‘Fresh tiger poop!’ These three words bring our gypsy to an abrupt halt along the forest path in Satpura National Park. The glistening pile of poop is the subject of much fascination early in the morning on our safari. I have to admit, it is inordinately beautiful, with dozens of butterflies that have chosen to perch on it, while even more flap around trying to grab a piece of the prize. ‘Mud puddling’, the naturalist explains, as he videotapes the rare Black Rajah soaking up nutrients from the faeces.
En route our breakfast spot in the park, we had driven down this very path just 30 minutes earlier. In that half hour, a tiger had traversed this trail, leaving a definitive mark and providing breakfast for the butterflies. The beauty of the forest lies in surprises like this that it throws up at every turn.
Led by experienced Forest Department guide Ashish Pandey and naturalist Jasen T Das from the Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, we try tracking the elusive cat. On the luminous silver trunk of a ghost tree, Ashish points out the scratch marks of the tiger’s claws and the spray of its urine. The striped cats are known to use ghost trees to mark their territory. Jasen points out fresh pugmarks on the loose sandy soil of the forest path. We don’t catch up with the tiger, but interpreting its movements through the eyes of experts is a fascinating learning experience in itself.
Right from the get-go, a safari in Satpura National Park is unlike any other. To access the park, I have to drive to the Madhai entrance, cross the Tawa Reservoir by boat, and then board the open-top jeep that will take me into the forest. Satpura is the only park in Madhya Pradesh that offers boat, canoe and walking safaris, in addition, to jeep drives.
Spread over 524sq km, the park is hemmed in by the Satpura hills and the Denwa River. The landscape ranges from open grasslands – the sites of relocated villages – to steep hills, tightly packed teak and saaj forest to stacks of rugged sandstone rock. Seasonal streams and rivers like the Sonbhadra and Denwa water the land.
The air is alive with the calls of drongos and parakeets but on the ground, the forest is just slowly shaking off its slumber. We spot a herd of chital and a sambhar deer in the grasslands, and a fat monitor lizard scurries over to the rocks. At popular wildlife hangouts like Aampani, Ashish relates funny tales of the forest. Named after a mango tree beside a mountain spring, Aampani is the forest’s ‘guesthouse’, he tells me. Weathered stacks of sandstone form a cave, where water from the spring seeps through keeping it cool in the summer. At this naturally cool, sheltered spot with a perennial water source, sloth bears, large cats and wild dogs often retreat with their young ones.
In spite of no major sightings, I feel lucky to be among the first to venture into the forest on the first day of the new season in October. Enjoying a packed breakfast at the beautiful Lagda Viewpoint, I sit on a rocky outcrop over a placid green reservoir strewn with boulders. Dragonflies spiral in the air, macaques shake up the trees on the opposite bank while wagtails and blue rock pigeons stop for a drink of water. In the distance, the peaks of the Satpura hills are shrouded in a weak mist. The highlands of Central India are a magical place to be in, animal sightings or not.
Pro Tip
Wear muted forest colours and avoid bright clothing in order to blend in and not alert animals.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Getting there: Satpura National Park is 130km/4hours from Bhopal
Safaris
Most lodges in the area can organise safaris, for a fee. Book independently through https://forest.mponline.gov.in/
Seasons & Timings
The park is open from 1 October to June 30. From July to September, it remains closed during the monsoons. All parks in Madhya Pradesh are closed on Wednesday afternoons.
Timings: 6.30am to 11am and 4pm to 6pm
Costs
Safaris start at INR 4,160 per vehicle (max 6 people), depending on the route you take. This includes entry permits to the park, boat fee, and vehicle and guide charges.
Stay
Reni Pani Jungle Lodge has excellent naturalists who elevate the safari experience.
Address: Reni Pani Village, Sohagpur
Website: www.renipanijunglelodge.com
Tel: 9981997714
Tariff: Double room starts at INR30,000 inclusive of all meals