Sloth Bear Safaris

Cover large swathes of forest on a four-wheel game drive

Embark upon jeep safaris in Satpura National Park: at dawn, in the afternoon, or after dark – to see the forest in different light. The jeeps are modified to allow observation and photography, and run through carefully selected patches of the forest. Watch birdlife awaken in the wee hours of the morning, or stalk predators in the dark, jeep safaris help you cover large swathes of the forest in short periods of time, and make for fulfilling wildlife experiences.

One of India’s native species, for decades the sloth bear lived a grim life of dancing in the streets for people’s amusement. With the abolishment of the dancing bear trade, reserves like Satpura provide a much-needed refuge for reviving populations. Keep an eye out for the sloth bears, usually moving around in family groups – the reserve’s key wildlife sighting. Satpura is also home to species like royal Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, wild dog, Indian bison, rusty spotted cat, giant Malabar squirrel, as also a variety of birds and herpetofauna.

Image credits: Forsyth’s Lodge, Satpura