Kanha National Park
Vast sal forests and open meadows, the setting linked to The Jungle Book, and the last home of the hard-ground barasingha.
- Established
- 1955 (national park) · 1973 (tiger reserve)
- Area
- Roughly 940 km² core
- Districts
- Mandla & Balaghat
- Safari zones
- Kanha · Kisli · Mukki · Sarhi
- Season
- October to June
- Nearest airport
- Jabalpur (about 4 hours)
How the park came to be
Kanha was declared a national park in 1955 and became one of the first nine Project Tiger reserves in 1973. Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book is widely linked to the forests of this region.
Kanha's biggest success is the hard-ground barasingha. The population had fallen to around 66 animals by 1970; careful meadow management brought it back to several hundred, and the barasingha is now Madhya Pradesh's state animal. Kanha is also known for Bhoorsingh the Barasingha, India's first official park mascot.
FloraForest & landscape
Moist sal forest in the lowlands, mixed forest with bamboo on the slopes, and large open meadows (maidans) that hold deer herds and the predators that follow them.
FaunaWildlife you can see
- Bengal tiger
- Leopard
- Dhole (wild dog)
- Sloth bear
- Gaur
- Barasingha
- Sambar
- Chital
- Barking deer
- Four-horned antelope
- Jackal
Birds: Around 300 species, including racket-tailed drongo, Malabar pied hornbill and many woodpeckers.
Things to do
Morning and afternoon drives in Kanha, Kisli, Mukki or Sarhi.
Highest point in the park, known for sunsets over the forest.
Interpretation centre on the park's ecology.
Visit tribal villages and weekly markets.
Travel tips
- Plan 3–4 safaris for good sightings
- December–January mornings drop close to freezing
- Pair with Bandhavgarh or Pench for a central India circuit