Majestic Tigers of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh - Day I

Day 1 - 30 May 2017

Leaving Jabalpur at 0730 and with one stop at Shahpur at 0930 for some eats we reached Mogali Resort at Bandhavgarh by 1100. The route that we took was Jabalpur - Shahpur - Umaria - Bandhavgarh using state highway. The road was one and half lane either side and road surface was very good.

Mogali Resort is deep into wild after Bandhavgarh village and a beautiful place. This place has a total 31 rooms of various types. We were booked in ac cottages. Cottages were clean, modern yet rustic. Surroundings are beautiful with plenty of trees n shrubs. It also has simmering blue pool too.

As One enters the Mogali Jungle Resort

Lotus Pond

Perfect Geometry - Lotus

Reception and Dinning Area

Surroundings

Cottage

Swimming Pool

The only safari that we had confirmed booking was to start at 1530 and it was in Khatauli zone. We had lunch which was tasty and homely (not too much of oil and condiments). Post lunch we started at 1515 from Mogali Resort and reached Ticket counter for ticket verification. Post that we reached the gate of the zone and the safari started at 1600

Khatauli is a Sal forest but as one gets deeper Sal trees reduce and  Bambu plants get added to make the Jungle thick. There is usual wild life of spotted deer, few odd bison, wild boar, etc. This area though was not teaming with wildlife unlike Pench or Kanha sanctuaries that we had visited earlier.

This is what Lush Green means

Sal Tree

Feed Time

So Cute

Two Deer and Two Body Guards (Storks?)

Eagle

Majestic Pose of a Male Spotted Deer

Happy Days when Tiger is not Around

Merryment - A Sambhar also joins

Reacting to the (Warning ) Call of The Jangle - False Hope

King Vulture

Oil on Canvas - At least the Looks of it

God's Fan

Happiness Unbound

"Jangle Me Mor Nacha, Hamne Dekha"

Lone Bison

As we started the trip, weather was very hot and humid. As the time passed, it started drizzling which soon turned in to rain and drenched us fully. Rains brought down temperatures and also brought down our chances of sightseeing the Tigers as cooler temperatures would reduce the need for Tigers to come out.

While we enjoyed the trip through the Jungle in differing weather and enjoyed the trip, we did not see any tiger. At around 1830 we started our return trip and left the Khatauli range by 1900 and returned to Mogali Jungle Resort.

In order to get safari booking for tomorrow ie 31 May we gave some money to resort staff. They told us that incase safari is booked they will give us wakeup call tomorrow by 0500.  As a hedging strategy, we decided to visit Devi Sharada temple, a famous shakti peeth at Maihar in Satna dist of MP tomorrow in case the booking does not materialize. Else if we get the booking we would go to Maihar the day after tomorrow.

With usual ritual of dinner etc, we would up the day.