In a drive of about an hour and a half from Bilaspur is the Achanakmar Tiger Conservation Reserve known to be one of the most appreciated project by Chhattisgarh Government.
Achanakmar forest reserve also draws a close border with neighbouring state Madhya Pradesh connecting to a prominent natural location the Sal valley. But we’ll stop at Achanakmar for now and let’s start by saying it’s a head on challenge for photographers because the forest is dense and animals here are smart. I had a very hard time clicking picture of a peacock who specialised in the art of hiding behind bark of a single tree, so all the very best.
Best season to visit Achanakmar is during summers when the trees have shed off their leaves improving the sight and chances of coming across thirsty animals for water. Best time what everyone recommends is during the morning when beasts are on a morning walk mostly towards the water source. Achanakmar embraces a lot of biodiversity and natural landscapes that’s certainly a feed for the lenses and gears. Take a camera with a quick shutter speed because the wilds at this place are not so much use to humans interaction and they’re really fast at running and as stated earlier, hiding.
There’s a secret about this place like no other because even if you can’t get a sight of anything moving, you won’t come back disappointed. In the deep of this jungle there’s a view point and it’s very very ft high from the ground. The path to reach at this spot is almost vertical, that means the four wheel drive of the jeep is all in action and your heart throbs as you see the sky and hear the engine roar. As the jeep climbs to a plain you’ll see a small government construction and just a couple of stairs. You’ll reach the highest point of the Achanakmar and the view from this point is simply splendid.
The closest city is Bilaspur and it’s still far away from this point so do keep some extra food for your way back beforehand. This place is really very cold during evening and you’ll be traveling in an open jeep so do keep some sweaters or woollen with you. This is almost a one day trip so you can simply drive back to the room, relax and take a light night walk post dinner.
