BharatSangraha

Mahakoshal & Gondwana · Central Highlands & Forest Belt

How to reach

By air

  • Dumna Airport, Jabalpur (JLR) — The region's own airport, with limited domestic service; about 20 km from the city.
  • Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur (NAG) — The practical gateway for the southern half — Seoni, Balaghat, Pench and the Wainganga districts.
  • Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal (BHO) — For Pachmarhi and the western Satpura, and for the Gond painting galleries at Bharat Bhavan.
  • Swami Vivekananda Airport, Raipur (RPR) — For Amarkantak and the eastern Maikal.

By rail

  • Jabalpur (JBP) — The regional hub and a divisional headquarters; direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
  • Itarsi (ET) — The junction almost every north–south train in India passes through, and the rail gateway to Pachmarhi and the western Satpura.
  • Gondia (G) — For Balaghat, Kanha's southern gates and the Kachargarh gathering.
  • Chhindwara (CWA) — On the old Satpura narrow-gauge system, once one of the largest narrow-gauge networks in the world and converted to broad gauge only in the last two decades.
  • Pendra Road (PND) — The nearest railhead to Amarkantak, about 40 km away.
  • Betul (BZU) — For the Korku villages of the western Satpura and for Muktagiri.

By road

NH 44, the north–south spine, running through Lakhnadon and Seoni down to NagpurThe Jabalpur–Mandla–Dindori–Amarkantak road, which is also the route into Kanha's northern gatesThe Chhindwara–Tamia–Patalkot road across the Satpura tablelandThe Balaghat–Baihar road to Kanha's western gates and on to DindoriThe Narmadapuram–Pachmarhi hill road, with the final climb from Piparia

By water

Motor boats through the Bhedaghat gorge, outside the monsoonSeasonal ferry crossings on the Narmada above Mandla where bridges are far apart

Getting around

Buses and shared jeeps connect the district towns; park gates and Gond villages usually need a hired vehicle and often a last stretch on foot. Distances are deceptive because the roads follow the ranges — Jabalpur to Kanha is about 160 km and takes four hours, Jabalpur to Amarkantak about 230 km and takes five. Forest routes are best done in daylight.

How to reach Mahakoshal & Gondwana by air, rail, road and water, and how to get around once there. (10)