Kanha National Park

Fact File
» Location from major cities : Jabalpur (175 kms), Khajuraho (445 kms), Nagpur (266 kms)

» Known for : Tigers, Leopards, Bears

» Climate & the best time to visit : Tropical climatic conditions prevail in the area. Summer temperature may shot up to a high of 44 degrees. On the other hand, a drastic fall in mercury levels could be seen in winters. In the peak winter months of December and January, temperature may go down to 4 degrees centigrade at night. The average annual rainfall is 1400mm-2800mm. The visiting season to Kanha is April-June and November-January.


The Park
Located in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha national park is one of the best places in India to watch the Tiger. Spreading over a sprawling area of 1,940 Sq. Kms, Kanha is surrounded by the spurs of the Mekal. Apart from its diverse flora and fauna for which it pulls wildlife enthusiasts in larhge numbers, Kanha is also famed for its unique topography. The main feature of its interesting topography is the horseshoe shaped valley and some steep rocky hills. The main source of water is Surpan River meandering through Kanha's central Maidans. Unlike the other wildlife sanctuaries where tigers remain mostly elusive, they can be seen roaming freely in Kanha.


Attractions in the Park
» Flora : The vegetation here is mostly dry deciduous forests. Sal forests are found in abundance here. Patches of Bamboo plantations could also be seen in different parts of the park. Grasslands also cover some of the areas.

» Fauna : It is said that luck plays a big role when it comes to spotting wildlife. But such is the richness of Kanha's fauna that wildlife could easily be spotted here without depending much on the luck factor. The main attraction of Kanha is its tigers. On a tiger trail, one can also spot

» Porcupine: Gray Langurs, Mongoose, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Leopard, Barasingha, Chital or Spotted Deer, Chousingha, Nilgai as well as the majestic Indian Bison. Wild pigs could also be seen roaming in many areas.

» Avifauna : More than 300 species of birds have so far been recorded in Kanha. Some of the many bird varieties found in Kanha National Park are Peafowl, Woodpecker, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Golden Oriole, Hornbills, Tree Pies, Indian Roller, Malabar Hornbill, Indian Stone Curlew, Warblers, Rosy Pastor, Babblers, Painted Partridge, Green Pigeon, Vultures, Egrets, Kingfisher, Cuckoo, Teals, Quails, Shrikes, Lager, Pitpits, Green Bee-eaters


Other Places to Visit
» Kanha Museum : One of the sites visitors to the park should not miss is the museum of Kanha national park. Apart from a skulls and bones of a few dead animals on display, one also comes to know of the various activities of the park and tribal culture of the state of Madhya Pradesh after visiting the place. Even people with the most rudimentary knowledge on wildlife could enhance their knowledge on the subject considerably after visiting the park.


How To Reach
» By Air : The nearest airport is at Jabalpur at a distance of 170 kms. But it is a small airport connected by only a few domestic flights. The better option would be Raipur or Nagpur airports, both at a distance of approximately 270 kms. Regular flights operate to these destinations from many places of India.

» By Rail : The nearest railhead is Jabalpur at a distance of 169 kms.

» By Road : Visitors can access the national park from Jabalpur. The highway from Jabalpur via Mandla is a two lane one with medium traffic density. The main entrance to the park is from a place called Khatia.