Indravati National Park

Indravati is a national park in Chhattisgarh state covering more than 1258 square kilometers (486 square miles) of hilly forest land with several rivers and open meadows. The landscape ranges from dense sal forests in valleys to mixed deciduous trees on plateaus, with rocky gorges and waterfalls during the rainy season.

The government declared this forest area a protected national park in 1981 to prevent the disappearance of the wild water buffalo and other threatened species. Two years later, the area gained tiger reserve classification after big cat populations had declined sharply.

The region takes its name from the Indravati River, which flows through the protected area and brings water to these dry forests all year round. Local village communities surrounding the reserve have practiced traditional harvesting methods tied to monsoon cycles for generations.

Visits are possible between December and March when trails remain dry and animals appear more often at water sources. Safaris start early in the morning and before nightfall, with accommodations in simple forest lodges at the edge of the protected zone.

The park protects one of India's last herds of wild water buffalo, which graze along riverbanks and wallow in shallow pools. Bengal tigers roam the remote sections, though sightings remain rare because of the dense vegetation and low visitor numbers.