Satpura National Park
An Unexplored Forest in India

Satpura National Park
An Unexplored Forest in India

The hill forests of
Central India
Satpura Mountains are Block Mountains formed nearly a billion years ago and further during the formation of the Himalayas, the peninsular Indian plate caused a rift for the Narmada River to fill in the valley of the graben to its North. The South of the Narmada is the Deccan plateau where we are located.

Established in 1981, Satpura Tiger Reserve derives its name from the Satpura hill range that runs east to west parallel to the Vindhyan mountain range. The mountain range with its seven folds, is the highest in the centre at the Pachmarhi plateau at about 1350Mts above sea level.

The largest Tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, it is spread across mostly hilly terrain with an area of over 2100Sq.kms. The altitudinal variations and being drained by rivers Denwa, Sonbhadra, streams and nallahs has gouged out an extremely diverse ecosystem with varied habitats for different species of flora and fauna. The undulating landscape is perfectly suited for the reclusive habits of predators like Leopards, wild dogs and of course the Tigers. Home to coinciding habitats of transitioning between the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats, both the towering teak and sturdy Sal exist here in different altitudes which varies from Moist deciduous forests, Central Indian sub-tropical hill forests in the upper regions to dry deciduous forests in the lower parts. One of the richest in plant diversity and ‘gene pool’ is probably the reason for Satpura Tiger Reserve getting shortlisted as a contender for being named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was probably this charming landscape and rich tapestry of flora and fauna that made Capt. Forsyth fall in love with this heart of India.

Satpura National Park
Satpura tiger reserve
Satpura Tiger Reserve comprises of Satpura national park in the North and North-west, Bori wildlife sanctuary on the South and South-west and Pachmarhi wildlife Sanctuary on the eastern side.

Forsyth Lodge is a 44 acre resuscitated forest with several indigenous plants and trees growing. It adjoins the buffer to the Madhai range of Satpura Tiger Reserve. Situated in the Northern boundary of the reserve, a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.

Just 10 minutes from the park entrance the buffer and core areas of tourism are separated by the Denwa river which acts as a natural boundary for guests entering the park at Madhai, the main entrance for safaris into the core area.

Presence of large water body of the Denwa backwaters of the Tawa dam provides for watching the landscape and animals from the water to get a perspective of the reserve which is really unique.

Satpura Tiger Reserve
The Satpura wildlife
Slide

Satpura tigers

Slide

Satpura leopards

These ridges and caves are a great place to spot Leopards that are quite adapted to the hilly region where they enjoy the cool rocks and dappled shade of Teak trees. The Leopards of Satpura are seldom spotted on the trees like those in Southern India unless they are treed up by Dholes or a Tiger or even a Wild Boar, their rosettes form like the lichens on the rock sometimes without being noticed by the ever vigilant Langurs or giving away their scent to a Sambar stag that visits the rocks to feed on the limestone. Spotting them is a challenge and fun at the same time during the training of our guides pushed hard on learning every rock and thicket.

Slide

Satpura sloth bears

Dynasties of Sloth Bears have reigned these landscapes for nearly a decade and Satpura is one of the best places on earth to watch the Sloth Bear mothers digging for termites or climbing for bees or wandering the ridges of lower Satpura Mountains to find the best fruiting orchards of Tendu, Mahua and Zizyphus.

Slide

Satpura birding

The various ecosystems with forests, grassland, rivers, mountains and even farmlands provide some of the best birding spots for resident and migratory birds of over 350 species. The Denwa reservoir invites waders and winter migrants and mud flats become the nesting grounds for Indian Skimmers, Pratincoles, River Terns, Lapwings etc. Walks around the Pachmarhi region with high vertical scarps are nesting places for vultures and numerous other birds of prey like the Bonneli’s eagle and Mountainhawk eagle. Black-crested bulbuls and Malabar Whistling thrushes are also frequently seen bird on walks across the viewpoints and trails that you can access here.

Slide

Trees of Satpura

Like the Leopard, Kullu trees (Sterculia urens) have an affinity for rocks. Soon after October, they stand pale like the Earth-man who has surfaced from the underground and begs the sky for water. Satpura has evolved wherever there was a village since their relocation and also kept some of the ancient groves where man found no purpose for the land. The diversity of Trees in Satpura is one of the richest in Central India. The Mahadeo hills in the East have vast tracts of Sal, and Sal being Sal doesn’t let other trees grow between them. As the soil shifts to the Deccan trap with the altitude below 800 meters, the Tendu, Mahua, Giriya, Saaj take over with patches of Salai and Anjan. This is another good reason for Sloth Bears to feel at home when fruiting trees are so diverse and widespread without any monoculture.

The hill forests of
Central India
Satpura National Park
Satpura Mountains are Block Mountains formed nearly a billion years ago and further during the formation of the Himalayas, the peninsular Indian plate caused a rift for the Narmada River to fill in the valley of the graben to its North. The South of the Narmada is the Deccan plateau where we are located.

Established in 1981, Satpura Tiger Reserve derives its name from the Satpura hill range that runs east to west parallel to the Vindhyan mountain range. The mountain range with its seven folds, is the highest in the centre at the Pachmarhi plateau at about 1350Mts above sea level.

