Kanha National Park

Kanha National park is located in Banjar and Halon valleys in the Mandla / Balaghat districts of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Kanha National Park is one of the India’s finest tiger reserves. It is spread more than 1940 sq km in a horse shoe shaped valley bound by the spurs of the Mekal range the park presents a varies topography.
Kanha national park is more famous for its wildlife, the natural beauty of its landscape is just as fascinating. One of the best locations to enjoy that bounty is Bammi Dadar, also known as the sunset point..
Kanha also shelters one of the largest populations of the tigers in the country. Some of the other larger animal species found in the park are sloth bear, leopard, striped hyena, spotted dear, wild boar, jungle cat, jackal and a variety of monkeys. Over 200 spices of birds have been spotted in the park. There are many folklore about how it got kanha name. Some say it came from kanha, the clay like soil of the river bottoms, Other say the area is named for kanha a holy forest sage, who once lived here and was the father of shakuntala, whose son was Bharat and whose story was told in our legends.

Wildlife in Kanha National Park

Kanha boasts of about 22 species of mammals. Some of the inhabitants of this park are the gaur, the largest of the world's cattle; the sambar, the largest Indian deer; and the chausingha, the only four-horned antelope in the world. Other frequent visitors include the Nilgai antelope, the sloth bear, the dhole, or Indian wild dog, and an occasional panther.

Birding in Kanha National Park

There are 175 varieties of birds in Kanha National Park. So if you happen to be bird watcher, look forward to a full spotting itinerary. The terrain inside the park is varied, nonetheless enjoyable. Bamboo forests flow into Sal forests and meadows. Some of the major bird species you can find at Kanha National park.
Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea,Paddy Bird or Pond Heron (Ardeola grayii), Shikra (Accipiter badius),White-eyed Buzzard (Butastur teesa).

Flora in Kanha National Park

The forest is mixed and given the high rainfall precipitation one finds extensive stretches of Sal (Shorea robusta), a tree of moist deciduous forest in central and north India. The Sal is good quality timber, the leaves are good fodder, fruits have nutritional & medicinal value and is valued greatly by tribals. The other common tree species belong to the Terminalia genus, the most numerous being what in India is popularly known as Crocodile bark, the earlier Scientific name being Terminalia tomentosa, now it is referred to as Terminalia crenulata, it is good timber, locals call it as Saja and in Maharashtra it is called as Ain. Terminalia arjuna, locally called Arjun is distinct because of its pale bark and thick girth, is more common near water sources. Other Terminalia species are Terminalia chibula and Terminalia bellarica, Axle wood (Anogeisis latifolia), locally referred to as Dhaoda, good for making charcoal and agricultural implements is common. Labernum or Amaltas (Cassia fistula) with lovely yellow blossoms in the dry season and Flame of the forest or Palas (Butea frondosa) a glorious sight in the drier season when it is flowering, are found sprinkled all over the forest. Huge trees of Baja (Pterocarpus marsupium) & Haldu (Adena cardifolia) along with host of other large & small trees comprise the thick forest.

Fauna in Kanha national Park

The largest herbivore here is the Indian Wild Ox or Gaur (Bos gaurus) mistakenly called as Indian Bison. A magnificent animal, found in small herds more towards the Mukki region of the park. The Sambar (Cervus unicolor) is the largest Indian deer, usually found singly. The most significant deer species in this forest is the sub species of the Swamp deer - the Barasingha (Cervus durauceli branderi), often referred to as "The Jewel of Kanha", Kanha being the only remaining habitat. It is distinct from the Swamp deer found in the swampy areas of the north in having a darker coat and well knit hooves instead of the splayed hooves of the other subspecies. This deer was pushed to the brink of extinction in the early 1970s with their number going down to around 66, now with conservation efforts it has gone up to around 500. The most commonly seen deer is the Chital or Spotted deer (Axis axis) in large herds. The Muntjac or Barking deer (Munitiacus muntjac) a small plain solitary deer is seen quite regularly. Blackbuck (Antilope cericapra) and the elusive Chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricornus) - only fourhorned antelope in the world, are also seen. The Blackbuck, not typically an animal of the moist deciduous forest saw its number dropping to around 10 in 1986 and is a part of captive breeding program and the numbers are rising. Chital or Spotted deer (Axis axis) Among the large predators, the Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) takes pride of place. A fascinating animal, an encounter with one even from a jeep or elephant can be a spine tingling experience for the sheer majesty, grace and power which the tiger exudes. The Leopard (Panthera paradus), is the most ubiquitous of the large predators in India. Leopard, a agile tree climber, often carrying its prey up trees is a remarkable and the most adaptable predator. The Dhole or Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), referred to as whistling hunters are very interesting in terms of stories of their hunting prowess.

Wildlife Safari Timing in Kanha National Park

Wildlife safari timing in kanha national park is just like most parks in the country. Timings for entry into, and exit from, the park vary according to the season. In winters, due to the shorter duration of daylight hours, the morning entry time is later and evening exit time is earlier.
Oct. 1 - Feb. 15- Sunrise to 1200 hrs., 1500 hrs. to sunset.
Feb. 16 - Apr. 15 - Sunrise to 1200 hrs., 1600 hrs. to sunset.
Apr. 16 - Jun. 30 - Sunrise to 1100 hrs., 1700 hrs. to sunset.

Tourist Places Near Kanha National Park

Kawardha Palace:
Only three hours drive for the Resort, The Palace Kawardha was designed and built by Maharaja Dharamraj Singh in the period 1936-39. This inspiring monument was created using Italian marble and stone, and is set in eleven acres of private lush gardens. The magnificence of the domed and filigreed DURBAR HALL, along with the marble staircases and elegant sweeping verandhas , ( which surround all the suits ) and the high ceilinged lounges are reminiscent of bygone eras. Other places of interest in and around Kawardha are The Krishna Temple, Bhoremdeo Temple, Mandawa Mahal & Madan Manjari Mahal. All date from the 11th century and can be found twenty minutes north of Kawardha.
Bandhavgarh National Park :
This is a small National Park, compact yet full of game. Owing to its small size, the density of tigers is the highest. Apart from Tigers there are around 22 species of mammals and another 250 species of birds are present.
Excursions :
Near Kanha National Park is Bamni Dadar visited by every tourist who comes to the national park. This place is also known as the sunset point. The Kanha National Park is at it scenic best at this point. The sunset from this spot is mesmerizing. The eminent natural splendor of the park comes to the fore here. The grazing sambhar, barking deer, gaurs, and other animals make the ambience magical.
Nagpu :
The city of Nagpur is located at a distance of 260 kilometres from Kanha National Park. Famous for its oranges, Nagpur is nicknamed as the orange city. The present day Nagpur city was founded by the Gond King of Deogad, Bakht Buland Shah in the year 1702. The city completed its 300 years in the year 2002. Nagpur has a good network of transportation and is easily accessible from its nearby towns and cities.

Jabalpur :
Jabalpur makes another important excursion point from Kanha National Park. Located at a distance of 145 kilometres via Mandla, Jabalpur is also an important base point to visit a number of important places in the region. Inside Jabalpur the Madan Mahal Fort built in AD 1116 and the Rani Durgavati Museum that houses a number of fine archaeological findings and sculptures of a bygone era are the two landmarks to visit. The Tilwara Ghat where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are believed to have been immersed also makes an important place to visit in Jabalpur. You can also access the Marble Rocks, Dhuandhar Falls and the Chausath Yogini Mandir from this place.