This
is the place that has been described by
Rudyard Kipling in his great book "The
Jungle Book". Picture this thick sal
forests, long bamboos, swaying grasslands
and meandering rivers. This is what Kanha
is all about. Located in the Mandla district
of Madhya
Pradesh, Kanha national park is a tiger
reserve that extends over an area of over
1940 sq km. A horse-shoe shaped valley bounded
by the spurs of the Mekal presents an interesting
topography. Steep rocky escarpments along
the edges offer breathtaking views of the
valley.Realizing the danger on the Tiger
population in the country, the Government
started the "Project Tiger" at
Kanha and in 1974 the area was declared
a Tiger reserve. The park is also the habitat
of the high ground Barasingha.
The park was created in 1955 by a special
law and since then it has dedicated itself
in preserving a variety of animal species.
Many endangered species have indeed been
saved here. Today Kanha is among the few
most scenic and beautiful wildlife reserves
in Asia.. This 'Tiger Country' is the ideal
home for both predator and prey.
Park
Population
It
was at the Kanha national park that the
first ever scientific study of the tiger
was undertaken by the eminent zoologist
George Schaller. Another landmark at Kanha
is the preservation of the hard ground Barasingha
.This was achieved by extending the grasslands,
relocating villages and by increasing habitat.There
are 22 species of mammals in the park. These
are the three-stripe squirrels, variety
of monkeys and apes, hyena, wild pigs, deers
and black bucks. The Indian jackal, jungle
cat, leopard, blue bull can also be spotted
here.
The mixed forests and bamboo forests are
good breeding and nesting grounds for many
feathered species. There are almost 200
species of birds in Kanha. Many of them
are found on the grasslands too. Some of
them can be spotted around water holes.
The ground opposite the Museum is also a
good place to watch the birds at play. Take
binoculars to watch them closely. Best time
to observe the birds is in the morning and
evening. The park also sustains a sizeable
number of reptiles which are very difficult
to spot.
Nearby
Attractions
The
Kanha national park in itself is so beautiful
and full of adventure that no other local
attraction is needed.But Bamni Dadar is
one place which is visited by every tourist
who come to the national park. This 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 sambars,
barking deer, gaurs and other animals make
the ambience magical.
Park
Trips
Take
a forest department guide to go around the
park. Guides take you to the exact locations
where animals can be seen at their natural
best. touring is usually on jeeps. These
jeeps can be hired from the MPTDC. Elephant
safaris are mainly to spot tigers . Jeeps
can be hired from the MPTDC manager at Kisli
and Mukki. Remember to book the jeep one
day before the journey. If there are more
tourists then hiring jeeps can be troublesome.
So reserve the vehicle well in advance during
the peak season.
Climate
The
climate of the park is very tropical. The
summers are warm and winters cold. One should
carry warm clothes during winters specially
while travelling on jeep.
Best
Time to Visit
The
Kanha national park is closed from 1st July
to 31st October . This being the rainy season,
the animals prefer being in shelters than
venture out. The best season to visit this
park is between November and June.
Accommodation
There
are many good facilities for staying at
Kanha. The Krishna Jungle Resort
is situated just before the main entrance
of the Park. The tourism department and
the forests department have made adequate
arrangements at the park to give the visitors
comfortable accommodation. But the lodges
and rest houses are not in the park but
at nearby Mukki or Kisli. The Kanha safari
lodge is at Mukki, Baghira log huts at Kisli
and Tourist lodge at Kisli are few of the
government accommodation available. Apart
from these there are private hotels and
rest houses for the tourists. The forest
lodge is maintained by the ITDC. Ask for
the Kipling Camp.
There are canteens and hotels at Kisli where
one get both Indian and western cuisines.
The rates are reasonable and at times they
are cheaper than the market rates.
Getting
There
There
are regular air services to Raipur and Nagpur
(270 km) from other airports in india. One
can also take the flight to Jabalpur (170
km). From these airports one has to drive
to the park. The most convenient railheads
for Kanha are Jabalpur
and Nagpur. These two are well connected
by fast and superfast trains other destinations
in India.
To access the Kanha national park there
are two ways via Khatia or Kisli. From Jabalpur
there are daily bus services to these places.
From Jabalpur,
Bilaspur and Raipur one can hire taxis to
the park. No vehicles are allowed inside
the park after dark so get there before
dusk. |
| General
Information : |
| Best
time to Visit |
:
February And April. |
| Nearest
town |
:
Mandla (65 km) |
| How
to get there |
:
Air and Rail-Jabalpur
(220 km), Nagpur (270 km) |
|
