Bandhavgarh was the former hunting preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. White Tigers, now a major attraction around the world’s zoos, were first discovered in Rewa, not far from here. The terrain is broken, with rocky hill ranges, running roughly east to west, interspersed with grassy swamps and forested valleys.

The vegetation is chiefly Sal Forest in the valleys and on the lower slopes, gradually changing to mixed deciduous forests on the hills and in the hotter drier areas of the park in the south and the west. The wide valleys along the streams have long linear grasslands flanked by Sal Forests. These together provide Bandhavgarh with its rich diversity.