My Jungle Junction

Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (Sillari & Khursapar Gates)

The Maharashtra side of Pench is teak forest, the Pench river and Totladoh reservoir, all within easy reach of Nagpur. Sillari and Khursapar are the gates most visitors use for tiger, leopard and gaur.

Plan My Safari View Packages
15+ years of travel experience
Hosted by Amit (MJJ)

Plan Your Safari

Talk to a wildlife specialist.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by My Jungle Junction.

By submitting, you agree to our Cancellation & Refund Policy and Privacy Policy.

Scroll

Plan Your Safari

Talk to a wildlife specialist.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted by My Jungle Junction.

By submitting, you agree to our Cancellation & Refund Policy and Privacy Policy.

My Jungle Junction's Guide to Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

The Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Safari Experience

The Maharashtra portion of Pench is managed separately from the Madhya Pradesh side, though the two form one continuous landscape on either side of the state border. Visitors enter through gates such as Sillari, Khursapar and Chorbahuli, and further entry points at Kolitmara, Khubala (Saleghat) and Surewani (Nagalwadi) serve the Parseoni and Saoner side. Sillari is the best known and the one most itineraries are built around.

Most guests spend two nights here, which allows three safaris, or three nights if you want a relaxed pace with a rest drive or a boat trip on the reservoir. Pench is a natural pairing with Tadoba or Kanha, so many of our guests add it as the first or last stop of a circuit.

The reserve was constituted as a tiger reserve in 1999. The landscape is also tied to Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book through the wider Seoni hills, which is why you will hear the Mowgli story told at nearly every lodge.

741

sq. km reserve

1 + 1

Core + Buffer zones

1999

Declared National Park

Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Safari Packages

My Jungle Junction's Bestselling Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) Safari Packages

At My Jungle Junction, Amit and the team build Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) itineraries around how the park actually works: which gate suits your dates, how many safaris give a fair chance of good sightings, and where to sleep so early starts stay painless. We book permits and vehicles well ahead, keep groups small, and can pair Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) with other reserves on the same trip. Tell us your dates and pace and we will shape a plan rather than hand you a fixed list.

How Many Safaris Should You Do in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)?

Plan Your Safaris at Pench (Maharashtra)

Pench rewards patience more than a rushed schedule. Sightings vary from day to day, and the forest is dense enough that a tiger can be a few metres off the track without being seen. Booking more than one safari gives you a fair chance across different tracks and light conditions, and lets your guide learn what the animals are doing that week.

Two safaris suit a quick weekend from Nagpur, and you will see plenty of wildlife, though a tiger is a matter of luck. Three safaris is what we recommend for most guests: it gives you a morning and an afternoon on at least two different tracks and noticeably improves your odds.

Four to six safaris make sense if you are a photographer, if tiger is the only thing you want, or if you are combining Sillari with Khursapar or another gate. Spread them over three nights rather than cramming them.

Pench suits first-time visitors, families and anyone who prefers a calmer park with fewer vehicles.

Best Safari Zones

Safari Gates & Zones in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Pench in Maharashtra is entered through named gates rather than numbered zones. Sillari is the main and most visited gate. Khursapar is the usual choice for day visitors driving up from Nagpur, since it lies close to the NH-44 corridor. Chorbahuli is another gate on the same highway side, while Kolitmara, Khubala (Saleghat) and Surewani (Nagalwadi) serve the Parseoni and Saoner side. Each gate has its own tracks, so it is worth spending safaris on more than one. Gate availability and quotas are set by the Maharashtra Forest Department, so we confirm the current arrangement when we plan your trip.

Sillari Gate

The best-known gate in the Maharashtra part of Pench and the base for most multi-day safari itineraries.

Khursapar Gate

Close to NH-44 and popular with visitors who drive up from Nagpur for a shorter trip.

Chorbahuli Gate

Another entry point on the highway side of the reserve, used mainly for additional safari options.

Kolitmara Gate

Serves the Parseoni side of the reserve and offers a quieter alternative to the busier gates.

Khubala (Saleghat) Gate

An entry point on the Parseoni and Saoner side, less visited than Sillari.

Surewani (Nagalwadi) Gate

Another gate on the Parseoni and Saoner side, suitable if you want to avoid the crowds.

How to Reach & When to Visit

How to Reach & Best Time to Visit Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

✈️

By Air

Nagpur's Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport is the nearest, with good links to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Sillari is roughly two hours away by road.

🚆

By Train

Nagpur Junction is the main railhead, well connected to major cities. From there, a taxi to Khursapar or Sillari takes around two hours depending on the gate.

