Pench National Park: The Tiger Trail

Pench National Park, the setting of Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book, spreads into Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh. The park encompasses an area of 758 sq km, out of which 299 sq km is the core area. It gets its name from the Pench River that divides the park into two nearly equal eastern and western halves. The much sought after Royal Bengal Tiger makes its dwelling here which gives this park a distinguished status.

Picture Courtesy Siddharth Gogoi 

The park was declared a Tiger reserve in 1992 and the population of Tigers is growing ever since. As per the latest census, there are 40 tigers in the park, owing to the birth of six cubs last year. This has reportedly increased the number of Tiger sightings within the park. 

 

Picture Courtesy Siddharth Gogoi 

That still doesn’t mean that Tiger sightings are a common occurrence. Tigers are very reclusive animals and roam about in fairly large territories, which is why they are very difficult to track. However, if your guide knows his job well, your chances of spotting a Tiger can be greatly increased. Besides Tigers, Pench National Park also houses many other rare and interesting animal species such as the Indian Leopard, Sloth Bear, Indian Wolf, Wild Dog, Porcupine, Monkey, Jungle Cat, Fox, Striped Hyena, Gaur, Four-horned Antelope and Barking Deer. The park is also a dwelling ground for more than 280 species of resident and migratory birds which makes it an important birding hotspot.

Picture Courtesy Vannraj Resort Pench

Located on the boundary of Pench National Park is the Vannraj Resorts. It is a luxury safari lodge set within a dense dry deciduous forest. Equipped with all the necessary amenities, the lodge reflects regional culture, comfort, and cuisine. The luxury offered in the middle of wilderness leaves one spellbound. There are three sorts of room in the lodge to serve three different needs.

Those who want to experience the traditional architecture, culture, and lifestyle can stay at Vannraj’s Traditional Cottages. Those who want to enjoy wildlife in world-class luxury can opt for the Vannraj Villa, and those who want to experience nature first hand can stay at the specially designed Machaan Rooms.

Vannraj Resorts also has a swimming pool and an in-built library for bookworms.

Pure, untainted food is guaranteed at Vannraj since all the produce comes from the kitchen garden. Also, the menus are customizable and you can craft a meal suited to your taste be it regional delicacies or western cuisine.

Picture Courtesy Vannraj Resort Pench 

Besides food and luxury, you can also enjoy a plethora of activities at the park such as Wildlife Safaris, Photography, Jungle Walks, Stargazing, Village visits and Culinary workshops to name a few. Of all the places in central India, Pench National Park is a must visit a location, and if you’re looking to make your trip even more memorable you wouldn’t find a better place than Vannraj Resorts.