The Real Jungle Book

About Pench National Park

Located in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts, Pench is famously known as "Mowgli's Land" and inspired Rudyard Kipling's classic tale.

Pench National Park is divided between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, but the Madhya Pradesh side (Seoni Hills) is the heart of the "Jungle Book" territory. The park is named after the **Pench River**, which meanders through the forest, dividing it into two halves. The landscape consists of open teak forests, which offer excellent visibility for spotting wildlife.

While the **Royal Bengal Tiger** is the apex predator, Pench is particularly famous for its high density of herbivores like the **Chital (Spotted Deer)** and **Sambar**, which support a healthy predator population. The park is also one of the best places in India to spot **Leopards** and packs of **Indian Wild Dogs (Dhole)**.

The **Turia Gate** is the most popular entry point, located just 12 km from Khawasa on the Nagpur-Jabalpur highway. Other core zones include **Karmajhiri** and **Jamtara**. The forest is alive with the calls of over 285 species of birds, including the Indian Pitta, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, and Malabar Pied Hornbill.

A unique attraction here is the 'Mowgli Pench Sanctuary', and the annual Mowgli Mahotsav celebrates the connection between the forest and the fictional 'Man Cub'. The open canopy and the stunning Kohka Lake make Pench a photographer's delight.

With its proximity to Nagpur (just 90 km away), Pench is one of the most accessible and rewarding tiger reserves in Central India.