Surrounded by the rugged terrain of the Vindhya mountain range, Bandhavgarh National Park is a majestic reserve and one of the subcontinent’s finest. A mixture of sal forest, meadow and grassland the different terrains and varying altitudes provide the perfect habitat for a wide range of animal species. Bandhavgarh was originally the game reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa and was made a national park in 1968. Although Bandhavgarh remains one of the very best places to see a tiger in the wild in India, the reserve is also home to leopard, sloth bear, sambar, chital, wolf, barking deer, caracal, gaur, hyena and nilgai as well as close to 80 species of butterfly and numerous reptiles. The reserve also has a rich and varied birdlife – over 300 species have been recorded – including hornbill, eagle, buzzard, vulture, green pigeon, kingfisher and parakeet.