur or Jabalpur railway stations quite easily.
By air
As mentioned in the case of railway stations, the Nagpur airport is nearer to Pench than the Jabalpur airport. That is why it would be better for you if you book flights to Nagpur airport.
The apt season to visit Pench National Park
Both Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are pretty warm; that is why traveling to Pench during the summer is not a good idea. It is always better to visit there in the winter season when the climate is more agreeable. If you visit Pench in the winter season, you will be able to enjoy the safari very much. Moreover, winter is the best season to witness a myriad of exotic birds.
But if you visit the park in the summer season, the chances of seeing a tiger over there will be a lot higher. Most wild animals come out in the open to drink water during the summer season. If you are genuinely interested in seeing majestic animals, the summer season would be apt for you. But remember, the weather will not be comfortable.
Also, you should keep in mind that the park stays open only between October to June. It is closed during the monsoon season.
Types of Safaris available at Pench and their timings
There are three different types of Safaris available at Pench national park. They are- daytime jeep safari, nighttime safari, and elephant safari.
Daytime jeep safari
Like other national parks in India, Pench allows its guests to explore the park by taking part in daytime jeep safaris. The timings of this safari are different for the summer and winter season. You will be able to take part in either morning safari or afternoon safari while exploring Pench. But it is always better to take the safari during dusk or dawn as the chances of seeing wild animals during sunrise or sunset are way more than anytime else.
Timings
1st March to 15th June- 5.30 am to 9.30 am and 3 pm to 7 pm.
1st October to 28/29th February- 6.30 am to 11 am and 2.30 pm to 6 pm.
Night safari
The night safari at Pench national park is the latest addition to all the attractions available over there. This safari is also known as Wolf Safari, and it is one of the most interesting activities in the park. You will get to see many endangered species of birds, and the safari is limited to the buffer zone only.
Timings
1st March to 15th June- 6 pm to 9 pm.
1st October to 28/29th February- 6 pm to 9 pm.
Flora and fauna at Pench
Pench national park is not only one of the most important parts of the wildlife of India, but also it is extremely beautiful. The park encounters heavy rainfall in the monsoon season, and as a result of it is filled with the lush greenery of gorgeous trees like Sal, Ain, Saja, Arjun, and others. One of the main reasons why the park is home to so many wild animals is that it offers high-quality fodder. You will be quite mesmerized to see some endangered species of flowers over there. Some of them are Flame of the forest or Butea Frondosa, Amaltas, and others.
Even though the Pench national park is filled with gorgeous flora species, so many people visit there because of the high diversity of fauna. The entire forests are filled with wild endangered animals like Barking deer, Hyena, Porcupine, Cheeta, Nilgai, Sambhar, Jungle Cat, Fox, Wild Pig, and others. But as we have mentioned earlier, Pench’s main attraction is Royal Bengal tigers, who usually live in the core regions of the forest. If you are lucky, you will be able to see leopards in the park as well.
Apart from animals, the forest is home to some exotic species of birds, namely Coots, Brahmini Duck, Bar-headed Geese, Grey-headed fishing eagle, Malabar pied hornbill, and others.
Overall, Pench national park is home to more than 300 species of animals, 30 species of reptiles, and 50 species of fishes. For a nature lover, it is truly a paradise.
Different zones of Pench National Park
Pench national park is divided into different buffer zones where you will be able to start your journey. Most of the entry gates are located in the said zones, and usually, they are situated close to the nearest villages. They are given in the following section of this blog.
Karmajhiri zone
This zone is open from October to June, and it is located quite close to the Machaan village resort. One of the main gates to enter the park is located in this zone. As this is one of the most popular buffer zones in Pench, you will have to book your safari to avoid any inconvenience.
Turia Zone
Turia Zone is also extremely famous among tourists as it has the main gate to enter the park. This zone is also located close to the famous Machaan village resort near Pench national park. You will have to book the jeep safari in advance to explore the park.
Rukhad Zone
This zone is located 35 km from Machan village resort, and it is home to most of the bison population in Pench national park. You will find this zone extremely beautiful as it is home to magnificent trees and greenery. As the park does not offer online booking, you will have to book directly at the gate near the safari zone.
