KANHA NATIONAL PARK – A QUICK WILDLIFE SAFARI GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

The Kanha National Park is arguably Central India’s most iconic Forest Reserve. Its majestic Sal trees, open meadows and beautiful grasslands provide shelter to an abundance of wildlife. Most notably, it is one of the last strongholds of the Barasingha, the hardground swamp deer.

The sheer beauty of the forest, the insights of the naturalists, and the hospitality of resorts make Kanha an irresistible wildlife destination. It never ceases to spellbind visitors. Those who have been there continue to marvel at everything it has to offer.

1. WHERE EXACTLY IS KANHA NATIONAL PARK AND HOW DO WE GET THERE?

The Kanha National Park, nestled in the Maikal range of the Satpuras, is situated in Madhya Pradesh. It encompasses a vast area, covering the districts of Mandla and Balaghat and is Central India’s largest National Park.

This premier Tiger Reserve is well connected by air, rail, and road. The closest airport is at Jabalpur. From there, one can easily book a cab and drive to Kanha which takes about 3 and half hours.

Gondia Junction and Jabalpur Station are the two closest railheads connecting to Kanha. Both are roughly a 3 and half hours’ drive away. Furthermore, the Park is also accessible via Nagpur or Raipur. Although, slightly farther away, they may offer better flight or train timings.

Refer to the table below if you love road trips!

2. WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT KANHA NATIONAL PARK?

The answer to this question depends on what you aim to get out of the trip. If you specifically want to spot tigers, the best time would be the summer months i.e. March to June. Tigers come to waterholes to cool themselves and escape from the extreme heat. This undoubtedly increases their sighting opportunities.

If you are an avid birder, mid-November to early February would be a great time to visit Kanha. Although the hours before sunrise and after sunset will be chilly, there will be plenty of sighting opportunities.

Kanha is enveloped in mist during the early mornings of the post-monsoon and winter months, i.e. October to early February. The rays of the golden hour sun penetrating through the canopy offer wildlife photographers a chance to make some stunning images!

If you want to stay away from the crowd, plan a visit to Kanha during the monsoons i.e. July-September. As it is the off-season, naturally fewer vehicles enter the park.

Our suggestion is to visit the Kanha National Park between October and April. You can witness the forest in all its glamour and glory then. Chances are, you will visit this majestic kingdom more than once!

3. WHAT ARE THE BEST ZONES IN KANHA NATIONAL PARK?

The Kanha National Park is divided into 4 core zones, i.e. Kisli, Kanha, Mukki and Sarhi. All these zones are accessible via the Khatia gate. Additionally, the other two entry points to the Park are the Mukki and Sarhi gates.

Across these zones, Kanha reveals several stunning landscapes. These include tall Sal trees, thick bamboo forests, open meadows with grasslands, rocky undulating terrains, and other mixed vegetation. Tigers inhabit all these zones. Their frequent sightings and other animal activity are reported regularly.

The adjacent buffer zones are: Khatia, Sijhora, Phen and Khapa. The Mukki gate gives access to the Khapa and Phen zones, while the Sarhi gate grants entry to the Sijhora zone.

4. FAMOUS TIGERS OF KANHA

Over the years, several tigers and tigresses have given visitors many unforgettable spectacles. Unfortunately, we can only name some of them in this blog for the sake of brevity.

Firstly, we must pay tribute to Munna. He was a huge male tiger and among the most photographed and filmed tigers in the world. He was renowned for the ‘CAT’ stripe marks on his forehead. Additionally, some other bold and handsome male tigers are Chhota Munna, Umarpani Male, Kingfisher, Junior Bajrang and Sangam.

There have been many legendary tigresses to set paw in Kanha. But, at the time of this blog, three tigresses are stealing the show at Kanha. Naina, Neelam and Dhawajhandi (DJ) females are all beautiful tigresses and successful mothers. Click here to know more about the Tigers of Kanha!

5. WHAT ANIMALS CAN WE SIGHT ON A WILDLIFE SAFARI TO KANHA NATIONAL PARK?

A tiger in the Kanha meadows during the golden hour, or with towering Sal trees in the background is on most travellers’ wish lists. Although, sighting other animals such as the Leopard, Dhole, Sloth Bear, Gaur, and Blackbuck should also be considered extremely precious.

Spotted Deer, Sambar Deer, Langurs and wild boars are some of the more ubiquitous animals. And, of course, the pride of Kanha – the Barasingha. These hard ground swamp deer have made a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction! Their revival is truly one of India’s most successful conservation stories!

Apart from the 40 plus species of mammals found in Kanha, over 300 avians also call this place home. Some of the commonly sighted birds are junglefowls, peafowls, Indian rollers, Racket-tailed Drongos, Crested Serpent Eagles, Indian Scops Owls, Jungle Babblers, and many others.

A lot of the times, in our search for the big cats, many species go unnoticed, especially, the hundred plus species of butterflies. We would surely be amazed by their diversity if we looked around!

Kanha also provides refuge to about 25 species of reptiles. And if we are lucky, or you happen to speak Parseltongue, we could encounter some of our Slytherin friends!

CONCLUSION

Central India’s most magical forest, the Kanha National Park is truly an enthralling wildlife destination. The breathtaking landscapes shelter many remarkable species of flora and fauna. 

Although slightly farther away from nearby cities as compared to other National Parks in India, the destination is well worth the journey. So, look no further if you want to immerse yourself in nature and allow her to rejuvenate you! We would love to be the ones to help you explore Kanha!