Located deep in the Amravati district of eastern Maharashtra, Melghat was one of the first nine forests in India to be declared a tiger reserve in 1973 — Kedar Gore, director of Corbett Foundation informs us. That makes 2023 the 50th year since its founding. Keen to learn more, we reached out to Indrajit Nikam, Melghat’s assistant conservator, forests, who gives us five reasons why this verdant forest should be next on your safari plans.

1. Diverse fauna: Melghat is an excellent tiger habitat with a good number of sambar deer, Indian gaur and other prey species, as well as mammals such as the leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, barking deer, ratel, nilgai and the four-horned antelope in its area. The endangered and endemic forest owlet is a great attraction for wild-lifers, in addition to other species of birds.