About Kanha National Park

Country: India | State: Madhya Pradesh

#7 of 21 Places to visit in Madhya Pradesh

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Kanha National Park: Jabalpur (184 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Kanha National Park: October to June

Peak Season: November to February

At a distance of 15 km from Mocha, 59 km from Mandla, 106 km from Balaghat, 146 km from Gondia, 184 km from Jabalpur, 224 km from Raipur, 264 km from Nagpur, and 421 km from Bhopal, Kanha National Park is nestled in the Maikal range of Satpuras in Madhya Pradesh. Located in Mandla and Balaghat districts, it is the largest national park in Madhya Pradesh and among the popular tourist places to visit in Madhya Pradesh.

Positioned in the central region of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha was established as a sanctuary in the year 1933. It was declared as a National Park in 1955 and eventually made a Tiger Reserve in 1973. Kanha is one of the first Tiger Reserves to work for Project Tiger in India. Sprawling over an area of 2059.7 sq. km, it comprises of 940 sq. km core zone, 1009 sq. km of the buffer zone and 110.79 sq. km of neighbouring Phen Sanctuary. The park encompasses Banjar and Hallon valleys, Sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and winding streams.

Kanha got its name from the texture of the soil found in the park, which is locally called Kanhar. Kanha National Park is one of the most well managed, tourist-friendly & popular tiger reserves of India. Kanha has the highest density of tiger population in the state with around 80 big cats wandering aimlessly in the forest area. Besides its rich tiger population, there are also around 100 leopards, a huge population of deer and antelopes, including some 400 southern swamp deer (barasingha) which exist nowhere else in the world. One can also see plenty of langurs, Indian bison, wild boar and jackal along with 260 bird species here.

Besides, Kanha National Park is also famous for its beautiful jungles, stunning streams, and magnificent landscapes. Kanha is also the jungle that inspired Rudyard Kipling to come up with the very renowned 'The Jungle Book'. National Geographic's award-winning 'Land of the Tigers' was also shot here in the jungles of Kanha National Park.

Kanha National Park is divided into four core zones namely Kanha, Kisli, Sarhi, and Mukki. Of all these, Kanha is the oldest zone and the most popular zone of the park while Mukki zone is the second main entry zone of the park. It also has three buffer zones - Khatia, Khapa, and Sijora along with Phen Sanctuary which serves as the satellite core of Kanha and is known for leopard and sloth bear sighting. These zones are also available for jungle safari. There are three entry gates of Kanha National park, Khatia, Mukki & Sarhi Gates. Khatia & Mukki are the prime entry gates to the park. From Khatia Entrance gate one can explore Kisli, Kanha & Sarhi zones of Kanha National Park while the Mukki entrance gate covers Mukki range of the national park.

The park authorities offered three types of safaris to its visitors - Jeep Safari, Canter Safari, and Elephant Safari. Permits for day visits to these zones are available online on Park website. There are 2 jeep safaris conducted per day one is early in the morning and the other one is in the late afternoon. The Jungle Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park administration as private vehicles are not allowed inside the park. It is always advisable to book safaris prior to arrival, especially during weekends as there are only a limited number of vehicles allowed inside the Kanha National Park. Apart from the jeep safari, one can indulge in activities like Elephant Joy Rides, Canter Safari, nature walk, night jungle patrol, birding, village visit, etc. here.

The Forest Department provides basic accommodations at forest rest houses at Kisli and Mukki and also at Khatia Jungle Camp. There is also a wide range of other accommodations right from the budget hotels to luxury resorts in the vicinity of Mukki and Khatia gates of Kanha National Park.

Mocha is the gateway to Kanha and the nearest airport is at Jabalpur, 182 km away. Jabalpur Junction is the nearest major railhead which has well train connectivity with Patna, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Lucknow, Bangalore, Allahabad, Mysore, Gaya, Bhopal, Mumbai, Gorakhpur, Guwahati, Varanasi, Dhanbad, Bidar, Puri, Surat, Vadodara, Delhi, Raipur, and Ajmer. Mocha Bus Stand, about 15 km from Kanha, is the nearest bus stand and is well connected by bus with Jabalpur and Mandla.

Kanha National Park remains open every year from 15th October to 30th June and closed during the monsoon season from 1st July to 15th October. The peak season to visit the park is from October to February as the climatic conditions are excellent while March-June months are ideal for better Tiger sightings.

Safari Timings: 6.30 AM - 11 AM & 2 PM - 5.30 PM from Oct - Feb and 6 AM - 10 AM & 3 PM - 6 PM from Mar - June, Closed on every Wednesday evening, on Holi, Diwali & during monsoon.

Safari Permit Fee: Rs. 250 for Single Seat in Jeep, Rs. 1500 per Whole Jeep (max 6 Persons). Jeep hiring cost & guide cost extra (around 2500 per jeep and 480 per guide).

