Best time to visit
Open October to June. The dry months give the best wildlife movement, and the sanctuary pairs a short safari with the heritage of the Narnala fort.
About Narnala Wildlife Sanctuary (Melghat Tiger Reserve)
Narnala wraps around the medieval Narnala fort. Two safari gates and a small but stable tiger population in the Melghat-buffer landscape.
- Region
- Akola district, Vidarbha
- Notable feature
- Medieval Narnala Fort inside the sanctuary
- Best season
- Oct – Jun
- Sessions per day
- Morning, Afternoon
Gates: Dhargad / Bori · Narnala Fort
Tap any green slot to book it on WhatsApp. We confirm the gate, date and session in one chat.
Available Waitlist / RAC Booked ClosedM = morning · A = afternoon · MD = mid-day
Narnala WLS (Melghat Tiger Reserve)
| Gate | Tue02Jun | Wed03Jun | Thu04Jun | Fri05Jun | Sat06Jun | Sun07Jun | Mon08Jun | Tue09Jun | Wed10Jun | Thu11Jun | Fri12Jun | Sat13Jun | Sun14Jun | Mon15Jun | Tue16Jun | Wed17Jun | Thu18Jun | Fri19Jun | Sat20Jun | Sun21Jun | Mon22Jun | Tue23Jun | Wed24Jun | Thu25Jun | Fri26Jun | Sat27Jun | Sun28Jun | Mon29Jun | Tue30Jun | Wed01Jul |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhargad/Bori | M19A17 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | M19A19 | Gate Closed |
| Narnala Fort | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | M4A4 | Gate Closed |
Plan your visit to Narnala Wildlife Sanctuary (Melghat Tiger Reserve)
How to reach
In Akola district. Akola is the nearest railhead, with Nagpur or Aurangabad the nearest airports.
Before you book
- Combine the safari with a visit to the Narnala fort inside the sanctuary.
- A small, quiet zone, so book ahead as vehicle numbers are limited.
- Book on the Maharashtra Forest portal and carry the matching government photo ID.
- Confirm the weekly closed day when booking.
Frequently asked
How do I find an available safari slot quickly?
Use the Reserve dropdown to focus on one park, then scan the matrix for green pills. Those are the gate, date and session combinations with vehicles still available, and the number on each pill is how many vehicles are still open.
What do the colours and labels mean?
- Green with a number: vehicles still available, and the number is how many.
- Amber "WL": Reservation Against Cancellation or Waitlist. You can register and take a slot if a booking is cancelled.
- Red "✕": fully booked.
- Grey "Gate Closed": that gate is not operating that day. When both morning and afternoon are closed, the cell shows one combined label.
How do I see different dates on a phone?
Swipe the matrix left or right. The Gate column on the left stays in place while you scroll through the date columns, so you always know which gate you are looking at.
Can I narrow the matrix down to just what I want?
Yes. Use the filters above the matrix to pick a Reserve, a specific Date, a Status (e.g. only Available), or type part of a gate name. Cells that do not match a Status filter are dimmed instead of removed, so you keep your bearings.
What do M and A in each cell mean?
M is the morning safari session, A is the afternoon session. Most parks run two sessions per day. The pills on top show morning, the ones below show afternoon.
What is the difference between Core and Buffer zones?
Core zones are the strictly protected interior of the reserve where only limited safari activity is permitted. Buffer zones surround the core and have mixed-use forest with safari access. Tiger sightings are still common, and slots are usually easier to get.