Satpura Under Canvas

Satpura is an extensive forest covering a broad array of unique Central Indian flora and fauna. This beautiful reserve is cradled in the Mahadeo Hills of the Satpura Range that is characterized by fascinating deep valleys, narrow gorges, cascading waterfalls and rich vegetation. All these amazing facets of this forest make it ideal trekking country. During the British Raj, the state of Madhya Pradesh was known as the Central Provinces and the forest department of this province commenced with its headquarters in Pachmarhi. Captain James Forsyth a man largely responsible for establishing & operating the headquarters ascended to Pachmarhi using the same route as what we shall take on this trek. 2 night & 3 day treks or 1 night & 2 day treks can be designed by Reni Pani Jungle Lodge as per requirement of the guests.

The Pachmarhi Trail - A 2 Night 3 Day Trek in the Satpuras
 

Day 1: Guests will depart Reni Pani Jungle Lodge at 6:00 am and drive to Pachmarhi, a lovely hill station nestled in the highest peaks of Satpura. Upon reaching Pachmarhi at 9:30 am guests will commence their descend towards Dehelia camp which will be used as the point for our first campsite. This walk is extremely unique and patrons get a one of a kind opportunity to witness the transformation from Sal to Teak forest. The first 7 kilometers is a steep decline to the Kanchighat where guests will stop for lunch.

Here, there is a wonderful perennial stream where guests can take a dip and enjoy an array of colorful birdlife including Red-Whiskered Bulbul, Indian Nuthatch, Oriental White-eye, Common Tailorbird, Indian Yellow Tit and beautiful damselflies like the Stream Glory and the Stream Jewel. After lunch, we will walk another 6 km to the picturesque Dehelia camp located on the banks of the Denwa River. Our exclusive mobile camp will be set up along a lovely sandy beach on the river. Look out for the Indian Giant Squirrel here.

 

Day 2: Guests will wake up to the symphony of the flowing Denwa River. Breakfast will be served at 7:00 am. Today we will embark on a 16 km partly along with banks of the Denwa and in some pristine woodland habitat. As we walk along the Denwa guests will be witness to the magical change in scenery that Satpura offers. High sand banks, narrow waterways, and a beautiful confluence with the Bainganga river all await our strides. One may need to wade through knee deep water at times to adventurously get to Jhela camp (9 km) which will be used for our lunch stop. Guests may see Crested Serpent Eagle, Kingfishers, Grey Wagtails, Tickel's Blue Flycatcher and Indian Vultures. En-route there is a steep cliff that is used by the endangered Indian Vultures as a nesting site. After Jhela we leave the Denwa river bed and walk 6 km through dry deciduous woodland towards Manakachar where Reni Pani's exclusive mobile camp will be set up. All these areas lie within the reserve and guests are likely to encounter several species of birds like the Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey Hornbills, Common Kingfishers, Jungle Prinias, Black-hooded Orioles, Golden Fronted Leafbirds amongst others.
 

Day 3: Today guests will wake up at leisure and have a hearty breakfast by 8:30 am before driving back a couple of our to Reni Pani Jungle Lodge

Notes:

• The trek is conducted in remote locations and therefore the facilities and amenities will be simple
• An exclusive mobile campsite will be set up for guests at each location
• For those who wish to climb up the Satpura Hills the trek can be arranged in reverse order starting at Manakachar
• Hiking gear including full pants, shirts, shoes, hats are highly recommended for guest comfort
• Insect repellant and sun block should also be carried
• Since a major part of this hike is within the Tiger Reserve, the route and campsites may vary marginally because of the forest department's policy
• Because of logistics, travelling and arranging this tour for a small group of 6 to 8 individuals is ideal and economical. For individuals the cost will be substantially higher
• This camping program can be arranged by Reni Pani Jungle Lodge

Satpura’s hilly and undulating terrain, cascading waterways, sprawling teak forests and abundance of wildlife make it ideal walking country. This wilderness, in fact, is the only one of its kind in Central India where enthusiasts can traverse pristine tiger country on foot. Camping and walking go hand in glove and as soon as some new areas of the park were opened for walking, we at Reni Pani launched our brand new offering a ‘Night Out Under Canvas’. The campsites for this one-of-a-kind and exclusive experience are located a short drive away from Reni Pani Jungle Lodge on the boundary of the core area. Two campsites will be used during the season, the one shown above is in open wooded patch and is used when the Denwa River (Northern Park Boundary) is in full spate. Once the Denwa recedes then the camp moves to its dry river bed located in a splendid valley nestled as the river meanders through the magnificent Satpura hills. Starting mid-November, we use the dry river bed to set up our exclusive mobile camp and it is this sight that we recommend most. Using this camp as the base, guests can explore the core area of the park on foot opting for either half or full day hikes.
 

Depart from Reni Pani Jungle Lodge after brunch and arrive at an exclusive campsite set up us. After settling in guests will be escorted by Reni Pani’s expert naturalist for an evening walking safari in the core area of the Satpura National Park. Although the walk will focus on the smaller aspects of the forest like tracks and signs, flora, butterflies, wild flowers and insects, guests can also expect to see a wide array of Central Indian birds including Black Naped Orioles, Malabar Pied Hornbills, Crested Hawk Eagles, Grey Headed Fish Eagles and many more. Guests will also get a chance to see common mammals like the Sambar Deer, Nilgai, Gaur, Four-horned Antelope, Muntaj, Indian Giant Squirrel and if lucky even the Sloth Bear, Leopard and Wild Dog. Guests will spend the night at the campsite. The next morning after an early breakfast, guests can either do a half day or full day walking safari. After the hikes guests will be transferred back to Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. Alternately, guests can also opt to do a night drive in the buffer area on one of the evenings. There are several options and a specific program can be designed for each guest based on your requirement. Even two night options are available.