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Average
STD Code: 07642
Languages Spoken: Hindi, Bagheli, Gondi & English
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
The Kanha National Park remains closed from 1st July to 15th October, on Holi and Diwali festivals every year.

How to Reach Kanha National Park

By Air

Nearest Airport: Jabalpur - Jabalpur Airport / Dumna Airport (182 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Jabalpur Junction (184 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Mocha (15 Kms)

How to Reach Kanha National Park - Full Details

Top 10 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

Kanha Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#1 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 15 km from Mocha, Kanha Zone is the oldest and the most popular safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

Khatia Gate is the most popular of all the three gates of Kanha National Park, the other two being Mukki and Sarhi gate. Kanha Zone comprises of all kind of landscapes like valleys, plains, meadow areas, some hilly terrains, water bodies, etc. The density of tiger population in this zone is high. One can visit the Kanha Meadows, Shravan Tal, Bahamani Banjar, Dasarath Machhan and Kanha Museum in this zone during the safari.

Jeep Safari is one of the best ways to explore the exotic wildlife and thick woods of Kanha National Park. Khatia entrance gate falls on Mandla district and is easily accessible from Jabalpur & Nagpur. From here, one can explore Kisli, Kanha & Sarhi zones of Kanha National Park. If you are staying in a resort near Mukki entrance gate or Sarhi entrance .....

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Kanha Canter Safari

Wildlife

#2 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 15 km from Mocha, Kanha Zone is the oldest and the most popular safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

Khatia Gate is the most popular of all the three gates of Kanha National Park, the other two being Mukki and Sarhi gate. Kanha Zone comprises of all kind of landscapes like valleys, plains, and meadow areas, some hilly terrains, water bodies, etc. The density of tiger population in this zone is high. One can visit the Kanha Meadows, Shravan Tal, Bahamani Banjar, Dasarath Machhan and Kanha Museum in this zone during the safari. Besides, this zone is ideal for nature photography as it has beautiful and evergreen Sal forests.

Apart from Jeep Safari, Canter Safari is the best way to explore the flora and fauna of Kanha. Canter Safari is available only in Core Zones. It is an open bus safari with a seating capacity of 12 tourists. It is considered as a ray of hope for those helpless .....

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Mukki Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#3 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 50 km from Mocha and 65 km from Kanha Gate, Mukki Zone is the second most popular safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Mukki entrance gate, located near Mukki village.

Mukki was the second zone to be opened for tourists after Kanha Core Zone. It is the southern part of Kanha forest and is the nearest entry point for tourists, coming from Raipur, Gondia, and Nagpur. This zone is popular for tiger sighting as the density of tiger population in this zone is high. The jungle safari from Mukki gate passes through the Kudh meadows, Sondhar Tank and meadows, Lapsi Kabar, Bishanpura and Kukri Pani.

Jeep Safari is one of the best ways to explore the exotic wildlife and thick woods of Kanha National Park. Accompanied by a trained guide, the jeep safari takes you into the heart of the national park on fixed routes at fixed timings in the mornings and afternoons. The Jungle Safari is done only with vehicles registered with the park .....

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Mukki Canter Safari

Wildlife

#4 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 50 km from Mocha and 65 km from Kanha Gate, Mukki Zone is the second most popular safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Mukki entrance gate, located near Mukki village.

Mukki was the second zone to be opened for tourists after Kanha Core Zone. It is the southern part of Kanha forest and is the nearest entry point for tourists, coming from Raipur, Gondia, and Nagpur. This zone is popular for tiger sighting as the density of tiger population in this zone is high. The jungle safari from Mukki gate passes through the Kudh meadows, Sondhar Tank and meadows, Lapsi Kabar, Bishanpura and Kukri Pani.

Apart from Jeep Safari, Canter Safari is the best way to explore the flora and fauna of Kanha. Canter Safari is available only in Core Zones. It is an open bus safari with a seating capacity of 12 tourists. It is considered as a ray of hope for those helpless tourists who reaches Kanha without any advance booking safari tickets and .....

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Kisli Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#5 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 7 km from Mocha and 8 km from Kanha ticket counter, Kisli Zone is one of the core zones of Kanha Nationa Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

After the introduction of Sarhi Zone, Kisli Zone was carved out from Kanha Zone and thus it becomes the fourth safari zone of Kanha National Park. It was earlier treated as Kanha zone so its importance is always considered equivalent to Kanha Zone. Forest area falling in this zone is considered to be very scenic and photogenic. Kisli Zone is very well explored by safari guides and thus here tiger sighting probability is also high. In this zone, one can find animals like Indian Gaur, Hard-ground Barasingha, Sloth Bear, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Jackal, Wolf, etc. Kopedabri, Langha Dadar, Bandri Chapar, Sandukkhol, Mochi Dadar, Phuta Tal, Soonaghat, Bandela Behera, Amahi, Magar Nala and Salghat are the important areas visited in Kisli zone during jeep safari.

