Nestled within the Satpura ranges in Central India, Satpura National Park is known for its rich biodiversity and rugged landscapes featuring forests, valleys, hills, and natural streams. The park lies in Hoshangabad district (officially renamed Narmadapuram) of Madhya Pradesh.
In this post, we aim to cover all major aspects of trip planning to Satpura National Park.
A Quick Glance Through
- Fast Facts
- Safari Gates – Core And Buffer
- Where To Stay
- How To Get There
- Things To Do
- How To Book Your Safari
- Safari Timings
- Best Time To Visit
- Tips For Visiting
Fast Facts – Satpura National Park
- Satpura forest was first explored by Captain James Forsyth of Bengal Lancers in 1862 while he was searching for Indian freedom fighter Tantia Tope.
- It became a national park in 1981 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2000.
- Satpura Tiger Reserve covers an area of 2,133.3 sq km that includes core area of 1339.26 sq km and buffer area of 794.04 sq km.
- It’s elevation ranges from 300 metres to 1,352 metres with Dhupgarh as the highest peak at 1352 metres.
- “Satpura” means seven mountains in Sanskrit. The park is named after the Satpura Range that comprises a series of seven mountains.
- The river Denwa flows through the park and supports Satpura’s diverse ecosystem.
Safari Gates – Core And Buffer
There are 4 safari gates leading to the core area of the park.
- Madhai
- Mallupura
- Bheemkund(Churna)
- Panaarpani(Pachmarhi)
Madhai gate is the most popular entry gate as this zone offers good sightings and there are plenty of hotels nearby.
Another popular gate is Panaarpani gate which is located near the Pachmarhi hill station. The two gates are 80 km apart. So, you need to stay near the gate where your safari is planned. We did our core zone safari from Madhai entry gate.
The park has 2 main buffer zones.
- Parsapani or Pathai Zone
- Jamani Dev or Sehra Zone
Buffer zones are also great for watching wildlife. We visited Jamani Dev buffer, excellent for sloth bear and leopard sightings.
Where To Stay Near Satpura National Park
You can choose from a range of hotels located around the Madhai entry gate. Here are some options that you can consider.
Budget-friendly:
Mid-range:
Parijat Lake Resort by Goldmark, Madhai
Luxury:
How To Get There
You can fly into Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal. It has direct flights from cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru.
From the airport, Madhai gate is about 145 km (3.5-hr drive) away. You can easily get cabs at the airport to drop you off to your hotel at Madhai.
The nearest railway stations to the park are Pipariya (43 km) and Itarsi (65 km). Many long-distance trains coming from Mumbai and Delhi pass via these stations.
Things To Do in Satpura National Park
Jeep Safari
Satpura National Park is home to more than 50 species of mammals, 254 species of birds, 30 species of reptiles, and 50 species of butterflies.
Jeep safari is the best way to explore the forest and spot wildlife. We did 2 core zone safaris from Madhai entry gate and 1 buffer safari from Jamani Dev entry gate.
For Madhai safari, we took a boat to get to the other side of the Denwa river where our safari jeep was waiting.
After entering the core zone, our safari guide gave a brief introduction of Satpura National Park and Madhai zone. He named all the spots where we could possibly see a tiger and then told the driver to take the jeep to one such spot.
We waited there for a while but no luck seeing tiger in the first safari. Anyways, we managed to see plenty of other animals like sambar deer, Indian gaur, and a mugger crocodile in the Denwa river.
On the next day morning safari, we spotted a huge male tiger resting in the bushes.
Our guide was hopeful that the tiger will eventually get up from its place and move. So, we waited in anticipation but tiger’s belly was full from the previous night’s kill. It just raised its head a bit and continued resting.
In the evening, we visited buffer zone of Satpura from Jamani Dev gate. Also known as Sehra zone, this part of the park is known for its abundance of birdlife.
One of the memorable sightings in this zone was a dancing peacock displaying its beautiful plumage to attract potential mates.
When we were coming back to the gate, our safari driver noticed something camouflaged in the rocks.
He stopped the jeep for a moment and drove it backwards for a few metres. And voila, it was a sloth bear, unnoticeable due to the surroundings.
Denwa River Boat Safari
We bought boat safari tickets from Madhai gate ticket counter on the same day. No advance booking is required for the boat safari.
The boat ride lasted just about an hour but we were left amazed by the variety of birds in Satpura.
Bar-headed geese, Asian green bee-eater, open bill stork, racket- tailed drongo, Indian roller, river lapwings, and green sandpiper – these are some of the birds that we spotted during our boat safari.
Night Safari
This is conducted in buffer zone only and you can buy tickets from the counter.
Exploring the jungle in jeep’s headlight is not just about spotting wildlife but is an adventure to cherish lifelong.
The jungle is so quiet at this hour that you can even hear the crackling sound of dry leaves.
How To Book Your Safari
For booking safari permit, you can visit Madhya Pradesh Forest Department official website.
You can choose from single seat permit and full vehicle permit for Madhai core zone. In single seat permit, you share the jeep with other tourists whereas full vehicle permit allows you to have a complete safari jeep.
Singel seat permits are not available in buffer zones, so you have to book full vehicle permit.
Safari Timings
The timings vary depending on the season. In general, morning safari is longer duration than evening safari.
October – March
Morning Safari: 6 AM to 11:30 AM
Evening Safari: 3 PM to 6:30 PM
April – June
Morning Safari: 5:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Evening Safari: 4 PM to 7 PM
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Satpura National Park is from late October to June. It remains closed in monsoon season from July 1 to October 15.
The forest turns lush green and dense after the rainy season. If you visit right after the monsoon, you can see a lot of migratory birds.
From December to February, the weather is cool and pleasant for safaris. This is a great time to visit Satpura if you want to avoid the summer heat.
The weather is hot from March to June but excellent for sightings as animals frequently visit waterholes.
Tips For Visiting Satpura National Park
- Make sure to book your safari permit well in advance. The booking window opens 120 days prior to the safari date.
- Choose a mix of core and buffer zone safaris to maximise wildlife sightings.
- Before booking your hotel, check distance between the hotel and the safari gate. If it’s not walkable, you need to make your own transport arrangement. Madhai core and buffer zone jeeps don’t come to pick you up from hotel.
- Pack some warm clothes for your morning safari as mornings are usually cold in forest areas.
- Don’t forget to carry your binoculars, camera, and cap/hat.
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. We earn a small income at no extra cost to you if you book through these links.
Further Reading
You may want to read some of these posts for more national parks travel inspiration.
- The Ultimate Guide To Tadoba National Park.
- 7 Best Things To Do in Ranthambore National Park.
- Pench Tiger Reserve – A Complete Guide.
- 5 Best National Parks in Karnataka.
- A Guide To Visiting Kabini, Biodiversity Hotspot of Karnataka.
- Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve – 5 Best Things To Do.
- Parambikulam Tiger Reserve – A Gem of Western Ghats.
- Kanha National Park – Treasures of Wildlife.
- Top 10 Attractions of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
- 6 Most Amazing National Parks in Maharashtra
- 4 Best National Parks in Gujarat.
You might also want to check out our blog on tiger quotes: 55 Best Tiger Quotes on Strength And Magnificence.
Over To You Now…
We hope you found our guide to Satpura National Park informative and helpful.
Have you visited this Indian national park? Is there anything you would like to add to this guidebook? Let us know in the comments below.
