Bandhavgarh Safari Booking
Bandhavgarh safari booking made simple: reserve a jeep or canter drive inside Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, the forest where the chance of meeting a wild tiger on a single drive is among the best anywhere in India. Pick a date, choose a gate, and we take care of the permit.
Bandhavgarh Safari Booking Cost
Pick the day you plan to drive. Every price is for one drive and already includes the forest permit, the vehicle and the guide. Nothing is added later.
- Forest entry permit
- Gypsy with driver
- Forest guide
- About 4 hours drive
- Forest entry permit
- Gypsy with driver
- Forest guide
- About 4 hours drive
- One seat in the canter
- Forest entry permit
- Forest guide
- About 4 hours drive
Bandhavgarh Safari Timings by Month
Gates open with first light and close before dusk, so the clock shifts every month. Reach the gate at least 30 minutes early with original ID for every traveller.
❄️ Cooler months (October – February)
| Month | Morning | Afternoon | Night (buffer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| October | 06:00 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 18:00 | After dusk |
| November | 06:15 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 17:45 | After dusk |
| December | 06:30 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 17:30 | After dusk |
| January | 06:45 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 17:45 | After dusk |
| February | 06:30 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 18:15 | After dusk |
☀️ Warmer months (March – June)
| Month | Morning | Afternoon | Night (buffer) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March | 06:15 – 11:30 | 15:00 – 18:30 | After dusk |
| April | 05:45 – 11:30 | 16:00 – 18:45 | After dusk |
| May | 05:30 – 11:30 | 16:00 – 19:00 | After dusk |
| June | 05:30 – 11:30 | 16:00 – 19:00 | After dusk |
Which Gate Should You Choose?
Three core gates and a ring of buffer ranges make up the reserve. Each has its own permit quota, so the gate you pick decides both the landscape you see and how early you need to reserve.
★★★★★ Tiger chances
Open meadows, the hill-top fort and the famous Sheshshaiya statue. Most requested gate; weekends and holidays go two months ahead.
★★★★★ Tiger chances
Grassland and water holes that have produced the most consistent sightings over the last few seasons. The smart pick when Tala is gone.
★★★★☆ Tiger chances
Thicker sal forest, wild elephants and rich birdlife. Fewer jeeps, easier seats, and a calmer drive.
★★★☆☆ Tiger chances
Lower cost, almost no queue at the gate, and the only place a night drive is allowed. Ideal as a second or third outing.
About Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
Bandhavgarh National Park lies in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, in the Vindhya hills of central India. Declared a national park in 1968 and a tiger reserve in 1993, it spreads over roughly 1,536 sq km including the buffer, with a core of about 716 sq km of sal forest, bamboo, grassland and rocky cliffs around the 2,000-year-old Bandhavgarh Fort.
How to reach
Nearest railhead is Umaria (35 km) with Katni (100 km) on the main line. Jabalpur airport is about 190 km, Khajuraho 250 km. Tala village at the park gate has the hotels and the safari counter.
Best time to visit
October to March for pleasant weather and green forest; April to June for the highest tiger sightings as animals gather at water. The reserve is shut during the monsoon from July to September.
Wildlife you may see
Besides tigers, the reserve holds leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, gaur, sambar, chital, nilgai, a resident elephant herd and more than 250 bird species including the Malabar pied hornbill.
How the Permit Works
Every drive into Bandhavgarh needs a permit issued by the forest department against the names and ID numbers of the people travelling. Quotas per gate are small and the online window opens 120 days ahead, which is why popular dates disappear weeks before travel.
Any one government ID works for Indian citizens: Aadhaar, passport, voter card or driving licence. Overseas guests need a passport. The same original document is checked at the gate, so names must match exactly. A permit is tied to its date and gate and cannot be moved to another person.
Last-minute (Tatkal) Seats
When someone cancels, the released seat goes back into a small tatkal pool. This pool is opened twice, roughly a week before and again the day before the drive. Nothing in it is promised, and the gate you wanted may not be the one that frees up.
The tatkal fee is a little higher than the regular permit, and the ID details plus payment must be ready the moment a seat shows up. For travellers already in the area it is often the only way to add a drive.
Tell us the plan
Date, preferred gate, drive slot and the number of travellers through the form above.
Get a quote
We look up live seats and reply by email with the gate that is open and the exact amount.
Send ID details
Names, ages and ID numbers of each traveller. The permit is generated against these.
Receive the permit
The confirmed permit, jeep and guide details arrive in your inbox. Show the permit and ID at the gate.
What You Get With Every Reservation
A safari is only as good as the people on the ground. Our jeeps, drivers and naturalists are based at Tala and work the reserve every day of the season.
Permit in the forest system
Every reservation is a real permit in the department's portal, in your name. You can verify it at the gate before the drive starts.
Drivers who read the forest
Our jeep drivers have spent years tracking alarm calls and pug marks here. Where the jeep goes in those four hours matters more than anything else.
Clear answers, no pressure
Ask about gates, kids, cameras or hotels and you get a straight reply. If a date is sold out we say so instead of selling a worse option.
Dates still open?
Send the form and you will know within working hours which gates have seats on your day.
Bandhavgarh Safari Booking FAQ
How far ahead should I reserve a Bandhavgarh safari?
For Tala on a weekend or a long holiday, two months is safe. Weekday drives in Magadhi or Khitauli can often be found two to three weeks out. Buffer drives are usually open until a few days before.
Is one gate really better than another for tigers?
All three core gates share the same tiger population and sightings move with water and prey. Tala has the scenery, Magadhi has had the strongest run recently, Khitauli is quieter. A mix of gates over two or three drives gives the best odds.
Do children need a permit?
Children above five count as a seat and need their name and an ID (school ID or Aadhaar) on the permit. Below five they can travel on a parent's lap without a separate seat.
What happens if I cannot travel on the booked date?
The permit cannot be shifted to another date or handed to someone else. Cancellation refunds follow the forest department's slab, which drops to nil close to the drive date. We share the slab before you pay.
Is there a camera or vehicle fee on top?
Still cameras are free. Professional video or large lenses may attract a department fee at the gate. The jeep and guide are already part of the amount shown on this page.
Can I rely on tatkal if I arrive without a permit?
Treat it as a bonus, not a plan. Seats appear only when someone cancels, and on peak dates that may be none. We will tell you honestly what the pool looks like for your day.
What should I carry on the drive?
Original ID for every traveller, the permit on your phone or printed, warm layers for winter mornings, a hat and water in summer. Bright clothing and loud colours are discouraged inside the reserve.