Pegged to be the largest fossil park in Asia, the Ghughwa National Fossil Park in Dindori can be termed as the ideal getaway recourse, far from the din of Indore. Nestled approximately at a distance of 600 kilometres from the city, this tranquil place stretches through an expansive spread of 75 acres, that is waiting to be explored. As the name suggests, the forest region is rich in rare fossils of leaves and trees, dated 65 million years ago.
So, if you wish to let out the adventurer, the historian and the wanderer in you, pack up your bags and get set going to trace the calcified remnants of the flora vestige here.
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If you wish to explore the Madhya Pradesh terrain beyond the tales of its cities and culture - deeper into the realms of nature, a visit to the Ghughwa National Park should definitely be on your travel bucket list. Taking you back to the era of the neanderthals, the National Fossil Park in Dindori is a wonder-site for archaeologists, scientists and palaeobotany students alike. A vortex into the past, the forest reveals peculiar and exclusive plant relics, several of which do not have even a single living relative now!
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Dated back to the Jurassic or Cretaceous Age, the flora fossils founds here existed in India anywhere between 40 million and 150 million years ago. The forest is a window to all your adventure-world fantasies, inching you closer to the bounties of nature. You can find wood fossils, leaf impressions, fruit fossils and even a dinosaur egg here! So, don't forget to take your cameras along, for the perfect snapshot.
The place also houses an interpretation centre for all those who wish to dwell deeper than the surface-level visual treat. One may also visit the self-guided fossil trail here, to find depositions in their natural settings and to discover a world beyond the living!
The area is well-connected with roadways and rails and one can hop onto these, to visit the forest. It will take about 12 hours for you to reach here directly from Indore.
For a shorter commute, travellers can board a train to the nearest railway station- which is Dindori. From here, you can book a cab or private taxi to reach the destination. You may also fly down to Raipur, the closest airport and hail an automobile from here.
Dive into a dimension of the past, preserved through the years and trace the cycle of life, beyond time. Be it crystalline corals or calcified relics, you will find it all here. So arm yourselves with masks and sanitisers and let the inquisitive soul in you, wander across!
Best time to visit: October to February
Timing: 8 AM to 5 PM
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