Kanha National Park

Introduction

Gaur (Indian Bison), Kanha National Park

© Utrecht

Kanha National Park is a huge and beautiful park in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. With about 940 square kilometres it is one of the biggest national parks in the country and prime tiger area! The park is mainly made up of sal forests and vast meadows and is home to an estimated 100 tigers. There are also leopards, wild dogs and sloth bears although these are less common sights. Barking deer, sambar and chital (spotted deer) are quite common though, and the park is also home to the barasingha (swamp deer), one of the rarest animal on the planet! The barasingha was close to extinction (with only around 60 left) but now there are around 1,200 in Kanha National Park, the only place in the world where they can be seen in the wild. More species to see include mongoose, jackal and the big gaur (India bison), and numerous species of birds (of prey). Kanha National Park is great to combine with Bandhavgarh National Park, a smaller park further north with excellent chances of spotting a Bengal tiger.

Opening Hours

The park is open from October to June only. During the rainy season it's closed. Opening hours are from dawn till dusk, but this doesn't mean you can enter the park freely at all time. You have to board a jeepney (small Indian jeep) which does morning trips or afternoon trips. Morning trips usually start at around 6.30am and last until about 10 or 10.30am. Afternoon trips usually start at around 3 or 3.30pm and last until around 6.30pm. There is a slight variation depending on the exact month. During the hotter months of April and May, trips start earlier during the morning and later during the evening.

Cost

The cost of the park is not a straightforward thing. The total price of one jeep entering the park is around Rs. 3,200. This includes jeep hire (Rs. 1,000), jeep entrance (Rs. 2,030) and a guide (Rs. 150). The price is for one safari (morning or afternoon) and for the entire jeep. The jeep can be shared with as much as 6 persons, but if you are taller than average, it pays to settle for a maximum of 4 persons per jeep.

Hawk, Kanha NP

© Utrecht

Getting There

By Train

There is no railway station nearby, the closest bigger stations being in Jabalpur and Nagpur, hours away.

By Car

Taxis to Kanha National Park are available from anywhere, but cost Rs. 6-8 per kilometre travelled and usually you have to pay for the return trip as well, as the taxi leaves empty again. Bandhavgarh National Park is about 5-6 hours by car and will set you back around Rs. 3,500 to 4,000.

By Bus

There are about 5 or 6 buses a day between Kisli Gate and the town of Mandla, about 2.5 hours away. From here there are regular buses to Jabalpur and Nagpur. From Mukki Gate it's about 5 hours to Mandla.

Eat and Drink

Most of the accommodation listed below offer meals and drinks, but in Kisli village there are several restaurants and shops to buy something.

Sleep

Most of the hotels are lined up along the main strip of Kisli village, which is just before the Kathiya Gate entrance. The Kisli Gate is a further 4 kilometres away, which is the entrance to the core zone where jeeps go. There is only one hotel near the Kisli Gate itself (see below). Mukki Gate is more remote and about 1.5 hours away. Mukki has no facilities like Kisli other than the hotels listed below. Note that all but the cheapest options also offer a so-called Jungle Plan, which includes 3 meals and 2 safaris a day. You can also opt for American Plan, including only the meals. This always works out cheaper, as when booking Jungle Plan you pay for an exclusive use of the jeeps, so based on one (single room) or 2 (double room) persons. Mostly you can find many other travellers in Kisli village who are willing to share a jeep, thus considerably reducing costs.

Budget

• Panther Resort
• Van Vihar

Mid-Range

• Baghira Log Huts & Tourist Hostel - operated by Madhya Pradesh Tourism and just at the Kisli Gate, the only accommodation actually inside the park.
• Pugmark Resort
• Mogli Resorts
• Kanha Safari Lodge (Mukki Gate)
• Mehail Hotel & Kanha Meadows Retreat (Mukki Gate)

Upscale

• Tuli Tiger Resort

View our map of accommodation in Kanha National Park

External Links

• Madhya Pradesh Tourism
• Kanha National Park
• Project Tiger India