Madhya Pradesh constitutes the very heart of India. The vegetation in Bandhavgarh is varied and includes a blend of grasslands and forests that support large herbivores, an impressive diversity of birds and a host of insect life that has not yet been fully catalogued. This wildlife haven is linked through patchy corridor forests with Kanha and together constitutes one of the world's most important tiger-breeding habitats. Madhya Pradesh is therefore justifiably proud of both reserves and calls itself the "Tiger State" of India because over 20 per cent of all the world's tigers are to be found here.

Bamboo clumps are an intrinsic feature of Bandhavgarh, as is the hilly terrain with its steep ridges, Sal forests and grassy pastures. The impressive Bandhavgarh Fort stands out as a reminder of the ancient history of the region. Even today discoveries are being made amidst the crumbling ruins and ramparts of the fort that throw new light on battles fought and empires lost. No one who visits this incredible forest comes away unaffected by its heady brew of history and wild nature.

The white tigers of Rewa were taken from the wild and are justifiably famous worldwide. But no specimens have been seen in the wild in recent years. A well documented story reveals that Mohan, the first ever white tiger cub to be discovered, was accidentally found in the Bandhavgarh forest in 1951 and was kept as a pet by the then Maharaja. Vets confirmed that it was not an albino, but a rare recessive gene that had somehow surfaced. This one animal was the progenitor of all the cubs that now live in zoos in different parts of the globe and displayed to the public as a (very beautiful) freak of nature. Bandhavgarh aficionados, firmly believe that somewhere, somehow, yet another wild white tiger will emerge from the wilds of this forest.

The key prey species for tigers here are chital, sambar and barking deer, wild boar, monkeys and nilgai antelope. The swifter chinkara and four-horned antelope are more difficult for the cats to bring down.

The Gaur or Indian Bison come down from the deciduous hill forests to the eastern side of the park to reach the central meadows. Bandhavgarh is probably one of the best places to see Gaur.

Rhesus Macaques and Black-faced Langurs (the latter are believed to be the descendents of the monkey army led by Hanuman, the Monkey God) are to be seen aplenty.

Foxes and jackals can often be seen on the trot, sometimes surprisingly near herds of grazing chital that know that these carnivores are in search of smaller prey.

Leopards are the 'other' carnivores of Bandhavgarh, but they are rarely seen, as the dense tiger population forces them to occupy 'lesser' territories in the fringes. Drives may reveal packs of wild dogs or dholes. These 'whistling hunters' so called because of their whistle-like calls, breed around November or December when they are usually seen in pairs and, later, in larger family units.

Lesser carnivores include the civets, ratel (honey badger) and the Striped hyaena.

Sloth bears are seldom encountered, but they do patrol their turf around dusk and dawn in search of fruit or termites.

The resident bird population is high, thanks to the year round flowering and fruiting of trees. These include Bee eaters, drongoes, flycatchers, minivets and woodshrikes , all of which can be seen when driving through the forest and even on walks near the park headquarters at the Jungle Camp. Noisy Blossom-Headed Parakeets can be reliably spotted, provided you head for the nearest fruiting tree, which a Pied Hornbill may choose to visit. The Paradise Flycatcher, a breathtakingly beautiful bird with an impossibly long tail that is used in its courtship displays, is regularly seen, as is the Tickell's Flycatcher, Whitebrowed Fantail Flycatcher and the Large Racket Tailed Drongo.