Kanha - A wildlife paradise for travelers to Madhya Pradesh

Kanha is one of the best national parks in the country and it is home to around 89 tigers as per the recent estimates. Kanha National Park and Tiger Reserve is home to a variety of wildlife and offers a long safari during the morning hours into its vast area of over thousand square kilometers. Read on.

Kanha is the largest National Park of the state of Madhya Pradesh and it is best known for its tiger reserve. TIt was formed in 1955 after merging the Hallon and Banjar sanctuaries. Sweeping an area of more than a thousand square kilometer, Kanha National Park ranks among the top ten famous places for tourists in India. Hotels in Kanha are situated outside the national park and a line of small-time restaurants or dhabas are spread through the area outside.You can have your meals in the hotel's own restaurant or at one of these dhabas that offer relatively inexpensive food. Some hotels in Kanha offer concierge services from where you can gather all the details about the National Park and the safaris.

As you begin your safari, you would find some tea points and snacks center that have been allowed near the interpretation center inside the park. A morning safari in the Kanha Tiger Reserve is interesting and adventurous. In the daylight it is more probable that you would spot the rare Royal Bengal Tiger, sloth bear, and leopards among other wild animals that live here. The whole setting of Kanha Tiger Reserve and National Park has a rich backdrop since the tall sal and bamboo forests, stretches of miles of grasses, as well as the steep gorges formed in the entire region together make for an amazing portrayal. It is does not come as a surprise that the Kanha National Park inspired the works of Rudyard Kipling while he was writing the world famous Jungle Book novel.

Besides the 4WD jeep safaris, you can also undertake hiking or trekking and explore the nature trail from the Khatiya Gate. From there back to the village, a 7 km trail runs in loop around the edges of the national park. The safari and trails at Kanha are not rushed and you can enjoy it at your own pace. This is one of those parks where restrictions on entering the wild zones are not too limiting. Kanha National Park is home to 89 tigers as the estimates tell. A large number of deers, antelopes, barasinghas, langurs, Indian bisons, and about 300 species of birds can be found inside the park. There are different gates to the park, marked by the villages that lie around - Khatiya, Mukki, and Sarahi. Bookings for safari are available online and hence it is better to make advance reservations for accommodations and safari simultaneously. The morning safari is held between 6 to 11 am and the afternoon one is held between 3 to 6 pm. Besides indulging in the adventure of safari and wildlife sightings, you can take some time out for shopping as well. Around the area near your accommodation, you can find small shops and emporiums which sell tribal handicrafts items and other such souvenirs.

Make advance bookings as you plan your trip to this national park. You can find a number of budget hotels in Kanha as well as resorts and guesthouses.