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Monday, March 10, 2025

পান্নায় হীরা পান্না - into the wild : Exploring Panna Tiger Reserve

Itinerary

13.03.2025 - 14.03.25 HWH (2340 hrs) - Satna (1505 hrs) by Mumbai Mail ( Ticket Rs 1368/-)

14.03.2025 Satna (1635 hrs) > Aryan Riverside Camp - 45 Km ( by Car arranged by resort -3000/- for 5 passenger) NH at Aryan Riverside Camp (@Rs 5,000 per room for 2 people - all food included)

15.03.2025 Morning + Evening Safari - both at Madla+ Night Safari - NH at Aryan Riverside Camp

16.03.2025 Morning at Madla + Evening Safari at Akola - NH at Aryan Riverside Camp

17.03.2025 Morning Safari at Madla > Aryan Riverside Camp

17.03.2025 Aryan Riverside Camp>Lucknow Airport - 320 Km, 7 hr 31 minutes (2100) > CCU (2235 - Rs 5500)

5 Travelers: Soma, Sourabh, Mohua, Siba Prasad , Dipankar. One person dropped out

Panna Tiger Reserve, a jewel of Madhya Pradesh's wilderness, is known for its rich biodiversity, deep gorges, plateaus, and dense teak forests. Spanning 542 sq. km, it was declared a tiger reserve in 1994 as part of Project Tiger. The Ken River, which flows through the park, enhances its beauty and Ken Gharial Sanctuary, located within the reserve, is a haven for crocodiles.

🚪 Main Entry Gates of Panna Tiger Reserve. Unlike other forests, you can enter from Madla / Akola gate and come out of Hinota gate (say). The only consideration is the travel time. We entered from Madla gate and saw tiger at Hinota gate zone and initially thought we saw it at Hinota. At one point it overlaps. Unlike Ranthambhor, they do not fine for changing the Gates.

1️⃣ Hintota/Hinouta Gate (Hinauta Range) – Western Side

Closest to Khajuraho (~30 km)
Known for steep gorges and vulture point

2️⃣ Madla Gate (Madla Range) – Southern Side

The most popular and busiest entry gate
Closest to Panna town (~25 km) and Khajuraho (~22 km)
Entry point for most jeep safaris

3️⃣ Akola Gate (Akola Zone) – South-West Side - should not be the preferred zone and it is 30 Km from Madla gate : quite far; we had to pay Rs 2000 extra just to commute to Akola gate and back to our resort. Safari car will not come to Akola to pick you up , if you stay near Madla gate

4️⃣ Hathni Gate (Buffer Zone - Jinna Area) - It is not very far from Madla

This is the place for Night safari - Charges Rs 4500/-

🛶 Special Entry Points

🔹 Ken Gharial Sanctuary Entry –

Located outside the Core zone, offering boat safaris & crocodile spotting for 15 minutes @ Rs 150/-

🔹 Jinna Buffer Zone Entry (Near Ken Gahrial Sanctuary)

Good for night safaris

🚗 Best Gate for Your Safari?

✔ For first-time visitors & better tiger sighting chances – Madla Gate

The booking of the permit (@ Rs 2500 + Commission of Rs 500 for booking per permit) was done by my trusted and very knowledgeable friend Avijit Ganguly who runs a wildlife magazine Aranyok and a "Company" for Wild life safaris (only).

avijitwildlife@gmail.com / +91 94330 67783 / +91 98319 18004

🗓️ Day 1: March 13-14, 2025 (Thursday-Friday) – Overnight Train (23:40) to Satna

We paid Rs 250 to the Taxi, booked through Yatri Sathi.

📍 Journey: Howrah → Satna

🔹 23:40 PM (March 13) – Board Mumbai Mail (Train No. 12321) from Howrah Junction.

🗓️ Day 2: March 14, 2025 (Friday) – Arrival at Aryan Riverside Camp

🔹 17:05 PM (March 14) – Arrive at Satna Railway Station

Our adventure begins with an overnight train journey from Howrah to Satna, followed by a scenic drive to Aryan Riverside Camp, our eco-friendly retreat nestled by the Ken River.

(@Rs 5,000 per room for 2 people - all food included)

🔹 17:15 PM – Depart from Satna Train Station to Aryan Riverside Camp (~45 km, ~2 hrs)

🔹 16:15 PM – Tea at local Dhaba. Most of the tea shops were closed due to Holi. In the process we missed the Pandav falls which is on the way to the resort, since it was dark. If you want to see the falls do not stop on the way to the resort.

🔹 19:30 PM – Arrive at Aryan Riverside Camp, an offbeat riverside stay surrounded by pristine wilderness.

🔹 21:30 PM – Dinner at the camp with local Bundelkhandi cuisine.

📍 Night Halt: Aryan Riverside Camp

The road from Satna to Panna is a mix of smooth and some uneven patches, but overall, it is fairly motorable. The last stretch towards Aryan Riverside Camp is through forested terrain, making the approach scenic .

🗓️ Day 3: March 15, 2025 (Saturday) – Morning & Evening Safari

📍 Night Halt: Aryan Riverside Camp

Morning Safari

🔹 04:30 AM – Wake-up call, quick tea/coffee.

🔹 05:45 AM – Depart for Madla Gate

🔹 06:20 AM – Depart for Safari (Morning entry: 6:00 AM - 11:30 AM).We took some pillow from the resort. The roads inside the Park are rough, because they did not use morrum.

🔹 09:00 AM – Toilet break and breakfast - Packed breakfast inside the Park

🔹 11:30 AM – Exit the park and return to Aryan Riverside Camp (~05 min drive).

Sightings : Tiger 141, 151 and many birds

Afternoon at the Resort

🔹 12:00 PM – Power nap

🔹 01:30 PM – Lunch at the resort.

Evening Safari

🔹 14:30 PM – Depart for Madla gate

🔹 15:00 PM – Safari (Evening entry: 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM).

🔹 18:05 PM – Exit the park and return to the camp

Sightings : Tiger 151 with a kill and many birds

Night Safari

🔹 18:30 PM – Depart for Jinna Gate

🔹 19:00 PM – Night Safari

🔹 20:00 PM – Dinner by the Ken River, enjoying the sounds of the jungle.

Sightings : zero sighting

## The Panna night safari starts from 6.30 pm to 9.00 pm. And it happens only in the buffer zones.Ten gypsies are allowed during the night safari.

## We paid Rs 4500 for Night safari which includes permit + car + guide. It is 30 Km from Madla gate : quite far; we had to pay Rs 2000 extra just to commute to Akola gate and back to our resort. Safari car will not come to Akola to pick you up , if you stay near Madla gate

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