Jabalpur

The city of Jabalpur was the capital of the erstwhile medieval Gond rulers. It is not only an important historical place, but it is also famous for the Marble Rocks gorge on Narmada River, near it. It is an administrative and educational center and is the gateway to important wildlife sanctuaries around it. It is one of the largest cities in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

The Rani Durgavati Museum located next to the tempo stand, south of the bazaar, is an important place to visit. The museum has a good collection of artifacts. It also has a section dedicated to artifacts and photos related to Mahatma Gandhi. Another place to visit in Jabalpur is the Old Bazaar area. On the outskirts of the city and en route to the Marble Rocks, one can visit the Madan Mahal. It is a Gond fortress built in 1116 and located on a rocky hill, overlooking the city. The hill, on which this fort is built, provides a panoramic view of Jabalpur city and its environs.

The Bhedhaghat - Marble Rocks, a gorge on the River Narmada, 22 km from Jabalpur, is an important tourist spot. The different colored cliffs dotting the gorge offer an impressive sight. Travelers often visit the gorge at night to see the cliffs under moonlight. Tourists can enjoy the sight of these sheer cliffs on both side of the Narmada River on a shared rowboat, which takes the awestruck traveler through the 2-km-long gorge. One can see Dhuandhar waterfall near the gorge.

Kanha National Park, 160 km southeast of Jabalpur, is famous for tigers and leopards. One can also see sambhar, chital, barasingha (different species of deer) and gaur (Indian bison). It is also famous for wildlife safaris and for bird watching.

Bandhavgarh National park, 197 km northeast of Jabalpur, is located amidst the Vindhya ranges. Though it is much smaller than Kanha, it has a higher density of wild cats.