As Melghat Tiger Reserve celebrates its 50th year, we’ve curated five expert-certified reasons why you should head to this unique forest
The reserve is working towards the conservation of the royal Bengal tiger species that has now increased to 50
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.
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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.
A panoramic view of the forest with the Tapti River traversing it
2. Excellent tourist facilities: There are several tourist facilities across the forest like Semadoh, Kolkas, Shahnur and Chikhaldara. These have to be pre-booked from their online sites as available rooms are not guaranteed during the holiday season. The hill station of Chikhaldara, that lies at an altitude of 1,100 feet, offers a scenic view of the Melghat forest and its stunning topography.
3. Aamner and Narnala Fort: Melghat is home to two forts that are located in the Amravati and Akola districts respectively. Aamner fort, built on the confluence of the Tapi and Gadga river, served as a watch tower. Meanwhile, Narnala fort is named after the Rajput ruler Narnal Singh who ruled the area in the 16th century.
Sloth bears and (right) forest owlets are some rare species in Melghat
4. Other adventures: The Azmari area of the reserve has been turned into an adventure park with many interesting activities. The main attractions include zip-lining in a dense forest.
5. Botanical garden: A botanical garden in Chikhaldara has several species of flora that can prove as an educational tour for children and be a great space to relax, Nikam reveals.
Heat Alert: Day-time temperatures in Melghat rise up to 45 degree Celsius, so plan your trip accordingly. If you want to combat the heat, carry necessary gear, medicines and enough water for the outdoors to keep yourself safe and hydrated.
Aamner Fort. Pics courtesy/Melghat Tiger Reserve
Keep in mind
Nikam mentions that Melghat’s forests are also home to diverse flora that one should enjoy and pay attention to. “Visit with your children. Take them to see the flowers and plants. It will not only be educational but fun as well.”
>> Do not discard plastic in the forest as the animals may ingest it causing themselves serious harm.
>> Also, do not feed human food to the animals. Keeping a safe distance from them is for your and the animals’ safety.
>> Maintain silence while in the forest. Loud music and noise may disrupt the peaceful forest environment and make animals anxious and afraid.
Cool Facts
>> The hills that act as forest cover are home to five tributaries of Tapti River, which also flows through the reserve. These provide a natural source of water for the forest animals.
>> It is the first and largest forest of Maharashtra to be declared a reserve.
>> Melghat now has a tiger count of 50 and is progressively working towards increasing the count of the species.
>> The 132-year-old Belkund Bridge in the depths of the forest is still in good shape.
How to reach?
A 12-hour trail journey to Amravati via the Vidarbha Express from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, and another 85-km drive by Melghat will take you to the lush greenscape that covers 1,677 km of area. The nearest airport to Melghat is the Babasaheb International Airport in Nagpur, which is a three-hour drive from the reserve.
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