The forest of the "Seven Hills"

It was October once again and the forests of India have just reopened for tourists. This is one of the most beautiful times in the forests of India, as the forest is rejuvenated by the monsoons and looks verdant. This also happens to be the time when I and my father go for our annual “Baap-Beta” trip ! This year I decided to visit a few new forests and it was time for Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Located in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, this forest is located in close proximity to the popular tourist spot of Pachmarhi and part of the Mahadeo Maikal landscape and named after the Satpura Range or the land of the “Seven Hills”. We landed in Nagpur at around mid-day and took a cab for Satpura National Park. Our destination; the recently opened property of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism, the Bison Resort. An 8-hour journey finally took us to this place called Madhai by the banks of the Denwa River. The journey although comfortable was hectic and after a hearty dinner, we were off to bed; thrilled and excited to explore the forests the following morning. Satpura National Park is unique in many ways. For starters, it is not as crowded as its more popular cousins like Kanha and Bandhavgarh and hence you there are no serpentine queue awaiting you! The safari begins with a lovely boat ride that takes you to the other side of the river where the forest entry point is located. The ticket counter is located within the same premises as the MP Tourism’s property and the jetty is just a hop away. Having got our documents checked, we boarded the boat and were off for our fists safari in the forest of the seven hills! Enjoy the rest of the story through the pictures and little anecdotes...

This is how your day begins in Satpura with a short boat ride across the Denwa River

The rising sun lights up the eastern horizon, poring molten gold in the Denwa backwaters...Another day begins in Satpura !

Satpura boasts of jaw dropping landscapes, replete with hills, forests and water bodies

The quantly located Madhai Forest Rest House welcomes you as your are about to begin your journey through the wonderful forests of Satpura

Satpura National Park is divided into the core zone of Madhai and the buffers of Jamani Dev and Parsapani. The Madhai range in turn has 5 zones, namely, Keriya, Lagda, Jhinjhini Mahal, Chutki Dev and Churna. Unlike the more tiger centric forests, getting your safaris booked in Satpura is a breeze and add to it that only about 12 vehicles are allowed at a time!

The journey to Churna and an encounter with the specter...

On the second day of our journey, we had decided to go to Churna, which is located at the western most part of the forest. For visiting Churna, one needs to book two consecutive safaris in Madhai. Tourists can also opt to stay at the beautifully located Churna Forest Rest House or just spend a few hours in the same and return back to Madhai.

The journey to Churna is through thickly forested roads, interspaced by sharp turns and bends across hilly tracks. As we embarked on our journey to Churna, suddenly we came across fresh pugmarks of a young tigress. Our driver and forest guide immediately got busy following the tracks hoping to track the tigress, when we suddenly received a message from one of the other vehicles that a tigress has been spotted in a nearby place. What followed was a mad rush and a bumpy ride across some rough terrain. Few vehicles were already present at the spot. One of them informed us that the young tigress had just crossed into the thick bushes adjoining the road. We decided wait. After nearly half an hour our driver decided to move a few yards down the road to check for any movement, and suddenly we saw a shadow moving through the bushes. There was the tigress and true to the shy and elusive nature of the tigers of Satpura, she was in no mood to break cover. In a flash, she was gone, engulfed by the forest! We at least had a glimpse of the specter of Satpura, which is no mean feat...

Tourists wait anxiously to catch a glimpse of the elusive predator

Having caught a glimpse of the tigress we decided to proceed towards Churna. The journey to Churna was a splendid experience and passes through thickly wooded areas. We were the only tourists there and hence had the entire forest to ourselves! Something unimaginable in the more famous parks of India.

A family of Sambar enroute Churna

A Blue Bull or Nilgai stands vigilant

We arrived at the beautifully located Churna rest house by lunch time. We were greeted by a smiling forest guard who provided us with a room to spend a few hours and informed that lunch shall be served in an hours time. We decided to provide some much needed rest to our tired bodies and dozed off with a wonderful cool breeze blowing across the campus. After an hour, we were served steaming hot lunch, simple yet wholesome comprising of daal, rice and chapathis and it was almost time for us to start our afternoon safari and journey back to Madhai.

A family of Malabar Giant Squirrel resides in one of the many trees that adorn the forest campus in Churna

The beautiful Churna Forest Rest House sits deep inside the forest and is a perfect place to stay during winters

Satpura is replete with water bodies and provides some lovely landscapes

A trip to Chutki Dev...

Having covered Churna, we wanted to try out Chutki Dev, which is the highest point within the forest and offers a panoramic view of the Satpura ranges. The journey to Chutki Dev was bone rattling, as the road was practically non existent after the monsoons and the gypsy literally hobbled across the boulder strewn track. Finally after an arduous journey, we reached the top and were greeted by a breathtaking view of the forest and its landscapes.

On our way back we stopped over for some lovely tea flavoured with some lemon grass at the elephant check point and decided to take some "Baap-Beta" photos.

Smiling father and son after a gruelling journey!!

Moments of Satpura...

A spectacled cobra slithers through the forest floor sending a herd of Spotted Deer bolting for their lives

Satpura is blessed with unique blend of forests, hills and water bodies making it one of the most gorgeous forest patches of central India

The Lagda view point is a popular tourist attraction. Situated deep inside the forest, this place epitomizes Satpura with deep ravines and breathtaking landscapes. Tourists are allowed to step down and enjoy the lovely vistas, but don't rule out a chance encounter with a Sloth Bear or a Leopard !

The month of October is a wonderful time with lush green vegetation all around. Even the ubiquitous Gaur looks spectacular with the green background

Satpura houses a sizeable number of Mugger Crocodiles who are visible throughout the year.

How about this for a location! The newly constructed property of MP Tourism on the banks of Denwa !

For those who care for details ...

Satpura is one of the most pristine forest patches of the country, but wildlife sighting is not easy. The thick forests and lack of open forest areas make the tracking of animals extremely challenging. Hence, tiger obsessed tourists typically give it a skip ! However, here lies the magic...Satpura is still relatively unexplored which makes it less crowded and peaceful.

The nearest railhead would be Sohagpur on the Howrah-Mumbai Line and closes Airport is at Bhopal. In case you are driving down from Nagpur, please account for at least 7 to 8 hours of drive via Chhindwara

Satpura offers a number of accommodations across all budget segment. However, few can beat MP Tourism's Bison Resort when it comes to location and value for money. The rooms are freshly done up and the food is also absolutely delectable.

All in all, Satpura is a wonderful destination waiting to be explored and surely a place commanding multiple visits...Hope you enjoyed the read, kindly leave behind your comments and queries and I shall revert..See you until my next blog..