Madhav National Park

Madhav National Park is situated in Shivpuri district of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh.Set up in 1959 this park is spread over an area of 354 sq km and has a varied terrain of forested hills and flat grasslands.The predominant wildlife of the park includes the deer of which the most easily sighted are the graceful little chinkara or Indian gazelle and the chital. Other species that inhabit the park are nilgai, sambar, chausingha or four -horned antelope, black buck, sloth bear, leopard and the common langur.

The artificial lake Chandpata is the winter home to many migratory birds.Chandpata was actually a dam built by the Scindia rulers who treated Shivpuri as their summer capital.In the boat club on the lake one can easily hear the continuous raag of the jhingur interspersed with the occasional call of the owl. Early morning drives through the forest takes one to a meeting with the tigers.They live in a 10 km enclosure and usually know when food is being served. There are so many hundreds of chinkara and cheetal inside the park that it almost seems overpopulated.

Getting there:

By Air: The nearest airport Gwalior is connected by daily flights to all Indian Metros. Most resorts have pick-ups facilities.

By Rail:The nearest railhead is at Jhansi from where one can take either taxi or bus.

Best option is to stay at the tourist village of the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and guest house of the Forest Department. The local hotels available here also provide good accommodation.

Best time to visit Madhav National Park:

The best time to visit Madhav National Park is between October and April. The most comfortable time to visit in terms of climate is between November and March.