Ratapani Tiger Reserve
Teak forest on the Vindhya hills right beside Bhopal, notified as Madhya Pradesh's 8th tiger reserve in December 2024.
- Established
- 1976 (sanctuary) · 2024 (tiger reserve)
- Area
- About 1,272 km² (763 km² core)
- Districts
- Raisen & Sehore
- Status
- MP's 8th tiger reserve
- Season
- October to June
- Nearest city
- Bhopal (about 1 hour)
How the park came to be
Ratapani was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1976. Its tigers range up to the edges of Bhopal, making the city one of the few capitals in the world with wild tigers in its outskirts.
After years of proposals, Ratapani was notified as a tiger reserve in December 2024. The Bhimbetka rock shelters, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with prehistoric paintings, lie within the reserve area.
FloraForest & landscape
Dry and moist deciduous forest, with teak covering much of the area, plus bamboo and mixed species along the Kolar river.
FaunaWildlife you can see
- Bengal tiger
- Leopard
- Sloth bear
- Striped hyena
- Indian wolf
- Chital
- Sambar
- Nilgai
- Chinkara
- Chausingha
- Wild boar
Birds: Over 150 species, with waterbirds at the Ratapani and Barna dams.
Things to do
Drives from the designated tourist gates.
UNESCO prehistoric rock art.
Unfinished 11th-century Shiva temple with a giant lingam.
Lakes, Bharat Bhavan and old city food.
Travel tips
- Perfect for a 1–2 day trip from Bhopal
- Visit Bhimbetka in the late afternoon light
- Ask us for current safari routes; the reserve is still developing tourism