Kanha National Park is nestled in the Maikal range of Satpuras in Madhya Pradesh, the heart of India that forms the central Indian highlands.The national park is being popularized as the Tiger reserve and interestingly is being declared as one of the finest wildlife areas in the world. Spreading across two revenue districts the Mandala and the Kalaghat, Kanha National Park was declared a reserve forest in 1879 and revalued as a wildlife sanctuary in 1933. Its position was further upgraded to a national park in 1955.

The Kanha National Park is spread across the area of 940 sq km in the Maikal chain of hills. By bringing up the buffer and core zone all together, the Kanha Tiger Reserve has the total area of 1945 sq km.

SAFARI AT KANHA NATIONAL PARK

The best way to explore the Kanha tiger reserve is in a 4 Wheel-drive Open Jeep safari that travels through the lush green forests basking in the elegance of Kanha. The safaris in Kanha National park are held in the mornings and afternoons. Jeeps can be booked online from https://forest.mponline.gov.in and if you are staying at Kanha jungle camp, you can opt for their vehicles and guides. The Kanha wildlife safari is held in four different zones including Kisli, Mukki, Kanha, and Sarhi. During monsoon season, the safaris of core zones are shut down but you can always explore the Buffer zones of this national park any time of the year. The buffer zones mainly include - Khatia Zone, Khapa Zone, Phen Zone, and Sijora Zone.

During the safari, keep an eye out for

Mammalian Species:

Kanha is home to some 22 species of mammals that include royal Bengal tigers, striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pigs, Chital, Barasingha or swamp deer, blackbuck, and sambar. Interestingly, Kanha Tiger Reserve is also respected globally for saving the barasingha from near extinction. Thus, 'Bhoorsingh the Barasingha' became the official mascot for Kanha National Park.

Less Commonly Seen Species:

Apart from these majestic animals, patient watching can also reward a sight of Indian hare, dhole or Indian wild dogs, barking deer, Indian bison or gaur, Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, mouse deer, four-horned antelope, ratel and porcupine. 

Avian Species: 

Kanha Kisli National Park is also famous for 200 species of birds that include cattle egret, pond heron, black ibis, common peafowl, crested serpent eagle, racket-tailed drongo, hawk, red wattled lapwing, flycatcher, woodpecker, dove, babbler, Indian roller, white-breasted kingfisher, grey hornbill, and the mysterious Red-headed vulture. 

Online Jungle Safari Booking For Kanha Kisli National Park, visit: https://forest.mponline.gov.in

KANHA NATIONAL PARK CIRCUITS

There are three entry gates to Kanha - Khatia (Kisli), Mukki, and Sarhi. The south zone or Mukki can be easily approached from Nagpur or Raipur while the Khatia and Sarhi are accessible from Jabalpur. To experience the primitive facility of Kanha Jungle Camp, it is advised to search for hotels in the direction of Mukki gate. Traversing Kanha National Park will give you a glimpse of the actual locations from National Geographic's award-winning documentary film, "Land of the Tigers".

Forest Department guides accompany visitors around the park on mapped-out circuits which enable viewers to see a good cross-section of Kanha's wildlife. The main attractions of the Kanha National safari also include a sunset point, known as the most beautiful area of the park. The dense luxuriance of Kahna's forest can be seen from here and some of the spectacular mammals (herbivores) can also be spotted from this place. 

Apart from this, tourists can also enjoy walking and cycling in the pristine air of the buffer zone, take a safari in an open jeep and visit nearby excursions (villages) to experience life in the remote jungle. 

BEST TIME TO VISIT

Kanha National park is open for its visitors every year from October 15th to June 30th.

The best time to visit is between October and March when the weather is pleasant and the atmosphere is cool.

From March to June, the vegetation of this National park is dried giving leverage to tiger sightings.   

HOW TO REACH KANHA NATIONAL PARK?

Nestled in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National park has excellent Air, Road, and train connections from most parts of India. There are two major entry locations of Kanha, Khatia, and Mukki entrance gate. Khatia's entrance gate lies in the Mandla district, whereas Mukki is settled in the Balaghat district of MP. 

The Khatia gate opens the entrance to Kisli, Kanha, and Sarhi zone and the Mukki entrance gate covers the Mukki range of the national park. Khatia gate is well connected to Jabalpur & Nagpur, while the Mukki gate is connected to Jabalpur, Raipur, and Nagpur. 

By Road: 

Being well connected to major destinations of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, Kanha National Park is a perfect getaway for wildlife enthusiasts. 

By road, Kanha National Park is well connected with the following big cities: 

Nagpur - 300 Km 

Jabalpur - 160 Km 

Raipur - 250 Km

Bilaspur - 250 Km 

Bhilai - 270 Km 

By Train:

The Nearest Railway stations to reach Kanha National Park are Gondia and Jabalpur. Gondia is located 145 Km away from the Khatia entrance gate and Jabalpur is located 160 Km away from the Mukki entrance. 

By Air:

The nearest airports to Kanha National Park are Jabalpur 160 Km, Raipur 250 Km, and Nagpur 300 Km. 

PLACES TO VISIT IN KANHA NATIONAL PARK

Kanha Museum

Kanha museum located inside Kanha National park is maintained by the Forest Department of the state. Located close to Khatia (Kisli) gate, this museum can be visited throughout the year and it is an ideal place for people interested in wildlife, botany, and zoology.  

Lapsi Kabar

A courageous, expert hunter and guide named 'Lapsi' lost his life while battling a ferocious tiger in an attempt to protect his sportsmen colleagues. In his memory, a gravestone was erected at the spot where he fought the tiger. Today, Lapsi Kabar is an important spot in Kanha National Park.

Shravan Tal

A small pond located in the Kanha tiger reserve is considered to be the spot where Shravan Kumar carried his blind parents and fetched water from this pond. While fetching water, Shravan was killed by Dashratha, the father of Lord Rama. Hence, the pond is named after Shravan Kumar.

Sindoor Trees

Sindoor used regularly in Indian households is extracted from this tree variety which is found in abundance here.