Well known for its deer and tiger population, Kanha National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Madhya Pradesh. The fauna at the park was believed to have been the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's famed classic Jungle Book. The park is spread over an area of 1945 sq km with a core area of 940 sq km. Kanha National Park was declared a sanctuary in 1952 and in 1955 the park was converted into national park. The park was declared a tiger reserve in 1974, when the Project Tiger was launched.
The park is considered as one of the most popular wildlife sanctuaries, where you can spot a tiger. Tigers are what attract most wildlife enthusiasts to Kanha National Park. The other wild animals that you can see at Kanha National Park include barasingha deer, spotted deer, leopard, sambar, (chital), monkeys, bluebull (nilgai), wild dogs, the Indian bison (gaur) and wild boar. The park is an excellent example of conservation. As at one point of time, the number of barasinga-the 12-horned deer-was reduced to 70 but with conservation activities paid off and the number of barasinga increased to 500.
Kanha National park is home to over 200 species of birds, which has made the park quite popular among birdwatchers and ornithologists. Some of the birds that you may see in the park include flycatchers, egrets, jungle fowl, kingfishers, herons, partridges, teals, warblers, quail and woodpeckers.
The terrain of the Kanha National Park is hilly and most of the hills are enveloped in grass. The lower area is covered with bamboo and Sal trees. Tall grass meadows in the park have proved a boon for barasinga.
Around Kanha National Park
Bamni Dadar also known as the sunset point is quite popular among tourists. Most tourists visit Bamni Dadar to get the wonderful view of the setting sun. Kanha Museum inside the park is another interesting place to visit. The museum is the right place to understand the topography and other interesting aspects of the park.
Travel Tips
Binocular and camera are essential items that you should take with you to enjoy wildlife in the park. Prior booking and complete information about the opening of the park is essential.
Climate
The climate is tropical and temperature hovers between 23.9°C and 40.6°C during winter and 11.1°C to 23.9°C during winter.
How To Reach
Nagpur, which is about 266 kilometres away, is the nearest airport. Jabalpur is the nearest railhead to reach Kanha National Park. You can reach Kanha National Park by road as the park is well connected by road with Jabalpur, which is 175 km, Khajuraho, 445 km and Nagpur, 266 km.
There are a number of hotels and lodges in the vicinity of the park. Most of the hotels and lodges provide all the basic facilities for tourists travelling to Kanha National Park.
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