Kanha National Park

One of the finest tiger reserves in the country, Kanha National Park is tucked away in the hills of Satpura ranges, lying in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Though declared as a national park in the year 1955, the park territory continued to expand. Its expansion in 1976 led to a core area of 940 sq km and a buffer area of 1,005 sq km. The altitude of the park ranges between 450 m and 950 m. It is the very jungles of Kanha that inspired Rudyard Kipling to start with his famous literary work – the 'Jungle Book'.


Wildlife in Kanha National Park
The terrain of Kanha National Park mainly comprises of moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests, valley meadows and dadar meadows. The moist deciduous forests take up around 27% of the total coverage area of the park and are predominated by sal (shorea robusta) trees. The meadows of Kanha harbour many of the wildlife species.

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22 species of mammals and 200 species of birds have found home in the confines of Kanha National Park. Of all the mammal species the ones you can closely spot include spotted deer, swamp deer, sambhar, jackal, wild pig, black buck, common langur, sloth bear, striped hyena, mouse deer, jungle cat, four-horned antelope etc.

Bird watchers need to head towards the open grasslands and mixed and bamboo forests. Aquatic birds can be sighted close to the rivulets and around the forest pool called Sarvantal. To feast your eyes on these colourful and exotic lot of birds, you need to start on a safari in the early mornings and late afternoons. At the aforementioned sites, you would observe avian species like cattle egret, pond heron, peafowl, hawk eagle, crested serpent, woodpecker, babbler, parakeet, hornbill, white-breasted kingfisher and numerous varieties of flycatcher.


Adventure Safaris in Kanha National Park
Wildlife enthusiasts have both the options of hiring an elephant or a jeep. Jeeps or open canters are available at the Baghira Log Huts (Kisli) and Kanha Safari Lodge (Mukki). For a safari to be conducted in the early mornings, one needs to do the booking one day in advance.

You can undertake a safari in the park either between February and June or from November to February. Owing to monsoon, the park remains closed for visitors from July 1st to the 31st.


Other Attractions In & Around Kanha National Park
» Bamni Dadar : Famous as the Sunset Point, the place is one of the most picturesque inside the national park. Here, you can delight yourself with the heart-stirring sights of the sunsets and also spot animal species like barking deer, four-horned antelope, sambar, gaur etc.

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» Kanha Museum : A big draw for tourists at the national park is the Kanha Museum. The museum gives you an insightful view of the essential cultural elements of the state of Madhya Pradesh.


Accessibility
Nagpur, 266 km away, is the closest airport from the national park. The airport has regular flights connecting to Mumbai. Jabalpur, which is 169 km from here, serves as the closest rail link. An excellent road network makes the Kanha National Park accessible from Jabalpur (169 km), Nagpur (266 km), Mukki (25 km), Khajuraho (445 km) etc. Tourists can avail of regular bus services from Jabalpur to Kanha.