Kanha National Park

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Kanha Tiger Reserve

If Kanha National Park seems straight out of Rudyard Kipling's 'The Jungle Book', then it's because it is! The forests and its animals were the inspiration for Kiplin's book, especially the Sal forests and the infamous Sher Khan. The park is the largest national park in Madhya Pradesh located along the hills of the Satpura range and is considered the best managed in India. Under the Project Tiger in 1973, the park became one of the major tiger reserves of the country and prides itself in its residents, the Royal Bengal tigers.

Home to another endangered species, the Barasingha or the Swamp Deer, Kanha National Park has managed to be a safe haven for the species and prevented their extinction. The park is a perfect spot for the ones who love adventure and aren't afraid to witness a tiger in its natural habitat.

Kanha even offers a thrilling jungle safari experience for those who are up for it. It's a chance for you to view the mighty Bengal tigers, the Barasingha Deer, Leopards, Wild dogs and various wildlife and birds up close! Kanha National Park is a true testimony of seeing results with planning and consistency. Not just the authorities, the villages also have to be remembered who have relocated to provide a better habitat for the country's wildlife.

How Many Types of Wildlife Safaris are Available at Kanha National Park?

The Park offers a chance to experience a jungle safari through its forests. The safari allows the visitors to view the majestic beings of the jungle at a much closer level. The park has been divided into 8 zones. 4 zones are in the core area namely the Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi zones, 3 in the buffer area called the Khatia, Khapa, and Sijora zones, and one in the Phen wildlife sanctuary.

Kanha is specially known for its sightings of the Bengal Tiger, Leopards, Blackbuck, the Sambhar and the glorious Barasingha during the safari. For the bird enthusiasts, the park has a number of bird species which call the park home.

Kanha offers a morning and an evening safari every day, along with the option of a full day safari, where visitors can enter the park 15 minutes before it opens and leave 15 minutes after it closes.

Safari Timings at Kanha Tiger Reserve

Kanha National Park opens for safari during October 15th to June 30th. The recommended time to visit is between the months of October and March as the weather is pleasant and ideal for travel. Between the months of March to June, it gets hot in the state of Madhya Pradesh causing the vegetation to dry up allowing for better sighting of the Tiger. The timings of the safari are as follows.

Note: Evening Jeep safari remains closed every Wednesday at the park.

The best time to visit the park is between the months of October and March as the weather is pleasant and ideal for travel. Between the months of March to June, it gets hot in the state of Madhya Pradesh causing the vegetation to dry, allowing for better sighting of the Tiger.

Explore the Core Zones and Entry Gates of Kanha Tiger Reserve Safari Kanha Tiger Reserve Safari Buffer Zones & Entry Gates What Other Popular Attractions Can Be Explored at Kanha National Park?

Besides jeep safaris, visitors are also encouraged to take guided nature walks, cycling and visit the villages within the park's buffer zone. Visitors can book tickets for these at the entry point of the park since they aren't available online. They will also be assigned a guide.

Apart from these, popular places to explore in the park include the Kanha Museum, Lapsi Kabar, and the Shravan Tal. The Kanha museum is maintained by the Forest Department and is ideal for wildlife, botany and zoology enthusiasts. The museum has the preserves and skeletons of various animals and birds found in the forest and can be visited throughout the year.

Another popular site is the Lapsi Kabar. The site is said to have been the place where a hunter and a guide named Lapsi lost his life fighting a tiger while trying to protect the people he was accompanying. A gravestone has been erected here in his memory and is an important site at the Kanha National Park.

Shravan Tal is a water body located in the park and another popular place, owing its name to the mythical Shravan Kumar from the Ramayana, who was known for being a filial son. He is said to have been killed here by the King Dashratha who accidentally shot him with an arrow mistaking him for a deer.

Conservation Efforts at Kanha National Park

The Kanha National Park became one of the 9 centers for the conservation of the Bengal Tigers in the government's effort during the Project Tiger, 1973. Project Tiger was started with the aim to protect the declining population of the big cat who became victims to hunting and poaching.

Project Tiger was started by the government of India after a census in 1972 showed the dwindling numbers of tigers in the country. An intervention was urgently needed. Project tiger is now provided with statutory authority and has administrative and legal powers under a body. This body is called the National Tiger Conservation Authority or the NTCA. It has certain powers under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, amended in 2006. The NTCA monitors the efficiency and compliance of the guidelines related to tiger conservation and tourism. According to the All India Tiger Estimation, 2022, Madhya Pradesh is the state with the most number of tigers at 785 in the country with the Kanha National Park of the state, now home to 105 tigers.

The state animal of Madhya Pradesh, the Swamp Deer or the Barasingha was dwindling in numbers in Kanha National Park before the 1970s to such an extent that only a mere 66 in number were left due to excessive hunting and loss of habitat. Their population at that point of time was at a steep decline reaching a point of near extinction. According to the authorities of the Kanha National Park, this population has now increased to 800 in 2020. The consistent effort by the authorities has been fruitful for the protection of this species of deer.

Kanha National Park Jungle Safari Tips

• The night safari at the park remains canceled as of October 2022, after the NTCA alleged that the night safari hinders the wildlife of the park.
• It is recommended to book your safari tickets on time, i.e. months in advance or you may miss out on your preferred zone or vehicle.
• Book multiple safaris to increase your chances of sighting a tiger, since the sightings depend on the zones and the movement of the tigers.
• Always carry a hard copy of your booked tickets for the convenience of everyone.
• Carry plenty of water to hydrate yourself since the safari takes several hours to finish.
• Since the animals may be at a distance from your vehicle, you might want to carry a pair of binoculars to see them more clearly.
• It is advised to wear clothes with more earthy colors, such as brown, green, and beige that help you blend with the surroundings and avoid bright colors such as red which may make the animals cautious and hinder them from coming your way.

How to reach Kanha National Park?

Kanha National Park is located in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and is accessible by air, rail, and road.

• By Air : The nearest airport is Jabalpur at a distance of 160 Km, Raipur at 250 Km and Nagpur in Maharashtra at 280 Km.
• By Train : The nearest railway station is Gondia at a distance of 145 km and Jabalpur railway station at 160 km.
• By road : The nearest cities to the park are Jabalpur at 165 km, Raipur at 250 km, and Nagpur at 280 km.

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