Bhandavgarh
Once part of the old Rewa state, Bandhavgarh national park
is set amidst the Vindhya ranges with a series of ridges running
through it. Initially this park was the royal hunting ground
for the rulers of Rewa. At present, the Bandhavgarh Park covers
448 sq km, but initially in 1968 it had an area of 105.4 sq.km.
The density of tiger population is among the highest in India.
The tigers once roamed freely here but due to extensive hunting
(Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 tigers by 1914), their
population came down drastically. Numerous steps were taken
to conserve the wildlife here without spoiling the natural
beauty of the park. Even today, the Bandhavgarh national park
has retained its unspoilt look.
Kanha
One of India's most septacular and exciting parks for both
variety and numbers of wildlife and well worth a visit. Originally
proposed to protect a unique type of chinkara. It is open
forest and lake national park. It is 120 kms. from Gwalior
and 95 kms. from Jhansi.
This is the place that has been described
by Rudyard Kipling in his great book "The Jungle Book". Picture
this: thick sal forests, long bamboos, swaying grasslands
and meandering rivers. This is what Kanha is all about. Located
in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha national park
is a tiger reserve that extends over an area of over 1940
sq km. A horse-shoe shaped valley bounded by the spurs of
the Mekal presents an interesting topography. Steep rocky
escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking views of the
valley.