Bhamragad Wildlife Sanctuary
The Vidharba region of Maharashtra is famous for lush green deciduous forests, thus being home to a variety of ungulates. These in turn attract prey animals such as tigers and leopards. No wonder that most of Maharashtra’s Tiger Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries are located in this part of the state. In certain areas, more than one National Park or Wildlife Sanctuaries exist at close proximities. For instance, the Chandrapur district of Vidharba boasts not only of the state’s oldest and largest National Park, namely, the Tadoba Andheri Tiger Reserve, but also another smaller reserve, which is known as the Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Bhamragarh is certainly smaller than Tadoba in size, but there’s everything here that you can find in Tadoba.
Even though Bhamragarh is confined to 104 square kilometers, this sanctuary is quite rich in its wide variety of flora and fauna. You will surely be impressed with the list. You can find here the blue bull, the elusive barking deer, the sly sloth bear, wild boar and of course, the stealthy leopard. Brightly colored jungle fowl can be seen during dusk and dawn, seeking worms from under the fallen leaves of the stately kusum trees that grow abundantly within the sanctuary. There are hundreds of species of birds, butterflies and insects. There are numerous nala beds, tallus, caves and cliffs that provide sanctuary to these animals. You might also want to go to the tribal villages within the forest on your visit.
A trip to the Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary is certainly a memorable experience. It is a great weekend destination. There is greenery everywhere that will relax you and make you ready for the Monday.
How to reach: You will need to book a taxi from Ballarpur (the closest rail head) or the airport at Nagpur to reach Bhamragarh. You can also drive your vehicle. But remember, personal automobiles are not allowed to enter the forest.
There are no hotels in Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary or resorts in Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary because construction is not allowed inside the forest. However, accommodation is available in the buffer zone. Write to the Deputy Conservator of Forest (WI) stay within the core zone.
