Chikhaldara
A mountainous station near a tiger habitat! Does it sound okay? Interesting or dangerous? When you decide to travel to the peaceful hill town of Chikhaldara, where you will be transported to a tranquil area of just flora and fauna, there is actually nothing to fear but only to enjoy. Actually, Chikhaldara is the spot you should be if you really want to relax.
Chikhaldara, the only hill station of its kind in the Vidarbha area, is situated around 100 kilometres north of Amravati. It is situated atop a mountain range that marks the boundary between Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Chikhaldara, which is 1,088 metres above sea level, has a thriving flora and fauna due to its higher rainfall totals than other areas of Vidarbha. But what gives Chikhaldara its genuine importance is the fact that it is bordered on three sides by the Melghat Project Tiger Area, which covers an area of around 1,676 square kilometres.
The Melghat Wildlife Reserve, which covers an area of roughly 780 square kilometres and forms the entirety of Chikhaldara's southern boundary and a portion of its western border, is one of numerous smaller wildlife reserves that make up the Project Tiger region. The Project Tiger reserve's central area, the roughly 320 square kilometre Gugamal National Park, also serves as Chikhaldara's eastern and partially northeastern borders.
In fact, Chilkhaldara and Melghat Project Tiger (MPT) are like closely related relatives given the size of the area. Almost 700 species of plants from 97 different families and 400 different genres can be found in the MPT region. 90 of these 700 species are tree species, and they represent this reserve's real wealth. This incredible floral diversity has nurtured a huge variety of animals as well. The tiger reserve boasts around 70 tigers, and there are almost as many leopards, according to the most recent count . Along with hundreds of herbivore creatures including Cheetal, Sambar, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Choushinga, etc., it also has roughly 200 sloth bears and 1,800 Indian gaurs. Rare creatures including the Flying Squirrel, Pangolin, Mouse Deer, Ratel, and Honey Badger can also be found in the reserve.
You must first travel to Amravati if you wish to rent a car or use a bus to get to Chikhaldara. The closest airport is at Nagpur, which is roughly 230 kilometres away. A resident of Pune or Mumbai would travel a distance of around 750 kilometres. The Mumbai-Aurangabad-Nagpur motorway is home to a large number of luxurious buses. The months of October through June are ideal for travelling to Chikhaldara.