Bastar
Those familiar with Indian epics will recognise the old name for Bastar: Dandakaranya. In the 14th century, the Ka­katiya Annama Deva established his king­dom here under the tutelage of the god­dess Dantheshwari, whose temple stands to this day at Dantewada, one of the 52 shaktipeethas of the sub-continent. This verdant, mountainous tract in the south of Chhattisgarh is famous for being a tribal stronghold, populated by various ethnici­ties. Any foray into these lands must go through Jagdalpur and the royal palace is a must-see. Jagdalpur is 290km/6 hours from Raipur via NH43.

Kanger Valler
The spectacular Kanger Valley is one of the few pockets of untouched forest left in India. This 200sq km park has everything: dense forest, a fascinating range of flora and fauna, a laby­rinth of subterranean limestone caves, land formations that range from low flatlands to steep slopes, valleys and streams… breath­taking vistas at every turn. The fact that the Kotumsar cave holds rare, endemic troglobite cavefish just adds to the mys­tique. Don’t miss the stunning 300ft Ti­rathgarh falls, do catch sight of the Bastar Hill Myna and add a cave walk to your itin­erary! The park is 305km/7 hours from Rai­pur and about 38km from Jagdalpur.

Surguja
In the north of Chhattisgarh lies the former princely state of Surguja, a dis­trict that sprawls over beautiful mountain­ous terrain and houses populations of vari­ous Central Indian tribes. Its capital was Ambikapur, one of the state’s largest towns. On the road from Ambikarpur to Bi­laspur is a 12th-century Nagara-style tem­ple that Sarguja is famous for. It is dedicat­ed to the local deity Mahamaya Devi—a dual statue, so to speak, with Mahishasur­amardhini in front and Saraswati at the back. This is said to be a shaktipeeth, one of the 52 temples across the sub-continent that worship the divine feminine. Ambika­pur is 338km from Raipur.