Pench straddles the Madhya Pradesh–Maharashtra border along its namesake river, and it is Kipling's actual setting for Mowgli. The park runs drier and more open than Kanha — teak instead of sal✦salThe great hardwood of central India's forests — straight-trunked, high-canopied, cathedral-like in mature stands. Kanha's sal forests are the…Read in the glossary ↗, seasonal riverbeds instead of meadows — which makes its wild dogs and leopards easier to catch in the open.
The camps here put nothing between you and the night forest but canvas — and the star bed platforms out in the fields are the circuit's single best night.
Signature Experiences
- ◆Game drives along the Pench riverbeds
- ◆Wild dog and leopard tracking
- ◆Teak forest and riverbed exploration
Optional, By Arrangement
- ◆Star bed night platform
- ◆Photography sessions in teak-forest light
- ◆Tribal village visit
- ◆Birdwatching with a naturalist
Where We Place Our Guests
- Jamtara Wilderness Camp
- Taj Baghvan
The Table
- Bush breakfasts
- Jungle picnic lunches
- Gourmet dining under the mahua trees
Curator's Advisory
Give the naturalist your wish list at dawn — last days are for closing gaps. Wild dog relay hunts play out in the open here; watch for a pack moving.
Journeys Through Pench
