PENCH NATIONAL PARK | WILDLIFE SAFARI & TRAVEL GUIDE TO PENCH

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About Pench National Park

Country: India | State: Madhya Pradesh

#8 of 21 Places to visit in Madhya Pradesh | Places to visit in India

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Pench National Park: Nagpur (92 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Pench National Park: October to June

Peak Season: November to February

At a distance of 4 km from Turiya, 14 km from Khawasa, 58 km from Seoni, 90 km from Chhindwara, 92 km from Nagpur, 196 km from Kanha National Park, 201 km from Jabalpur, 324 km from Raipur, and 410 km from Bhopal, Pench National Park is straddle across two states - Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Located in Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh, it is one of the top national parks in India and among the prominent places to visit as part of Madhya Pradesh tour packages.

Named after Pench River that divides the park into two halves, Pench was notified as a sanctuary in 1977. Then in 1983, it was declared as a national park and in 1992, a Tiger Reserve. It became the 19th project tiger reserve in India. The total area of the Pench is about 1179 Sq. km, of which the core area is 411 sq. km while the buffer area is about 768 Sq. km. The terrain of the park is undulating, with most of the area covered by small hills and tropical moist deciduous forests.

Laden with rocky trails, wooded hills, glassy rivers, and gushing streams, the beauty of Pench National Park is so enchanting that it has sparked one of the best creations of Rudyard Kipling- The Jungle Book. The area of the present Pench Tiger Reserve has also been described in Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century document written by Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak (the Emperor Akbar's vizier). Renamed as 'Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park' in 2002, it was awarded the 'Best Maintained Park' in 2011 and attracts tourists from all over the world.

The Pench National Park has served as the cozy nest of numerous wild creatures including the Royal Bengal tiger. As per Tiger Census 2019, there are about 53 tigers in the park, 39 species of mammals, 13 species of reptiles, 3 species of amphibians. Besides tigers, chital, sambar, nilgai, wild boar, jackal, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, wild dog, striped hyena, gaur, four-horned antelope, and barking deer are the commonly seen wildlife in the park. Also, the park harbors more than 210 species including several migratory ones.

The national park sitting close to Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra consists of around 12 entry gates. The entry gates falling under Madhya Pradesh are namely Turia, Karmajhiri, Wolf Sanctuary, Rukhad, Jamtara, and Teliya while the gates falling under Maharashtra are Khursapar, Sillari, Saleghat, Kolitmaara, Chorbahuli, and Surewani. Turia & Sillari Gates are the most popular out of all the gates.

The Pench Jungle adventure seems to be incomplete without taking the awe-inspiring wildlife safari in Pench National Park. The park authorities offered four types of safaris to its visitors - Jeep Safari, Canter Safari, Night Safari, and Elephant Safari. Permits for day visits to some zones are available online on Park website while the others are booked at the park's ticket window. Unlike Kanha National Park, there is no zoning in Pench but there is state-zoning which means if you enter the jungle from Madhya Pradesh side, you cannot enter the Maharashtra part and vice versa. Single-seat bookings are only offered on Madhya Pradesh side of the Park.

The park opens for jungle safaris from 1st October to 30th June every year. The peak season to visit the park is from October to February as the climatic conditions are excellent. However, the months from March-June are ideal for better Tiger sightings due to the drying of most vegetation in Pench. The park remains closed on every Wednesday Evening and on the occasion of Holi and Diwali.

Being a major wildlife hub, Pench has ample options for accommodation right from backpacking budget to Luxury stay. The hotels provide clean basic amenities, good veg & non-veg meals, and so on. There are also Madhya Pradesh tourism department rest houses available for stay.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur is the nearest airport which is about 102 km from Pench. About 94 km from Pench, Nagpur Railway Station is the nearest railhead and has well-connected trains from all the major cities of India. Khawasa on Jabalpur - Nagpur Highway is the nearest bus stand which is about 14 km from Pench National Park Turia Gate. It has direct bus connectivity with Nagpur, Jabalpur, and Seoni. From there, one can hire jeeps to reach Pench.

Safari Timings: 6 AM - 11 AM & 3 PM - 6 PM from October - June, closed during monsoon months, every Wednesday evening, during Holi & Diwali, Night Safari - 5.30 PM - 8.30 PM

Safari Permit Fee: Rs. 250 for Single Seat in Jeep, Rs. 1500 per Whole Jeep (max 6 Persons). Jeep hiring cost & guide cost extra (around 2500 per jeep and 480 per guide).