Jeep Safari .....

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Kisli Canter Safari

Wildlife

#6 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 7 km from Mocha and 8 km from Kanha ticket counter, Kisli Zone is one of the core zones of Kanha Nationa Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

After the introduction of Sarhi Zone, Kisli zone was carved out from Kanha Zone and thus it becomes the fourth safari zone of Kanha National Park. It was earlier treated as Kanha zone so its importance is always considered equivalent to Kanha Zone. Forest area falling in this zone is considered to be very scenic and photogenic. Kisli Zone is very well explored by safari guides and thus here tiger sighting probability is also high. In this zone, one can find animals like Indian Gaur, Hard-ground Barasingha, Sloth Bear, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Jackal, Wolf, etc. Kopedabri, Langha Dadar, Bandri Chapar, Sandukkhol, Mochi Dadar, Phuta Tal, Soonaghat, Bandela Behera, Amahi, Magar Nala and Salghat are the important areas visited in Kisli zone during jeep safari.

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Elephant Safari

Wildlife

#7 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 15 km from Mocha, Kanha Zone is the oldest and the most popular safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

Besides Jeep Safari, tourists can go for elephant safari on a pre-decided route which has been marked by Park Authorities. Also known as Elephant Joy Ride, this safari makes the tour more enjoyable and complete as it allows one to get access to those forested areas which are not accessible by normal jeeps. The chances of Tiger sightings are high during elephant safari in Kanha. This is booked on first cum first serve basis.

Earlier, Elephant Safari is offered to tourists through a program called 'Tiger-show' which was the easiest way to enjoy small elephant ride, during morning safari round. It was closed in the year 2012 in all the national parks of Madhya Pradesh, including Kanha National Park due to the shortage of trained elephants. After the closing of 'Tiger-show', .....

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Sarhi Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#8 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 58 km from Mocha and 62 km from Khatia Gate, Kisli Zone is one of the core zones of Kanha Nationa Park. This zone is primarily visited through Sarhi entrance gate, located near Sarhi village.

Sarhi zone in Kanha National Park is created after Kanha zone and Mukki zone. It is the northern part of Kanha tiger reserve and mostly untouched for a long time. It is said that vegetation in Sarhi zone is dense due to which here tiger sighting is a little bit challenging but in the summer season, the sighting is good. This zone is known for good sighting of Sloth Bear, Nilgai, Dholes (Wild Dog) and Leopards. Here the jungle is very beautiful thus it is the best place for nature photography. Besides, one can also explore places like Halloen River Valley, Jamuntola, Umerkhera Camp, Ronda Camp, Mahuadabri, Ganeri-Dadar and Khuluwa by undertaking jungle safari drives in Sarhi Zone.

In order to do jungle safari in Sarhi zone, tourists can enter from Khatia gate or Sarhi .....

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Khatia Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#9 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 4 km from Mocha, Khatia is the buffer safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Khatia entrance gate, located near Khatia village.

Khatia Zone lies in the western region of Kanha tiger reserve. It covers the forest area adjoining to core area near Khatia entrance gate. Khatia Zone comprises villages and forest area. It is the best solution for walk-in tourists who have not made any advance booking and core zones safari tickets are sold out. Also, It is best suitable for those tourists who have booked their resorts close to Khatia entrance gate as Khatia Zone safari will use same Khatia gate for entrance to undertake jungle safari in this zone.

Since 2017, it was made online for tourists so that they can do Kahtia Zone safari tickets booking in advance, for desired dates. One can book the entry ticket either online at www.mponline.gov.in or through travel agents or if available one can also get this from the booking window .....

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Khapa Jeep Safari

Wildlife

#10 of 13 Places to Visit in Kanha National Park

At a distance of 32 km from Mocha, Khapa is the buffer safari zone of Kanha National Park. This zone is primarily visited through Mukki entrance gate, located near Mukki village.

Adjacent to Mukki core zone, Khapa safari zone lies in the south-west of Kanha tiger reserve. It is close from Mukki entrance gate thus tourists staying at resorts close to Mukki gate side can easily visit this buffer zone. It is a nice forest where we can enjoy less tourist crowd. It is believed to be good for birding, due to the presence of some water bodies and marshy lands. It is gaining popularity among tourists.

It is new for the tourism world and available for safari drives since the year 2017. Here prominent tourist attractions are mammals like Leopards, Jackal, Sambar, Tigers, Indian Gaur, Spotted Deer, Sloth Bear, etc. Prominent tigers of Khapa Zone are T-72, MA-1. During a safari in this zone, our guests have seen tigress with 3 cubs from Balaghat male.

One can book the entry ticket .....

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