Rooted in Gond tribal folklore and named after the local deity Taru, Tadoba is one of Maharashtra’s oldest protected forests. Declared a national park in 1955 and later designated as a tiger reserve, it has grown into one of India’s most consistently productive tiger landscapes.

 

The reserve spans approximately 1,700 sq km, with a core area of around 625 sq km surrounded by a vast buffer that supports healthy prey movement and long-term conservation. 

Established in 1955, Kanha is among India’s most celebrated conservation success stories. Once fragmented by grazing and settlements, the park underwent pioneering habitat restoration that saved the hard-ground Barasingha from extinction.

 

Today, Kanha covers over 2,000 sq km, with a core zone of approximately 940 sq km and an extensive buffer protecting its ecological integrity. Vast grasslands, sal forests, and gently undulating terrain define this iconic central Indian wilderness.

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Dominated by the ancient Bandhavgarh Fort, this forest has a recorded history spanning over two millennia. Formerly the private hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa, it was declared a national park in 1968.

 

Despite being relatively compact—around 1,160 sq km in total, with a core area of roughly 450 sq km—Bandhavgarh supports one of the highest tiger densities in India, making sightings frequent and often dramatic.​
 

Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, Corbett is India’s oldest national park and the birthplace of Project Tiger. Named after conservationist Jim Corbett, it laid the foundation for modern wildlife protection in the country.

 

The reserve covers approximately 1,300 sq km, with a core area of about 520 sq km. Its diverse landscapes—riverine forests, grasslands, and Himalayan foothills—support one of northern India’s richest ecosystems.

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Named after the Pench River that flows through its heart, this reserve was declared a national park in 1975. Historically part of Gond tribal landscapes, Pench represents a well-balanced and visually pleasing forest system.

 

Spanning around 1,180 sq km, with a core area of roughly 410 sq km, Pench is known for open forests, rolling hills, and excellent visibility—ideal for relaxed yet rewarding safaris.
 

Once a royal hunting reserve, Panna faced near-total loss of its tiger population in the early 2000s. A landmark reintroduction program revived the ecosystem, making

 

Panna one of India’s most inspiring conservation success stories.

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The reserve spans approximately 1,600 sq km, with a core area of about 540 sq km, shaped by dramatic sandstone plateaus and the meandering Ken River.
 

Declared a national park in 1977, Dudhwa was shaped under the guidance of conservationist Billy Arjan Singh, who worked extensively to restore tiger and leopard populations in the Terai region.

 

The reserve covers nearly 1,300 sq km, including a core area of around 490 sq km, characterised by tall grasslands, wetlands, and sal forests—an ecosystem now rare in India.

First protected in 1908 and later declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kaziranga was established to safeguard the one-horned rhinoceros. Seasonal flooding of the Brahmaputra shapes its rich grassland ecosystem.

 

Covering around 1,000 sq km, with a core area of approximately 430 sq km, Kaziranga supports one of the world’s highest densities of large mammals.