It used to be the Sanjay National Park till Chhattisgarh was carved out of MP: now 60 per cent of the former park (about 1,440 sq km) that lies in Chhattisgarh goes by the name Guru Ghasidas National Park, named after the region’s famous Satnami reformist hero. This rather under-explored park is a mixed deciduous forest with teak, sal and bamboo trees and there’s a wide variety of mammals, including tigers, and birds; its importance lies in the fact that it forms a vital corridor linking Bandhavgarh National Park of Madhya Pradesh and the Palamau Tiger Reserve of Jharkhand. With dense forests, streams and undulating terrain, it’s a pretty place.
The information
Location 400km from Raipur, on the Riva-Sidhi-Mirjapur-Varanasi state highway
Where to stay At the Forest Department’s guesthouse (contact the Director, GGNP, 9425254875) or at Hotel Shri Mangalam (Rs 120–800; 07836-232021) in Baikunthpur