Note: Safari cost changes frequently

Other Info

Internet Availability: Poor

STD Code: 07695

Languages Spoken: Hindi, Gondi Marathi & English

Major Festivals: Details Not Available

Notes/Tips:
Pench National Park is closed from 1st July to 15th October every year while some buffer zones are open throughout the year.

How to Reach Pench National Park

By Air

Nearest Airport: Nagpur - Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (102 Kms)

Direct Flights to Nagpur

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Nagpur Jn Railway Station (92 Kms)

Direct Trains to Nagpur

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Khawasa Bus Stand (14 Kms)

Direct Buses to Pench National Park

Distance Chart

Distance Chart & Driving Directions to Pench National Park

How to Reach Pench National Park - Full Details

Top 10 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

Turiya Jeep Safari

#1 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 4 km from Turiya, Turia or Turiya Zone is the oldest and the most popular safari zone of Pench National Park. The entry gate of the zone sits adjoining Pench Wildlife Museum, which holds information of the various flora and fauna in the park.

The zone got its name from the local village Turia or Touriya where the entry gate is located. This is considered to be a premium zone and is a part of Madhya Pradesh Pench. Turia is the most famous zone among day tourists as the chances of spotting the wild predators in their natural habitats is high in this zone compared to other zones. The forest has many water bodies such as Baghinnala, Ber Van Talab, Bhondewali Dobri, Malkundam, Bijamatta, Jinewani and Mahadeo Ghat on the banks of Pench River. Tigers of Pench National Park are known by these names according to the territory they belong to. Collarwali, the queen of Pench, resides in this zone.

The best way to explore the flora and fauna of the national park is to travel .....

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Karmajhiri Jeep Safari

#2 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 58 km from Turiya, Karmajhiri Zone is again considered to be a premium safari zone of Pench National Park. The entry gate of this zone is situated near Karmajhiri village.

Karmajhiri zone shares the partial area of Turia zone, as well as the water bodies Bodanala, Sitaghat on the banks of Pench River, and Jhandi Matta. It is located in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh. Karmajhiri online Jungle safari bookings are available in Pench MP. Just like Turia zone, this is also a popular core zone area as it has some of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Pench after Turia zone.

The best way to explore the flora and fauna of the national park is to travel through jeep safari. Jeep Safari operates in two shifts, one in the early morning and another one in the evening. The Jeep Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The number of vehicles allowed into Karmajhiri zone is 6 .....

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Jamtara Jeep Safari

#3 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 75 km from Turiya, Jamtara is another popular safari zone of Pench National Park. The entry gate of the zone is situated at Jamtara village, which falls in Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh.

Jamtara zone is a lovely expanse, famous for sightings of Sloth Bears. One can book safari tickets through online booking for this zone.

Visitors can explore the Jamtara zone by Jeep safari. There are two safaris in a day from October to June, one starting in the morning and the other late in the afternoon. The tour lasts for 3 to 4 hours by jeep. The Jungle Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The number of vehicles allowed to enter into this zone of Pench is 6 in the morning and 6 in the evening. Each jeep can take up to 6 travelers other than a driver and one naturalist. Each gate offers safari permit to the exclusive area of that range and no vehicle is allowed to interchange .....

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Wolf Sanctuary Night Safari

#4 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 3 km from Turiya and 13 km from Khawasa, Wolf Sanctuary is the buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Reserve and is dedicated to the conservation of the Indian Grey Wolf. The entry gate of this zone is located near Village Machhan Resort.

This is a rocky forest and is famous for Wolves, Blue bull and leopards. Night Safari, also known as Wolf Safari, is allowed in this particular zone by the Park authorities. It surprises tourists with sightings of rare nocturnal creatures in all their glory. Wolves are among the animals frequently spotted on this tour, along with jackals, spotted deer, sambar deer, nilgai, and many nocturnal birds. The safari also covers a water hole in the buffer zone where tourists get the chance to spot the animals as well as get an excellent location for stargazing.

This zone of Pench is open throughout the year. Besides Night Safari, morning and evening safaris are also permitted in this zone. A very limited number of vehicles are allowed .....

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Sillari Jeep Safari

#5 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 26 km from Khawasa and 35 km from Turiya, Sillari is the most popular safari zone of Pench National Park on Maharashtra Side. The entry gate of the zone is situated at Sillari village.

Sillari is considered to be a premium zone and is a part of Maharashtra Pench Reserve. Sillari is beautiful with access to water bodies, dense forest and dam backwater making it worth visiting even if you don't see animals. The forest terrain is covered with Bamboo, Garari and Teak trees. It is the most famous zone among day tourists as the chances of spotting the wild predators in their natural habitats is high in this zone.

