Chhattisgarh vs Pench: Which to Choose?

I’ll admit something upfront—I sometimes don’t like these kinds of videos or questions. The ones where I have to make difficult choices. And today’s question is exactly that: Which one would I pick—the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek or the Pench Tiger Trail?

I love both these treks. I’ve done the Pench Tiger Trail very recently—just last year—and I’ve raved about it in multiple videos. I’ve also done the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek, not just as a participant, but as part of its exploration team.

So when you ask me to choose between the two, it’s not fair. But I’ll try to do justice to both, because each trek is rich in its own way.

Let’s start with the Pench Tiger Trail.

This trek carries with it the aura of the tiger. There’s something magnetic about walking through a forest knowing you're not alone. On Day 1, Day 2, Day 3—you will spot signs of the tiger. Pug marks, scratch marks, claw marks on tree trunks, even tiger faeces—fresh, and I mean really fresh. You start to wonder whether the tiger is watching you from behind the bushes.

The biodiversity is outstanding. You’ll see a forest teeming with life—birds, insects, trees that are hundreds of years old.

And then there’s the river walk that everyone’s been going gaga over. It is lovely—scenic, shaded, and full of little surprises.

But now, let me shift gears and take you to Chhattisgarh.

This jungle trek is no less when it comes to wildlife. If Pench is all about the tiger, Chhattisgarh is about all kinds of wild animals. I’ve seen pug marks of leopards, bears, cheetals, sambars—many of them so fresh they looked like they were made just half an hour ago.

I remember this one time—we were at the river camp at night. Across the river, we could see glowing eyes moving from one side to another. Wild animals are just going about their business. You’re in the middle of this dense forest, surrounded by sal trees, and then a team member walks in to meet me and says, “Sorry, I’m late, there was a bear on the trail.”

That’s Chhattisgarh for you. These stories are routine here.

But it’s not just about wildlife. There’s a deep sense of history in these forests. On the trail, you pass by two ancient caves that are home to cave paintings that are easily 10,000 years old. The Archaeological Survey of India hasn’t even marked them yet. And yet, here you are, witnessing them live—no ticket, no museum, no glass barrier.

You stand there looking at not just one generation of paintings, but layers and layers of them, each from a different time, telling its own story. It leaves you thinking long after you’ve left.

And then there’s the forest walk, where you pass under a thick canopy, walking on dry riverbeds that meander through the jungle. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen.

And finally, the river walk — you know, people compare the river walk of Chhattisgarh and Pench Tiger Trail. To me, Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek's river walk beats the Pench, even though I liked it so much, because of the water. Crystal clear water, only ankle deep, cool as ever, and always there. Not much of ups and downs or any surprises in the river, unlike the Pench Tiger Trail, where I do get some surprises.

So yes, if you put me in a fix, I won’t like you. But if push comes to shove, and I have to choose between the two, I’ll go with the Chhattisgarh Jungle Trek.

But let me be clear: this choice doesn’t come from a lack of love for Pench. Both treks are extraordinary. It’s just that what stays in my heart slightly more… is Chhattisgarh.