Travels through the Jewel of India, Madhya Pradesh in the summer season. 

(Photo by Bhumil Chheda on Unsplash)

The heart of India, Madhya Pradesh is also called the jewel of India because it covers maximum forest in terms of area and is home to some of the best places to visit or vacation. I have now developed a fondness for the jungle life of Madhya Pradesh as I frequent the wildlife sanctuaries, such as Pench National Park, Bandhavgarh National Park or Panna National Park, etc. Though, this time instead of just visiting the wildlife parks, I may peek into the historical places, to make other people's journeys content. 

The first time, when I acquainted myself with findyoursafari.com, I witnessed an amazing flow of itinerary execution and management at its best. Now, after 5 trips to various wildlife sanctuaries across India with them, I have gone addicted to their hospitality because I just have to focus on the adventure part and not the booking fees, safari arrangements and timings, accommodation, etc. This time as well, I hope they have arranged a fantastic trip for me to the wilderness of Madhya Pradesh. 

Day 1 – Arrival in Bhopal 

Bhopal being the capital city, it becomes easier to navigate through it, so I could reach every destination with certainty. 

• I checked into the hotel and ordered dinner. 
• I went to bed early because the next day was going to be crucial to start the journey. 

(Photo by Ameena Tasneem on Unsplash)

Day 2 – Bhopal Nearby Places 

• Checked out after consuming a healthy breakfast.
• Started the trip to the first destination of the day, Sanchi Stupa. 
• Ever since I have studied Sanchi Stupa, I always wanted to visit this historical monument. 
• Sanchi Stupa is just 1-hour drive from Bhopal, and it was a smooth ride. This majestic monument was made by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd Century BCE. Everything about this monument was wonderful, mainly the architecture. 
• After Sanchi Stupa, the next stop was Vidisha, which was only 9 km away. 
• Vidisha is known to be the old city of the Ashoka dynasty and is carved out with endless beautiful sculptures. Now there is a very small settlement near the ruins, a small village. 
• The third and last stop for the day was Islamabad Fort, which was a 44 km drive from Vidisha. 
• The fort was built in 1715 under the emperor Dost Mohammad Khan, and certainly speaks volumes of glory and grandeur through magnificent infrastructure and unique design. 
• It was already 7 pm, so I decided to go straight to the hotel room and grab dinner. 

(Photo by yash kiran on Unsplash)

Day 3 – Bhopal to Pench National Park 

It was time to move towards at least one National Park, and it must be Pench because it was the nearest, 4-hour drive from Bhopal. 

• Early morning delicious breakfast at the property and then started the journey for Pench National Park. 
• It was a 4-hour drive, so I had to grab lunch in between the highway, though it was not delicious but was good enough to fill my tummy. 
• As soon as I reached Kanha, I checked into a beautiful Safari lodge with a wood cabin and was surrounded by the shadows of huge pine trees. 

This had to be a useful day rather than just a journey, so I decided to go for Gypsy Safari. The safari is where y personal space belongs and propels me to be at peace. 

• Right after the strenuous safari ride in the evening, it was almost dark. This was my clue to come back and grab the dinner. 

Day 4 – Pench National Park to Bandhavgarh National Park

It was already day 4 and I hadn’t even covered two national parks. So, I decided to keep short of the long visits. 

• After grabbing the breakfast, we kept our course running towards Bandhavgarh National Park. 
• The drive was 2 hours only, but it took us 3 hours to reach. 
• Checked into the hotel room and went straight for the lunch, so I can move on to the next task. 
• I had a very special thing planned in my mind, so without wasting any time in the hotel I went straight to hire a Hot air Balloon, which is the only Safari Transport in the entire nation currently. 
• Then I went on to visit the Baghel Museum, which is absolutely a piece of art. They have accumulated ancient to newest things to exhibit. 
• After the museum, I went for Shesh Saiya. A place where Lord Vishnu’s sleeping statue is situated. 

Though I wanted to visit the ancient caves also, I couldn’t as the day had already ended, and I was tired. 

• I now rested in my room after a hearty dinner in the restaurant with a group that came from Kerala. Such lovely people. 

Day 5 – Bandhavgarh National Park to Kanha National Park 

After visiting 2 national parks and the nearby places I was ready for the third one, which was Kanha National Park because it was only 3 hour drive from here and one of my favourites. 

• Started the day with a healthy breakfast and checked out of the hotel to continue my journey to Kanha National Park. 
• As soon as I reached Kanha, I was checked into a magnificent Safari lodge. This was the second time I was staying on this property. 
• After grabbing the lunch, I and my driver went out to explore all the nearby places, and the first destination was Kawardha Palace, home to the royal Kawardha Family. 
• The next destination had to be Amar Kanthak, as it was the most infamous thing I heard somewhere. This is the place where the Narmada River originates and is called Teerthraj. 
• This was the time I needed to return for the evening Safari. 
• After the high tea, I decided to one nearby place while on the safari, which is Bamni Dadar, the place where the sunset is just heavenly unreal. 
• This was the destination that I needed to cover and now the trip has come to an end. 

I returned to Bhopal by taxi and boarded the flight for Jaipur, Rajasthan, and took a real experience in visiting the attractions which make a place worth visiting.