When people plan a Bandhavgarh safari, the zone is the first thing they must choose. And most people do not know what the choices are. So here is a plain guide to the three main zones, the buffer zones, the timings and which one to pick.
The zones at a glance
| Zone | Type | What it is like | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tala | Core, premium | The oldest and best-known zone. It has Bandhavgarh Fort, the Chakradhara meadow, the Badi Gufa caves and the Shesh Shaiya. It has the highest tiger density of any zone in India. The entry fee is higher. | Tigers, photography, history |
| Magdhi | Core, Gate No. 2 | Grassland mixed with woodland. It opened to take pressure off Tala. It is less crowded. | Tigers, sambar, spotted deer, quieter drives |
| Khitauli | Core, Gate No. 3 | Flatter land with thick bamboo. It is home to the wild elephant herd that arrived in 2018. | Elephants, birds, blue bulls |
| Buffer zones | Buffer | Dhamokhar (an extension of Magdhi), Johila and others. Open the whole year, even in the monsoon. | Off-season visits and fewer vehicles |
Tala: the famous one
Tala is where Bandhavgarh got its name in the tiger world. It wraps around the old Bandhavgarh Fort, which sits on a flat-topped hill. The forest below is thick with bamboo, teak and sal. The meadows are wide. And the tigers here are used to jeeps, so they walk along the roads instead of running away.
According to our notes, Tala has about one tiger for every three square kilometres. That is a very high number. The price you pay is a higher entry fee, and slots that fill up fast, especially in April and May.
Our best trip so far was in Tala. In two days we saw three tigers, and it still feels like a dream. You can read it all in Bandhavgarh Tiger Safari: I Saw Tigers in 2 Days.
Magdhi and Khitauli: the quieter ones
Magdhi is a very good second choice. It is the second most productive zone for tigers, but it has fewer jeeps than Tala. The land is a mix of grass and woodland.
Khitauli is different. The land is flatter and the bamboo is thick. This is where the wild elephants live. A herd walked here from Chhattisgarh in 2018, and they never left. Today there are more than 80 elephants in three or four herds. I wrote about them in Wild Elephants at Bandhavgarh.
Safari timings
| Safari | Start time |
|---|---|
| Morning, summer | About 5:30 AM, roughly 30 minutes before sunrise |
| Morning, winter | About 6:30 AM, roughly 30 minutes before sunrise |
| Evening | About 30 minutes before sunset |
Each safari lasts about three hours. The park has been closed on Wednesday afternoons. Reach the gate fifteen minutes early. The park opens in mid-October and closes on 30 June, and the core zones are closed in the monsoon. Always check the current timings when you book.
What I would choose
- First visit, tigers and photographs: Tala.
- Tigers, but with fewer vehicles: Magdhi.
- Elephants and birds: Khitauli.
- Visiting in the rains: a buffer zone.
A few tips from our own trips
- Be early. At Tala, we reached the gate at 5:45 AM. Others were already there.
- Ask your naturalist. A good one hears alarm calls long before you see anything. In Tala, our naturalist told us: in other parks you go hoping to see a tiger, here you go expecting to.
- Do not skip the quiet moments. The Sheshshaiya, an old carved statue of Vishnu resting on the serpent Sheshnag, is inside the park and you can see it on a regular Tala safari.
- Plan the month too. Read Best Time to Visit Bandhavgarh.
If you are going with a camera, our Bandhavgarh photography guide has more detail.
Questions people ask
Which is the best zone in Bandhavgarh?
Tala has the most tigers and the best scenery. Magdhi and Khitauli are less crowded.
What time do Bandhavgarh safaris start?
About 5:30 AM in summer and 6:30 AM in winter for the morning safari. The evening safari starts about half an hour before sunset.
Is Bandhavgarh open in the monsoon?
The core zones are closed. Buffer zones like Dhamokhar and Johila stay open.
How many safari zones does Bandhavgarh have?
Three core zones, which are Tala, Magdhi and Khitauli, and several buffer zones.
Where are the elephants at Bandhavgarh?
Mostly in the Khitauli zone. A herd arrived from Chhattisgarh in 2018 and settled there.
Related: Jungle Safari Rules in India
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