Plan your next trip to the real-life Jungle Book, into Mowgli’s world
Every Sunday, during the 90’s, the houses across the country used to played this song in Doordarshan- ‘Jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai’- the kids who grew up in the 90’s can never forget the long-haired wild boy, Mowgli and his scary encounters with Sherkhan. ‘The Jungle Book,’ aired on Doordarshan every Sunday, is a crucial part of the childhood memories of the 90’s generation, and the massive jungle where Mowgli was raised by animals, is also etched in our memories.
Housed in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh, Pench National Park, is an impeccable place to walk down the memory lanes of your childhood days of the famous story ‘The Jungle Book’, penned down by the renowned English author Rudyard Kipling. Named after the pristine River Pence which flows through the park, Pench National Park is one of the most popular wildlife reserves in India.
In the heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, Pench National Park is located in the districts of Seoni and Chhindwara. Sprawls over a massive area of 758 sq km, including the core area, Pench National Park has a rich wildlife which proffers visitors an opportunity to indulge into one of the finest wildlife experiences in India. Since its inception in 1965 as a wildlife sanctuary, the park has serving as the cosy nest of numerous wild creatures including the Royal Bengal tiger, jackal, peafowl, wild dog, wild boar, sloth bear, Indian leopard, fox, striped hyena, monkey, gaur, barking deer, four-horned antelope, Indian wolf, and more such enthralling species. However, later in the year 1975 and 1992, the sanctuary got the recognition of national park and tiger reserve, respectively.
The park also shelters the iconic Royal Bengal Tiger and the Pench Tiger Reserve offers splendid opportunities for tiger spotting, especially in the summers.The park also offers activities like nature trails, elephant safaris, boating, bonfires, bird watching, wildlife spotting, and cycling rides.
Pench weekend tour packages include 1 night and 2 days packages and Tiger’s Heaven – Pench National Park is for 6 nights and 7 days. There are also various packages available which connects other destinations too. The park also offers jeep safari and night safari for tourists.
Safari Timings:
During summer, the morning timings are from 6:30 am to 9:30 am and evenings from 4 pm to 6.30 pm. During winter mornings, the park will open from 7:30 am to 10:30 am and 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm in the evenings.
Safari Cost: – Rs 1500 per vehicle (for Indians) and Rs 3000 per vehicle (for Foreigners)
The national park sitting close to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra consists of around seven safari zones that are located at a distance of about 2 to 80 kms. The zones falling under Madhya Pradesh are Turia Zone, Karmajhiri Zone, Wolf Sanctuary, Rukhad Zone, Jamtara Zone, Teliya Zone while the zones falling under Maharashtra are Khursapar Zone, Sillari Zone. Turia is the considered as the most prominent zone to catch a sight of a tiger. If you prefer night safari to explore the Pench National Park then Wolf Sanctuary is perfect zone for that.
Where to Stay
Tuli Tiger Corridor Resort, a luxurious jungle camp, has 8 huge tents, set in 22 acres of land
Pench jungle camp is located on the southern boundary of the Pench National Park
Baghvan Jungle Camp takes only 5 minutes from the entrance of the Pench Tiger Reserve at Turia
The Mahua Vann Resort has a large seasonal river on one side and a smaller one on the other side of the property
Tiger Valley Resort is situated just 1 km away from the Turia Gate in Pench National Park
Jungle Home Resort is an eco sensitive 3-star resort with facilities like pool, trained guides and naturalists, and other recreation activities
Tiger N Wood Resort is a wonderfully designed resort of 10 exclusive wooden cottages built on a tree house style (Machaan Style)
How to Reach Pench National Park
Nagpur’s Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is nearest to Pench National Park is the nearest airport if you are coming from Bhopal, Indore or Delhi. The park sits at a distance of about 110 km from the Nagpur airport. The park is at a 3 hour’s drive from the Nagpur railway station. If you are coming from Nagpur, then taking the road is better as there’s only one train connecting Nagpur and Seoni, which takes about 10 hours to reach the destination. Whereas a bus journey from Nagpur to Pench will take only 3 hours.
Best Time to Visit
The best time is between November and June. April, May, June are also advisable for animal sightings. Also, to note that some zones of the park are open to visitors only from October to June. Always avoid travelling to Pench during monsoons.