Kanha National Park

All ready to discover the secrets of the forest

The Kanha National Park is one of the most renowned tiger reserves in the world. It is located in the Mandla district of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The central Kanha valley was declared a sanctuary long back in 1933 but it got the status of a national park in 1955. The park was the soul inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book. Kanha National Park is famous for its conservation efforts made in collaboration and co-operation with the local communities. Kanha is the last and only home of the 12 tined swamp deer or barasinghas.

Flora & Fauna
The Kanha National Park has a varied terrain and is deeply forested by trees like Haldu, Bija and Dhaora. You can also find Bamboo forests, Sal forests, Ban-rahar and Sindhur forests. During cooler months the Kanha National Park becomes extremely scenic and beautiful.
Kanha National Park is very rich in wildlife. You won't find much of a difficulty to encounter the animals of your choice. Kanha is noted widely for its Tiger population. Apart from tigers there are several other wild animals like Leopard, Gaur or Indian Bison, Wild Pig, Antelope, Black Buck, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer, Swamp Deer, Spotted Dear, Chousingha, Barasingha, Jackal, Fox, Nilgai, Porcupine, Gray Langurs, Mongoose, Hyena, Jungle Cat etc. The park also has a rich avian population that includes about 175 different varieties of birds. Some of them are: Green Pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Partridges, Orioles, Hoopoes, Pond Herons, Spotted Parakeets, Drongos, Peacock, Pintails, Egrets, Storks, Pea Fowl, Jungle Fowl, Spur Fowl, Quails, Ring Doves, Kingfishers, Cuckoos, Papihas, Rollers, Bee-eater, Warblers, Fly catchers, Teals, Woodpeckers, Finches and Owls.

Straight Stuff
Location: Mandla District, Madhya Pradesh
Total Area: 1,940 sq.km
Declared As: A National Park in 1955
Visiting Season: April to June and November to January
Baits: Tigers, bears, leopards
Entry Fee: Rs. 25 for Indians and Rs. 500 for foreigners

Accommodation
In Kanha only the state-run hotel is within the park. Other options are to be found in the villages on the periphery, such as Kisli, Mukki and Mocha. Some of the popular resorts and lodges in and around Kanha include Kanha Jungle Lodge, Tuli Tiger Resort and Wild Chalet Resort.

How To Roll In
Nagpur which is about 266 kms away, is the nearest airport. Jabalpur is the nearest railhead to reach Kanha National Park. One can also reach the park through roadways as the Park is well connected by road with Jabalpur.