Four tiger reserves in one overland line. Tadoba, Maharashtra's oldest national park, is three hours from Nagpur; Pench's Turia gate, in the Seoni hills where Kipling set The Jungle Book, is two hours from Nagpur, just off the Jabalpur highway. Kanha's meadows hold the hard-ground barasingha, brought back from 66 animals in 1970, and Bandhavgarh ends the trail with its Tala zone and hilltop fort.
Why it matters
India's 2022 tiger estimate put its wild tigers at about 3,682, some three-quarters of the world's. Each of these reserves has its own gates, permits and booking site, so four in one trip means four sets of bookings — and four chances at a sighting.
Stop by stop
How the 10 days split across the 4 stops, and what each one costs on the ground for two.
Maharashtra's oldest national park: dry teak and bamboo forest around Tadoba lake in Chandrapur district, joined to the Andhari wildlife sanctuary. Safaris leave from the Moharli gate, about 150 km from Nagpur, and from Kolara on the Nagpur side; the buffer zones stay open through the monsoon.
Don't miss: Moharli gate core-zone tiger safari · Tadoba lake and the Andhari river.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Chandrapur, 35 kmNagpur (NAG), 150 km
2 days for two from ₹22,426 · ₹32,853 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
Teak and mixed forest on both banks of the Pench river, in the Seoni hills where Kipling set The Jungle Book. The reserve runs on into Maharashtra; this is the Madhya Pradesh side, entered mostly at Turia gate, 12 km west of Khawasa on the Nagpur–Jabalpur highway and about 90 km from Nagpur airport. Only 88 vehicles go in a day, morning and afternoon together.
Don't miss: Turia gate tiger safari · The Pench river through the reserve.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Nagpur, 90 kmNagpur (NAG), 90 km
2 days for two from ₹23,760 · ₹32,486 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
One of central India's best-known tiger reserves: sal and bamboo forest opening onto wide meadows in the Maikal hills, the landscape held to have inspired Kipling's The Jungle Book. Its meadows hold the hard-ground barasingha, a swamp deer brought back from 66 animals in 1970 to about 800. Four core zones — Kanha, Kisli, Mukki and Sarhi — are entered from the Khatia and Mukki gates.
A 450 sq km tiger reserve with arguably the world's highest tiger density. Also: 2,000-year-old Bandhavgarh Fort caves and 39-foot Vishnu sculpture in the core zone.
Don't miss: Tala Zone tiger safari · Bandhavgarh Fort caves trek.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Umaria, 35 kmJabalpur (JLR), 200 km
2 days for two from ₹12,439 · ₹22,186 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
What it costs
₹1,01,151 for two, budget stays
₹1,50,447at mid-range
Stay, food, local transport and entry at every stop over 10 days, at typical (not seasonal) rates. Travel between the stops and from your city is extra — the planner adds it for your route.
When to go
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All four close their core zones from 1 July to 30 September; buffer-zone safaris carry on through the monsoon
Make it yours
Opens in the planner with all 4 stops, suggested days and your home city pre-filled. Swap anything.