🚗

By Road

Pench is reached from Nagpur along NH-44 (the Nagpur-Jabalpur highway). Khursapar lies right off the highway, and Sillari is a short drive further, so a private car or transfer is easiest.

Best Time to Visit Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Pench is best between October and June, with the cooler months comfortable and the hotter months good for sightings near water.

🍂
Winter
Oct - Feb

Cool mornings and pleasant afternoons make this the most comfortable season, and the forest is still green after the monsoon. Sightings are steady, though foliage can be dense.

☀️
Summer
Mar - Jun

Hot but excellent for wildlife. Water is scarce, so animals gather at waterholes and the reservoir, and thinner foliage makes tigers easier to spot.

🌧️
Monsoon
Jul - Sep

The reserve is closed to safaris for the monsoon, generally from July to September. It reopens in October, so check dates with us before booking.

MJJ Insight : Safari quotas on the Maharashtra side are booked online through the state forest department. Book your gate and dates as early as you can, especially for weekends and December to April.

The Wildlife of Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Beyond the Tiger: Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)'s Wildlife

Tiger and leopard are the top predators, with sloth bear, wild dog (dhole), jackal and striped hyena also present. Gaur, sambar, chital, nilgai, wild boar and four-horned antelope are the main herbivores, and langurs and rhesus macaques are common near the gates. Pench is rich in birds: look for grey hornbills, kingfishers, bee-eaters, eagles and a long list of waterbirds around the Pench river and Totladoh. Reptiles include Indian rock python, monitor lizard and mugger crocodile.

Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (Sillari & Khursapar Gates) - wildlife sighting
Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (Sillari & Khursapar Gates) - wildlife sighting
Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (Sillari & Khursapar Gates) - wildlife sighting
Pench Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra (Sillari & Khursapar Gates) - wildlife sighting

Wildlife Highlights of Pench (Maharashtra)

Tigers, the Pench river and a famous literary connection

Pench is best known for its tigers, but also for its association with Kipling's Jungle Book, set in the Seoni hills nearby. The Maharashtra side has its own resident tigers and leopards, and sightings here are often of animals in dense forest or along the tracks near water. Ask your guide about recent sightings, as individual tigers change territory over time.

Sillari Khursapar Totladoh Jungle Book Pench river

Pench is closely associated with Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, since the Seoni region is often cited as its setting. Local guides and lodges are happy to tell the Mowgli story as you drive.

The reserve's most celebrated tiger, the tigress known as Collarwali, was a Madhya Pradesh animal, so we do not claim her for the Maharashtra side. Tigers on this side come and go with territory changes, so we recommend asking your naturalist which animals are currently being seen. The reserve's conservation story is a quieter one of habitat protection across the state border, with Pench forming a shared tiger landscape.

Your Stay in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Your Stay in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Where to Stay in Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Most lodges cluster near the main gates, so pick your lodge by the gate you plan to use. Sillari has a range of jungle lodges and resorts within a few kilometres of the entry, which makes early-morning starts easy. Khursapar and the highway side suit those wanting a shorter drive from Nagpur, with options from budget stays to comfortable resorts. Whatever you choose, look for a lodge with a responsible attitude to wildlife, a good naturalist, and meals that fit the early-morning and late-afternoon safari schedule. We can match you to a stay that suits your budget and group.

Plan My Stay

Safari Etiquette

Dos and Don'ts on a Pench safari

✓ Dos

  • ✓ Keep your voice low inside the forest.
  • ✓ Listen to your guide and naturalist.
  • ✓ Respect safari routes and forest regulations.
  • ✓ Carry water, sun protection and suitable clothing.
  • ✓ Keep your camera ready without disturbing wildlife.

✕ Don'ts

  • ✕ Ask the driver to break rules.
  • ✕ Request a driver to block an animal's movement.
  • ✕ Feed wildlife.
  • ✕ Throw anything from the vehicle.

Why Should You Visit Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

A calmer tiger reserve within easy reach of Nagpur

Pench in Maharashtra offers a different feel from the busier reserves. There are fewer vehicles on the tracks, the forest is varied, and the scenery of teak, bamboo and reservoir is attractive in every season. It is also one of the easiest tiger reserves to visit, with Nagpur's airport and railway station close by, so you can add it to a short break or combine it with Tadoba, Umred-Karhandla or Kanha. If you want a good all-round wildlife experience with a reasonable chance of tigers, plus gaur, leopard, sloth bear and good birdlife, Pench is a very comfortable choice.

Plan My Safari

FAQs

Frequently asked questions about Pench

Get a Callback WhatsApp Us
✓ Request sent! We'll be in touch soon.