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Kanha National Park

The Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh was conceived in 1955 and later in 1974, it got the status of a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger Scheme. Spread over an area of more than 940 sq km; the Kanha National Park owes thick vegetation made of sal and bamboo forests, grasslands and streams. The national park is the sole habitat of the rare species of barasingha.

The Banjar valley and Halon valley forests form Kanha's western and eastern halves, and is quite famous for its deer and tiger population. It has the honour of being one of the most well-maintained National Parks in Asia. Bamni Dadar, the popular Sunset Point is the most beautiful section of the park to view the dusk.

District : Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh
Location : 175-kms from Jabalpur
Famous For : Barasingha Deer, Tigers
Most Famous Activity : Elephant Safari , Geography & Climate

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About Kanha National Park
Kanha National ParkThe lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines of Kanha provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel "The Jungle Book". Kanha National Park located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The Park's landmark achievement is the preservation of the rare hardground Swamp Deer (Barasingha), saving it from near extinction. Stringent conservation programs for the overall protection of the Park's fauna and flora, makes Kanha one of the most well maintained National Parks in Asia. A heightened attraction within the Park is Bamni Dadar. Popularly known as the Sunset Point, it offers the most awe-inspiring backdrop of the setting sun against grazing Sambhars and Gaurs, magnifying the natural splendor of the area. Aside from its diverse wildlife and bird population, the frequent sightings of Tigers roaming in the wild at Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary remain the most popular draw.

Kanha National Park (which is now officially known as Kanha Tiger Reserve) is located in the Maikal range, the eastern sector of the Satpura Hills of the Central Indian Highlands. The park lies 160 km (100 miles) southeast of Jabalpur in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Kanha is 270 kIn (170 miles) northeast of the city of Nagpur (Maharashtra), which currently furnishes the nearest air link to the park (direct flights from Mumbai, Delhi, and Hyderabad, with connections to other cities). The exact geographical coordinates of Kanha are as follows. Latitude: 22° 7' to 22° 27'N; longitude: 80° 26' to 81° 3'E.

The Flora in Kanha National Park
The flora in Kanha National Park chiefly comprises of Southern tropical Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest and Southern Tropical dry Deciduous Mixed Forest types. There are huge plateaus in the park with vast grasslands. Since there were villagers who inhibited this place earlier, there are a number of meadows inside the park. River Sulkum, Banjar and Nila irriogate the topography at this park. The slopes of the plateaus here are thickly covered with Bija, Haldu, Dhaora trees which stand along the long stretches of Ban-rahar, Bamboo and Sindhur tress. If you love photography, the park offers some bewitching views which are worth a click.

The Fauna in Kanha National Park
A major portion of the park is the core area with a wide variety of animal life. The major attraction of the ark is its tigers. Kanha is home to 22 species of large mammals. The major wildlife attractions in Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary are Royal Bengal Tigers, Leopards, Dholes (Indian wild dog), Indian Bisons, Sambar, Chital, Barasingha, Barking Deer, Black Buck, Chausingha, Nilgai, Monkeys, Mongoose, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Porcupine, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Hare, Rock Pythons among many others.

The Avifauna in the Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is a home to over 300 species of birds. The most commonly noticed birds in the park are Pea fowls, Storks, Pond Herons, Egrets, Indian Peafowl, Partridges, spotted Parakeets, Green Pigeons, Cuckoos, Drongos, Warblers, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers and fly catcher.

Safaris
Kanha National Park Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari are the two options for spotting wild animals in the park. The safaris can be enjoyed any time during the day while the best time for animal spotting is during early morning or late evening. The safari timings generally are 6 AM to 12 Noon and 3 to 5:30 PM. While it is essential to take along a park guide on a jeep safari, an elephant safari is the better option where the mahout or the elephant driver will be your companion and guide. To get on an Elephant ride, one has to book a seat for the Tiger show, offered in the mornings.

How to Get there
Air : The nearest major airport to Kanha National Park is Nagpur (280 Km).

Rail : Jabalpur is the nearest railway station to Kanha National Park.

By Road :There are regular bus services from Jabalpur to Kanha.