India

Satpura National Park

Next to the well-trodden trio of Pench, Bhandhavgarh and Kanha, Satpura national park is a relative newcomer to Madhya Pradesh's wildlife scene. While the state’s other wildlife reserves have been welcoming visitors for going on forty years, this tract of untouched wilderness has only just begun to hit its stride, its first lodge opening up in 2010 – and it still feels marvellously undiscovered and peaceful.

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As is typical of Madhya Pradesh’s national parks, the landscape of Satpura is mainly dense sal forest – but beyond that, its terrain is quite unique. Sandstone peaks tower over narrow ravines and basalt traps, with teak forests growing on the lower plains and waterfalls hidden in steep valleys and sheer-sided gorges. The reserve is bounded on three sides by water, leaving the ecosystem pristine and unbothered.

One of the benefits of Satpura, besides its particularly dramatic setting, is the diversity of ways to explore it. This is the only national park where you can go out on foot in the core reserve, for a more intimate experience of the woods and wildlife. There are the traditional Jeep safaris, of course, but there are also birdwatching trips by canoe on the Denwa River, and nighttime excursions which unlock a whole different cast of characters. You can even spend a whole day traversing the park by Jeep, starting your morning on one side and concluding on the other, giving you access to a huge range of habitats and wildlife in just one day.

Tiger sightings have historically been rare here, partly due to small population numbers, and partly because naturalists just didn’t know their movements. Now they have a much better idea, sightings have improved considerably. Still, while seeing a tiger isn’t impossible, it’s not the primary reason you’d come to Satpura. It’s the whole experience: the seclusion, the remarkable landscape, the profusion of wildlife. Sloth bear and leopard sightings are exceptional, but you never really know what you’re going to get. It could be flying squirrels and wild dogs; it could be pangolins, Rhesus monkeys and marsh crocodiles. Whatever happens, you’re guaranteed a star-studded cast of bird life.

Other destinations in this region

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