Travellers can enjoy jeep safari in three different zones in Bandhavgarh National Park (which we will discuss later). There are limited numbers of vehicles allowed to enter the park in each shift. Open safari jeeps are available for group tours accompanied by a guide. The safari timing varies as per the season. Since the duration of daylight is shorter in winter, morning safari starts late and evening safari ends earlier. The national park opens only from October 16 to June 30. Here are the safari timings –

Bandhavgarh Morning Safari –
October 15 to Feb 15 – 6:30 Hrs to 11:00 Hrs
Feb 16 to March 31 – 6:00 Hrs to 11:00 Hrs
April 1 to June 30 – 5:30 Hrs to 10:00 Hrs

Bandhavgarh Evening Safari –
October 15 to Feb 15 – 14:30 to 17:30 Hrs
Feb 16 to March 31 – 15:00 to 18:00 Hrs
April 1 to June 30 – 16:00 to 19:00 Hrs

Note – Evening safari is closed for visitors Every Wednesday. Both Evening and Morning safaris are closed during Indian festivals.

Here’s what you need to provide for safari booking –
Full name of every passenger
Nationality
Age and Gender
ID proof like Driving License, Aadhar Card, Passport, Voter ID, or PAN card
Also carry the original ID proof to show at the time of entry.

Getting There
Spread over Vindhya Hills, Bandhavgarh National Park has over 105 sq. km of core region and 400 sq. km of buffer zone. There are three options to reach Bandhavgarh –

Road – Bandhavgarh National Park has direct road connectivity from Satna, Maihar, Jabalpur, Khajuraho and Umaria. You can quickly get here by bus or private taxi from these cities.

Train – Umaria and Katni are the closest railway stations to Bandhavgarh. Umaria is located only 45 minutes’ drive (35 km) from here, while Katni is around 100 km from Bandhavgarh.

Air – Khajuraho and Jabalpur are the closest airports to reach Bandhavgarh. You can reach Khajuraho and Jabalpur from all major cities in India, and then you can book a cab or reach there by train or bus.

Best Time to Visit
Bandhavgarh National Park welcomes the tourists every year from October 15 to June 30. Winter is the peak season to visit Bandhavgarh National Park, and October to March are the busy months for the national park. Winter is also the best time if you don’t want to bear summer’s heat. But most of the vegetation is dried from March to May when tiger sighting is relatively easy.

Bandhavgarh Safari Zones

Tala – It is one of the most beautiful and oldest safari zones of Bandhavgarh, and also the most important zone for spotting tigers. You can also visit some of the tourist attractions here like Siddh Baba, Badi Gufa, Chakradhara, 3-Cave Point, and Sita Mandap.

Magadhi (Gate No. 2) – It is full of lush grasslands and dense jungles. It is located in the southeast of Tala zone. Tigers also enter this zone from Magadhi zone. So, the chances of tiger sightings are also high in this zone.

Khitauli (Gate No. 3) – It is located in the west of tiger reserve. Tala and Magadhi zones are located on the right side and Khitauli zone is located on the left side. It is also frequented by tourists for bird-watching.