Practical Guide
How to Reach Bandhavgarh
Getting here, and booking your safari permit, in one place.
Getting here, and booking your safari permit, in one place.
Safaris are booked as permits for a specific zone, date, and time slot, not walk-up. Entry is first-come-first-served on availability, so book ahead. Standard advance booking opens up to 120 days ahead; last-minute ("tatkal") slots for the next day open at 5 PM the evening before.
What you need: government photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, driving licence, voter ID, etc.) for every person on the permit.
Vehicle options: book the full gypsy (up to 6 guests) for a private group, or a single seat in a shared jeep if traveling solo or budget-conscious.
Gate timing: winter (Oct–Jan) mornings 6:30–10:30am, afternoons 2:30–5:30pm. Summer (Feb–Jun) mornings 6:00–10:00am, afternoons 2:30–5:30pm. Arrive at the gate 15 minutes before your slot.
Rough cost: gypsy fare typically ₹3,500–4,500 for core zones, ₹4,000–5,000 for buffer zones, per vehicle (up to 6 people), plus separate entry permit and guide fees. Confirm exact current rates on the portal below; prices are revised periodically.
Closed: roughly July through mid-October for monsoon (exact reopening date varies year to year), plus one session every Wednesday. Sources disagree on whether it's the morning or evening slot, so confirm before planning around it.
Official booking portal: forest.mponline.gov.in. Most resorts and homestays (including Vananansh, once open) can also arrange permits and gypsy bookings on a guest's behalf.
Once we're open, sorting out permits and gypsy bookings for guests is part of the stay. And even before that, Anand's own eye for these forests doesn't have to wait: he puts together tailored tours and wildlife experiences, shaped around your dates and what you're hoping to see.