The famous park set amidst the outlying hills of the Vindhyan ranges was earlier maintained as a “shikargarh” or the game preserve of the Maharajahs of Rewa. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. It is also renowned as the “White Tiger Country”, as Maharaja of Rewa discovered the world’s first white tiger in the forests of Bandhavgarh. The small park is home to 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. The most commonly seen animals are, gaur or Indian bison, sambar, barking deer, chinkara, nilgai, leopard, jackal, Bengal fox, hyena, etc. Birdlife can be viewed along forest streams and clearings. The best season to visit the park is from November to June.
The ancient Bandhavgarh Fort nestled atop a hill dominates the park. It is considered to be over 2,000 years old and finds mention in the ancient mythological texts. There are also numerous prehistoric caves adorned with fine inscriptions and drawings by pre-historic man.