Jamtara Zone
Jamtara Zone is located in the Chindwara district of Madhya Pradesh and is home to sloth bears in Pench national park. This zone is located around 65 km from the Turia zone.
Top places to stay at Pench National Park
Even though Pench national park is mainly known for its wilderness, you will be pretty surprised to find that it is home to some of the most luxurious resorts in Madhya Pradesh. Some of the top places to say in Pench is given below.
Tiger Corridor Resort
Tiger Corridor resort is an exceptional property located in the Turia zone of Pench national park. This resort is located right by the Banjar river and is a branch of the Tuli group of resorts. All the rooms of this property are overwhelmingly beautiful. They are equipped with every modern amenity of today’s world and are extremely comfortable. Apart from fantastic rooms, the resort also has a library, restaurants serving Chinese, Indian and continental dishes, dining hall, and others.
You will be able to take part in activating like hiking, jeep safari, and others while staying at Tiger Corridor resort.
Address: Pench National Park Village-Avarghani, Post-Turia, Seoni, Kohka, Madhya Pradesh 480881.
Website: http://www.tulihotels.com/tiger-corridor-pench.html.
Phone Number: 0712 665 3666.
Price of a room per night: INR 10,000.
Pench Jungle Camp
Located right inside the premises of Pench National Park, Pench Jungle camp will allow you to live in the lap of luxury and wilderness at the same time. All the tents situated at the camp are extremely luxurious and equipped with amenities like attached bathrooms. The camp also has a library, dining hall, recreational room, restaurant, and others.
If you stay there, you will get to participate in amazing activities like barbeque, night safari, nature hikes, bird watching, and others. The cost of tents includes the cost of three meals.
Address: Tehsil – Kurai, District Seoni, Avarghani, Madhya Pradesh 480881.
Website: http://www.penchjunglecamp.com/.
Phone Number: 099997 42000.
Price of a tent per night: INR 9500.
Bhagavan Wildlife Resort
Bhagwan Wildlife Resort is one of the most luxurious and exotic jungle resorts in India. As the resort is located inside Pench national park, you will enjoy the luxurious amenities of your tent in the lap of luxury. All the tents come with gorgeous bathrooms, Machan rooftops, restaurants serving Indian recipes.
The resort offers its guests a wide array of activities, including nature hikes, star gazing, barbeques, rooftop sleepaway, and others. Even though spending a night at this resort might seem unreasonably high, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Address: Awargani Village, Near Pench National Park, Tehsil Kurai Post Duria Senoi, Madhya Pradesh 480661.
Website: https://taj.tajhotels.com/en-in/baghvan-pench-national-park/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=Local&utm_campaign=Baghvan.
Phone Number: 022 6601 1825.
Price of a tent per night: INR 40,000.
Places to see near Pench
The area surrounding Pench national park is quite interesting. If you visit the park, you must also visit the places mentioned in the following section of the blog.
Pachdhar Potter’sPotter’s Village
Located in the Kurai Tehsil of Madhya Pradesh, Pachdhar village is unique in the state. The entire village is full of potters who create magnificent items made of black soil by their hands. All the items made by them are extremely beautiful, and you will be able to buy them for your house or your loved ones.
Location: Kurai Tehsil, Seoni, Madhya Pradesh.
Kohka Lake
Located quite close to the Turia zone in Pench national park, Kohka lake is situated in the Khoka village of Madhya Pradesh. If you want to see the lake’s true beauty, try to visit there during the time of sunset. You can visit there by your rented jeep, but the best way to go there is by cycling or hiking.
Location: Kohka lake, Village Kohka, Post Turia, MP.
Totlah Doh Dam
Even though this dam is located almost 55 km from Pench national park, every tourist must visit. It is one of the most important dams in Maharashtra, which generates 160 MW of energy. You will be quite stunned to see the gorgeous scenic beauty of the area surrounding the dam.
Location: Ramtek District, Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Conclusion
In this blog, we have tried our best to mention every possible detail regarding Pench National Park. If you are still confused about the itinerary or trip to Pench, research more to get all the crucial information. There are many hotels located outside the national park zones, which are way cheaper. You should look into them if you do not want to spend a lot of money.
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