Madhya Pradesh is fondly known as the heart of Wild India, and is one of the best states for tiger sightings. Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries situated in the heart of Madhya Pradesh. With one of the highest tiger densities in the country, it is a Tiger watchers’ paradise. Bandhavgarh is encircled by cliffs and wooded Vindhyan mountains, and is blanketed by grasslands, evergreen Sal forests, and bamboo and mixed forest. The National Park covers an area of 437 sq. km. It was formerly the hunting reserve of Maharajas which was declared a national park in 1968 and a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger in 1993.