Tourism of Chhattisgarh

The state of Chhattisgarh in central India is like a whiff of fresh air, specially if you happen to arrive here from a concrete jungle. The state has a great variety to offer in terms of travel and tourism. The presence of several ethnic tribal groups here has led to the rise of a unique cultural diversity. Furthermore, an impressive forest cover, and a rich historical heritage have contributed to make Chhattisgarh a uniquely beautiful travel destination.

Eco-tourism is a special feature of the tourism of Chhattisgarh. The state has 12 percent share of India's total forests. The three national parks and 11 wildlife sanctuaries here are perhaps the best bet for all wildlife lovers. Besides these wildlife reserves, Ayurvedic medicines, and exquisite handicrafts produced by the tribes also contribute to the special tourist attractions of Chhattisgarh.

The Indravati National Park of Chhattisgarh is perhaps the state's finest and the most exhilarating wildlife reserve. Located in the Dantewada district, the park has an amazing variety of flora and fauna. It is the only tiger reserve in the state. Besides the tiger, wild buffaloes, bisons, barasinghas, sloth bear, wild boar, flying squirrels, freshwater crocodile, monitor lizard, common krait, porcupine, pangolins, munjtac, gaurs, etc. are also found here in wild abundance. The national park is easily accessible from Jagdalpur, the district headquarter of Bastar. It is around 486 km away from Raipur. December-June is the best time for visiting this park.

The other important wildlife reserves of the state include the Kanger Valley National Park, located near Jagdalpur, the Sanjay National Park, located at a distance of 60 km from the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh, the Barnawapara National Park, which is 85 km from the Raipur airport, the Sitanadi Wildlife Sanctuary near Raipur and the Udanti Wildlife Sanctuary, which is about 160 km from the state capital of Raipur.

The forests here exhibit a unique variety of flora and fauna. The state has formulated a goal to be the 'greenest state' by way of planting more than 100 million Jatropha Carcus saplings in the next few years. The forests here have more than 88 varieties of medicinal plants.

Unique architectural monuments consisting of temples, monuments, caves, palaces, etc. comprise of the sites of cultural heritage in Chhattisgarh. Rajim, Champaranya, Sheorinarayan, Giodhpuri, Dantewada, Ratanpur, Sirpur, Dongargarh are the prime pilgrimage centers of Chhattisgarh. The rock paintings of Kabra Mountains, Singhanpur, Sita Bhengra will make your visit to Chhattisgarh worthwhile. Bhoramdeo, Dantewada, Deepadih, Malhar, Jogibhatta, etc. are the other interesting sites of cultural heritage in Chhattisgarh.

Tribes form an important constituent of the tourism of Chhattisgarh. The state is the perfect destination for getting a peak in the life, culture, art forms, heritage, festivals, rituals and practices of a multifarious variety of tribal groups. Gond, Baiga, Korba, Abhuj Maria, Muria, Bhatra and Dhruva are the major tribal groups of Chhattisgarh. The state has tremendous potential for tribal tourism.

With such a grand variety of tourist destinations, a tour to Chhattisgarh truly is a rewarding experience.

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