Thinking about planning a trip, the very first question that lingers in the mind is - What is the best time to visit? Pench National Park is connected to the areas of both Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, and therefore receives tourists in handsome numbers from both the states. Nestled on The Central Indian Highlands, the Pench National Park experiences a dynamic tropical climate due to its geographical location. Therefore, extreme weather conditions are normal to witness in Pench. The Pench National Park remains closed during the monsoon.
Summers of Pench
(April - June)
Planning Pench during the summers is a challenging task. The weather becomes immensely hot and your trip can turn out to be an exhausting one. The temperature during the summer season ranges between 25℃ - 50℃. However, if you have keen interest in photography and are enthusiastic about sighting tigers in particular, then you can plan a wildlife safari at Pench National in summer. Like other wild animals, tigers too come closer to the water bodies to quench thirst, and due to the dried vegetation, spotting them out in the forest becomes easier.
But do not forget to carry all the essentials to keep yourself hydrated and protected from the heat.
Monsoons of Pench
(July - September)
Monsoons at Pench bring relief from the blazing summers. The month of July mostly receives the first rainfall of the year, rejuvenating the greenery and freshness of the national park and the wildlife. The temperature comes down to 24℃-34℃. Pench receives approx 1300 mm of rainfall in July and August and therefore most parts of the park remain closed for tourism. Only the Telia and Rukhad zones are kept open for safari during the monsoons.
Winters of Pench
(November - February)
Arrives in November and lasts till February, winters are quite cool yet comfortable at Pench. The temperature ranges between 6℃-31℃, a perfect weather to plan for a Pench trip. However, chances of tiger spotting becomes quite low, but it can be substituted with the breathtaking views of innumerable migratory birds that make Pench their winter abode.
Still the question persists about the Best time to visit Pench? Well, the answer is, it totally depends on your priorities and health conditions. Plan your trip to Pench depending on your body adaptability of different weather. Many tourists wait eagerly for winters to pass, so that they can visit Pench in the early part of the summers to enjoy the majestic bliss of sighting tigers.
Depending on your choice you can also opt for the same. As the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley puts in his popular poem ‘Ode to the West Wind’ - “If Winter Comes, can Spring be far behind?” And spring announces the arrival of summer, the season of glimpsing tigers.
To conclude with some tips -
Firstly, you need to have a lot of patience to spot a tiger. It’s not that easy.
Secondly, Even if you are visiting during the summers, tiger sightings are not guaranteed.
Thirdly, Conduct a thorough research about the safari zones and the entry gates and opt for the one with more chances to see tigers and other animals as well.