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The largest Tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, it is spread across mostly hilly terrain with an area of over 2100Sq.kms. The altitudinal variations and being drained by rivers Denwa, Sonbhadra, streams and nallahs has gouged out an extremely diverse ecosystem with varied habitats for different species of flora and fauna. The undulating landscape is perfectly suited for the reclusive habits of predators like Leopards, wild dogs and of course the Tigers. Home to coinciding habitats of transitioning between the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats, both the towering teak and sturdy Sal exist here in different altitudes which varies from Moist deciduous forests, Central Indian sub-tropical hill forests in the upper regions to dry deciduous forests in the lower parts. One of the richest in plant diversity and ‘gene pool’ is probably the reason for Satpura Tiger Reserve getting shortlisted as a contender for being named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

It was probably this charming landscape and rich tapestry of flora and fauna that made Capt. Forsyth fall in love with this heart of India.

Satpura tiger reserve
Satpura Tiger Reserve comprises of Satpura national park in the North and North-west, Bori wildlife sanctuary on the South and South-west and Pachmarhi wildlife Sanctuary on the eastern side.

Forsyth Lodge is a 44 acre resuscitated forest with several indigenous plants and trees growing. It adjoins the buffer to the Madhai range of Satpura Tiger Reserve. Situated in the Northern boundary of the reserve, a two-and-a-half-hour journey from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh.

Just 10 minutes from the park entrance the buffer and core areas of tourism are separated by the Denwa river which acts as a natural boundary for guests entering the park at Madhai, the main entrance for safaris into the core area.

Presence of large water body of the Denwa backwaters of the Tawa dam provides for watching the landscape and animals from the water to get a perspective of the reserve which is really unique.

Satpura Tiger Reserve
LEGEND
Buffer
Zone
Protected
Area
Tourism
Area
The Satpura wildlife
Slide
Satpura tigers
Slide
Satpura leopards

These ridges and caves are a great place to spot Leopards that are quite adapted to the hilly region where they enjoy the cool rocks and dappled shade of Teak trees. The Leopards of Satpura are seldom spotted on the trees like those in Southern India unless they are treed up by Dholes or a Tiger or even a Wild Boar, their rosettes form like the lichens on the rock sometimes without being noticed by the ever vigilant Langurs or giving away their scent to a Sambar stag that visits the rocks to feed on the limestone. Spotting them is a challenge and fun at the same time during the training of our guides pushed hard on learning every rock and thicket.

Slide
Satpura sloth bears

Dynasties of Sloth Bears have reigned these landscapes for nearly a decade and Satpura is one of the best places on earth to watch the Sloth Bear mothers digging for termites or climbing for bees or wandering the ridges of lower Satpura Mountains to find the best fruiting orchards of Tendu, Mahua and Zizyphus.

Slide
Satpura birding

The various ecosystems with forests, grassland, rivers, mountains and even farmlands provide some of the best birding spots for resident and migratory birds of over 350 species. The Denwa reservoir invites waders and winter migrants and mud flats become the nesting grounds for Indian Skimmers, Pratincoles, River Terns, Lapwings etc. Walks around the Pachmarhi region with high vertical scarps are nesting places for vultures and numerous other birds of prey like the Bonneli’s eagle and Mountainhawk eagle. Black-crested bulbuls and Malabar Whistling thrushes are also frequently seen bird on walks across the viewpoints and trails that you can access here.

Slide
Trees of Satpura

Like the Leopard, Kullu trees (Sterculia urens) have an affinity for rocks. Soon after October, they stand pale like the Earth-man who has surfaced from the underground and begs the sky for water. Satpura has evolved wherever there was a village since their relocation and also kept some of the ancient groves where man found no purpose for the land. The diversity of Trees in Satpura is one of the richest in Central India. The Mahadeo hills in the East have vast tracts of Sal, and Sal being Sal doesn’t let other trees grow between them. As the soil shifts to the Deccan trap with the altitude below 800 meters, the Tendu, Mahua, Giriya, Saaj take over with patches of Salai and Anjan. This is another good reason for Sloth Bears to feel at home when fruiting trees are so diverse and widespread without any monoculture.

FAQs
What is the climate like in Satpura?
Satpura has a hot tropical climate, although it varies from region to region based on altitude. With temperatures ranging from 5-30 degrees centigrade, the winter spans between November and March. There is quite a variation in daytime and night-time temperatures with the difference being almost 15-20 degrees. Early mornings are cool and daytime sun is quite harsh making it warm and sunny throughout the winters. Summers last between April to July with the daytime temperatures reaching into the high forties with dry weather. Monsoons set in by July and last till September making October a good time for the start of the season.
What is the best time to visit Satpura?

Depending on your interest in the kind of activities and flora or fauna, Satpura is a good park to visit from October to June in the dry season. October is great season to see the entire forest lush after the monsoons and is the best time to visit the Satpura National Park for spotting butterflies, spiders, plants and insects. As the season progresses it becomes drier with the foliage progressively drying up for better sightings of the mammals and birds from November onwards. As the winter sets in by end of November the migratory birds start coming in and it’s a great time for birding from November to March. You can also do camping and Forsyth Trail between November and March owing to the winter weather. April onwards the undergrowth is really dried up and the hot weather makes it easier to spot the big mammals providing a good opportunity for photographers. Checkout our different activities and itineraries or speak to our naturalists to create a bespoke plan to suit your needs.

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All Rights Reserved © 2021 Forsyth Lodge
Made with ❤️ by Savage & Palmer

Quick Links

Home

Experiences

The Lodge

Enquiry

Offers

Packages And Offers

Blog

Gallery

Contact

FAQ

Learn

The Forsyth Story

About Satpura

Our Initiatives

Follow Us

For Updates From Satpura And Our Jungle Lodge

For sales and reservations:

All Rights Reserved © 2021 Forsyth Lodge
Made with ❤️ by Savage & Palmer