The current tiger reserve area has a splendid history. The representation of its natural abundance and wealth can be seen in Ain-i-Akbari.  The Jungle Book’s( most popular work of Rudyard Kipling) creative set is the Pench Tiger Reserve and its vicinity.

The Pench National Park is around 70 kilometers  from the Nagpur city is situated in the Southern part of Madhya Pradesh, India. The park is scattered over the area of 275 kilometers out of which 90% of area is in the adjoining Madhya Pradesh state and the remaining 10% is in Maharashtra.

Here the plantation is characteristic of the tropical southern deciduous forest. Grand Teak or Tectona grandis mixed with other magnificent species like amaltas  or Cassia fistula, saja orTerminalia tomentosa, lendia or Lagerstroemia parviflora, bija or Pterocarpus marsupium,  haldu or Adina cardifolia, dhaora or Anogeissus latifolia, salai or Boswellia serrata, aonla or Emblica officinalis cover the forest area of the park. The plain area is wrapped with maze of bushes, plants, saplings and grasses. At places, Bamboo is also encountered. Magnificent white kulu or Sterculia urens trees spread about  are clearly noted in the diverse shades of green.

Tiger, the major species of cat are found in the park in adequate amount but are seen very rarely. Frequently seen wild animals are sambhar, chital, jackal wild boar and nilgai. Some more wildlife present is  sloth bear, leopard, porcupine, wild dog, fox, jungle cat gaur, chowsingha, barking deer and striped hyena. Above 170 kinds of birds are present that includes many migratory species too. Others include junglefowl, peafowl, crow pheasant, red-vented bulbul, crimson-breasted barbet, herons  racket-tailed drongo, shoveler, lesser whistling teal, magpie robin, pintail and egret.

General Information

History

The location of Pench National Park is in the southern part of Satpura Hills and it is named on the name of the Pench river that flows by this park. It comprises of the moist tropical deciduous forest. It was declared as the 19th project for tiger reserve in the country, India.

This park was asserted as Pench national park of Maharashtra by Maharashtra Government and was allotted a notification number ‘R&F.D./1395/212768/F-1’ on date as 22-11-75 having an area of about 257.26 sq km. Indian Government asserted this area as ‘Pench tiger reserve’ seen their notification number ‘III (I)-25/98-PT’ on date as 11-2-99. The park was embedded with the assertion of ‘Pench National Park’ by Maharashtra Government as Tiger Reserve of Pench vides notification number of ‘WLp-1095/CR-110/F-1’ on date as 23-2-99.

Best Time To Visit

If one wishes to see the unique wildlife and the tigers, then one should plan their visit to the Penna park in the months of summer, as at this time animals come out fetching waterholes. Months of Winters might be more amiable, but in this season wildlife is not easily seen. Every year the Park is closed for visitors  during the month of July- October (the rainy season) while it is open from early November to end June.

Distance From National park

Nagpur – 131 km

Tumsar Road – 77 km

Tirora – 105 km

Parasia – 121 km

Ponnuru – 120 km

How To Get There

By Air: Sonegaon airport is the closest airport to Pench at Nagpur, located at about of 93 kilometers from Park. Flights are present from to Mumbai and Pune airport on regular basis. Taxi charges(prepaid) from Nagpur to Pench are around Rs 2000.

By Train: Seoni Railway Station, the closest railway station is about 30 kilometers from the park and is well connected to main cities of the country that includes Mumbai too. Seoni to Nagpur and  Mumbai are connected by regular trains. Taxi fare for Seoni to Pench are around Rs 500 for tourists.

By Road: Seoni has the closest bus junction distanced at approx 30 kilometers from park. A number of buses goes by Pench park. Seoni is linked to all cities in Maharastra and Madhya Pradesh by public and private bus services.

Location Map

Things To Do In National Park

Wildlife

Pench is widely known as a birdwatcher's paradise. There are above 200 vareities of birds such as bulbuls, barbets, minivets, wagtails, orioles, munias, blue kingfishers, waterfowls and mynas in the Penna Park.

Flora And Fauna: Area under forest is combination of tropical moist deciduous forest and dry deciduous forest, and is absurd with fascinating climbers, trees and shrubs. Trees that grow here in good amount are Mahua, Teak,  Tendu, Amaltas, Palas and Bija. The valley is bordered by appealing dancing grasses of bamboo.

Pench is home to many endangered species. Wildlife present here includes leopard, Tigers, jackal wolf, Indian wild dog (dhol), jungle cat and hyena.Some other animals who have made this park their adobe sambhar, Chital, muntjac, wild boar gaur rhesus macaques and langur.

Birdwatcher's gratification is a Pench park. Birds flying over the sky of the Pench include hornbills, Parakeets, barbets, minivets, kingfishers, a host of majestic raptors, orioles, wagtails,  also include the crested serpent eagle, white-eyed buzzard and crested hawk eagle.

Activities

Sit Out At Macchan: A site to relax and one never gets what comes out.

Nature Walk: Most beneficent to take glimpse of nature.

Hot Air Balloon: To Just have a flight in the hot air balloon.

Jungle Safaris: Afternoon and Morning drives into the Pence park. Catch a glimpse of wild adventure in its true colors

Vintage Car Drive: Experience the feel of a king by having a ride in this vintage car.

Potters Village: Takes one to the potters’ village where one can try their hands on the wheel of the potter .

Accommodation

Pench Jungle Camp:  There are 12 canvas pavilions on the style of Deluxe safari adobed established on permanent basis  facilitated by tiled bathrooms and showers. Each tent is spacious and an extra bed can be easily accommodated in it. Living room includes en suite bathroom which is quiet spacious and Private and contains running cold and hot water, a futility counter, shower space and flush toilet. Every  tent has electric current of 220 V with the facility of battery recharging.

Mahua Vann Resort: Accommodation for Guest includes 15 rooms and 12 sets of space to provide the feeling of concurrent bungalows side by side among the packed foliage. The windows and doors have colonial dome shaped ventilation whose glass are stained and the bungalows decorated with masterpieces of art in furniture give nostalgic feeling of yesteryears

Tiger N Wood Resort: A beautifully designed resort containing about 10 unique cottages of wood made on the style of tree house or Machaan Style where every cottage provides a personal space for sitting out and having a glimpse of the park’s buffer area having all facilities of modern times.

Timings

The Park is open to visitors between 6 am to 10:30 am and 3 pm to 6 pm. The park remains closed during the months of July, August and September.

Weather

There is continental tropical monsoon climate in Pench park having various monsoons from July to September, summers from April to June and winters from November to February. In Summers temperature touches the level of 45°C therefore are extremely hot while in winters temperature reaches the minimum to about freezing point and therefore are very cold . Quiet heavy rain falls occur in the monsoons of south west.

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