Kanha–Kisli National Park, also known as Kanha Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve of India and the largest national park of Madhya Pradesh. The park spread across districts of Mandala and Balaghat is divided into two protected areas, Hallon and Banjar originally spread over 250 sq.km and 300 sq.km respectively. Originally declared a reserve forest in 1879 and wildlife sanctuary in 1933, Kanha National Park was created on 1 June 1955 and was designated a tiger reserve in 1973. Today, it encompasses an area of 940 sq.km. It has a buffer zone of 1,067 sq.km and the neighbouring 110 sq.km Phen Sanctuary.
By bringing up the buffer and core zone all together, the Kanha Tiger Reserve has the total area of 1945 sq km. This makes Kanha Tiger Reserve largest national park in Central India. Kanha National Park is nestled in the Maikal range of Satpuras mountain ranges in Madhya Pradesh. It is also the first tiger reserve in India to officially unveil a mascot, Bhoorsingh the Barasingha. It is home to over 1000 species of flowering plants. The lowland forest are full of Sal and other mixed-forest trees, and meadows. The highland forests are full of bamboo, ghost tree and others creating a dense forest cover. The park is famed for being home to preying animals like Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian Leopard, sloth bear, dhole and many more including foxes and jackals.
The park is also home to grass eating animals like barasingha, Swamp Deer,.Gaur or Indian Bisson, chausingha, chital, very rare Blackbuck. Primates like langoor, and monkeys are also found in huge numbers. The park is a birdwatchers paradise with around 300 species of birds including black ibis, bee-eaters, cattle egret, drongos, common teal, grey hornbill, Indian roller, lesser adjutant, Malabar pied hornbill, woodpeckers, pigeon, paradise flycatchers, mynas, Indian peafowl, white-eyed buzzard, white-browed fantail, wood shrikes, warblers, crested serpent eagle, vultures and many more.
The park is also home to variety of reptiles such as Python, Indian Cobra, Indian Krait, Russell’s Viper, Indian Monitor, Common Rat Snake, Fan Throated Lizard and more. Several variety of fishes are also found in the water bodies spread across the park including giant danio, mud perches, common rasbora, brown snakehead and green snakehead. In its efforts to maintain and restore tiger habitats, WWF-India has worked in the park to create corridors that support the tigers and their prey, thereby stabilizing the tiger population.
This includes efforts to prevent loss of life or property of humans, reduce human dependency on forest, and reduce retaliatory killings of tigers by villagers. These efforts have fascinated wildlife enthusiasts from around the world to visit the park in large numbers. The national park is considered as one of the finest wildlife areas in the world. Well connected by road, rail and air via Jabalpur, the main hub for reach the park. There are numerous hotels, resorts, restaurants enroute to the park that provide luxurious, mid-range to budget accommodation, food and other well-developed infrastructure specially meant for the tourist. Mukki Gate, Sarhi Gate and Kanha Gate are the 3 entrance gate to the park.
Kanha-Kisli National Park is considered ideal home for wide ranges of wild creatures; from tigers to barasingha and countless species of plants, birds, reptiles and insects. The best location for tourists is the Bammi Dadar, also known as the Sunset Point. As a tourist you can spend time with Baiga tribe and even learn to make tribal silver jewelry which is believed to be one of its kind. You can either shop for artefact as ornament or as a souvenir from Kanha. A visit to Kanha Museum, to know the animal history of the region, see elephant bathing, wildlife viewing from machaan are some more activities you can enjoy on your weekend visit to Kanha.
Kawardha Palace built between 1936 to 39 is also worth visiting. Other places worth visiting near the palace are Mandawa mahal, Krishna Temple, Madan manjari Mahal and Bhoremdeo Temple. If you have time you can also go on a trekking trip with authorized tourist guides. Tourist can enjoy daily jeep safari as well as elephant safari. Its tropical climate means summers at Kanha are hot with temperature reaching up to 43° C atleast. During rainy season the ark receives heavy monsoon downpours with the average rainfall of 1800 mm. Kanha-Kisli National Park is at the centre of clutch of number of other national parks known as ‘tiger country’ spread across much of Central India.
The park is in close proximity to Pench National Park, Tadoba National Park, and Bandhavgarh National Park that are also part of tiger country. In Kanha National Park, the tourists can enter in the park in four different zones namely Kisli, Mukki, Kanha and Sarhi. As a tourist you can enjoy jeep safari rides every morning and evening, via park owned open top jeeps. Private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. The added advantage of Kanha safari is that the wildlife lovers like you can easily make the online booking for the entry tickets either on your own or through tour operators if available. The entry tickets can also be collected from the booking window at the entrance gate of the national park. For any additional services, additional expenses other than the entry tickets are charged at the entrance.
As with other national parks across India, entry timings into the Kanha National Park are regulated on season basis for morning safari, and afternoon safari. Entry from 16th October to 15th February or winter season is from sunrise to 11:00 am in the morning and 02:00 pm to sunset in the late afternoon. In the late winter and early summer season from 16th February to 15th April, the park is open from sunrise to 11:00 am in the morning and from 03.00 pm to sunset in the late afternoon. During the peak summer season of 16th April to 30th June the park is open from sunrise to 10:00 am in the morning and from 03:30 pm to sunset in late afternoon.
Park remains off limits to tourist during rainy season as its the breeding season for animals in the park. Morning and Afternoon both the shift remain close on Holi festival. entry fee into the park is INR 1000 for adults and INR 500 for children, both for Indians and foreigners. The Kanha-Kisli National Park is home to at least 500 Royal Bengal Tigers. Overall a weekend visit to the national park for a memorable experience is the best option available to tourists.