The best way to explore the flora and fauna of the national park is to travel through jeep safari. Jeep Safaris operate in two shifts, one in the early morning and another one in the evening. The Jeep Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The number of vehicles allowed .....

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Sillari Canter Safari

#6 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 26 km from Khawasa and 35 km from Turiya, Sillari is the most popular safari zone of Pench National Park on Maharashtra Side. The entry gate of the zone is situated at Sillari village.

Sillari is considered to be a premium zone and is a part of Maharashtra Pench Reserve. Sillari is beautiful with access to water bodies, dense forest and dam backwater making it worth visiting even if you don't see animals. The forest terrain is covered with Bamboo, Garari and Teak trees. It is the most famous zone among day tourists as the chances of spotting the wild predators in their natural habitats is high in this zone.

Besides Jeep Safari, Sillari Zone also offers Canter Safari or open-air Mini Bus Safari for tourists. Canter Safari is available only in Sillari Zone. It is an open bus safari with a seating capacity of 20 tourists. Minimum 10 persons are required to run the canter at any given time. There are two safaris in a day from October to June, one starting in the .....

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Khursapar Jeep Safari

#7 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 12 km from Khawasa and 30 km from Turiya, Khursapar is another most popular safari zone of Pench National Park on Maharashtra Side. The entry gate of the zone is situated at Khursapar village.

After Sillari, Khursapar is considered to be a premium zone and it comes under the Maharashtra side of Pench forest. It harbors various natural water bodies, which draw many species of birds as well as wild animals to it. It is the most famous zone among day tourists as the chances of spotting the wild predators in their natural habitats is high in this zone.

The best way to explore the flora and fauna of the national park is to travel through jeep safari. Jeep Safaris operate in two shifts, one in the early morning and another one in the evening. The Jeep Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The number of vehicles allowed into Khursapar Zone is 30 in the morning and 30 in the evening. .....

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Rukhad Jeep Safari

#8 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 35 km from Turiya, Rukhad is the buffer zone of Pench National Park. The entry gate of this zone is situated at Rukhad village on NH - 44.

This zone is also known as Bison Sanctuary or Bison Retreat. The zone houses beautiful dense forest and recommended for forest lovers who flock here in search of beauty, respite, and solitude. Though the density of animals is less, one can enjoy the beautiful forest along with a mesmerizing sunset from the top of Korai Garh during your safari in this zone of Pench. The zone carries various species of flowers and trees.

Open throughout the year, visitors can explore Rukhad zone by Jeep safari. There are two safaris in a day, one starting in the morning and the other late in the afternoon. The tour lasts for 3 to 4 hours by jeep. The Jungle Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. Each jeep can take up to 6 travelers other than a driver .....

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Teliya Jeep Safari

#9 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 4 km from Turiya and 11 km from Khawasa, Teliya is the new buffer zone of the Pench Tiger Reserve. Situated very close to Wolf Sanctuary, the entry gate of this zone is located near Teliya Village.

Like Wolf Sanctuary, Teliya is also popular for the sighting of Indian Wolves. Besides, one can also spot Nilgai, Chowsingha, Barking deer and Chinkara more frequently on the open areas of Teliya. The safari also covers a water hole in the buffer zone.

This zone of Pench is open throughout the year. Morning and evening safaris are permitted in this zone. Very limited numbers of vehicles are allowed for a night safari at Pench. The tour lasts for 3- 4 hours and is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. Each jeep can take up to 6 travelers other than a driver and one naturalist.

Jeep Safaris in this zone cannot be pre-booked online in advance and can be purchased only at the counter. .....

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Kolitmara Jeep Safari

#10 of 15 Places to Visit in Pench National Park

At a distance of 85 km from Khawasa and 95 km from Turiya, Kolitmara is another safari zone of Pench National Park on Maharashtra Side. The entry gate of the zone is situated at Khursapar village.

Kolitmara is another zone sheltered in the Maharashtra part of Pench National Park. It harbors backwaters of Pench Reservoir, which draw many species of birds as well as wild animals to it. One can go for jungle safaris in this zone along with boat ride on the backwaters of Pench Dam. The forest of this zone is dense compared to Sillari and Khursapar.

The best way to explore the flora and fauna of the national park is to travel through jeep safari. Jeep Safaris operate in two shifts, one in the early morning and another one in the evening. The Jeep Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The number of vehicles allowed into Kolitmara Zone is 7 in the morning and 13 in the evening. Each jeep can .....

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