Kanha Tiger Reserve
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Kanha National Park
Kanha Tiger Reserve, also known as Kanha–Kisli National Park, is one of the tiger reserves of India and the largest national park of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The present-day Kanha area is divided into two protected areas, Hallon and
Banjar, of 250 and 300 km2 (97 and 116 sq mi), respectively. Kanha National Park was created on 1 June 1955 and was designated a tiger reserve in 1973. Today, it encompasses an area of 940 km2 (360 sq mi) in the two districts Mandla  and Balaghat .Together with a surrounding buffer zone of 1,067 km2 (412 sq mi) and the neighbouring 110 km2 (42 sq mi) Phen Sanctuary, it forms the Kanha Tiger Reserve, which is one of the biggest in the
country. This makes it the largest national park in central India.
Jungle safari in Kanha
Kanha National Park is nestled in the Maikal range of Satpuras in Madhya
Pradesh, the heart of India that forms the central Indian highlands.The national
park is being popularized as the Tiger reserve and interestingly is being declared
as one of the finest wildlife areas in the world . Kanha National Park is the ideal
home for wide ranges of wild creatures; right from the mighty tigers to the most
populated Barasingha and the countless species of plants, birds, reptiles and
insects. This reserve has fascinated many travelers around the corners of the
world with its well developed infrastructure specially meant for them
Kanha's most famous inhabitant is the tiger but it is also home to 43 species of
mammals. It is the only place in the world where you can find the hard-ground
barasingha (Cervus duvauceli branderi). The animals generally seen in Kanha are
the chital, sambar, barasingha, barking deer, chousingha, gaur, langur, wild pig,
jackal, sloth bear, wild dog, panther, tiger . Deer are very commonly seen,
specially the chital. Antelopes of Kanha include the four-horned antelope or
chowsinga. Primates include langurs which are common and Rhesus monkeys
which are relatively rare in Kanha but may occasionally be seen in the forests. The
main predators in Kanha include the tiger, leopard and dhole. A number of small
predators like jungle cat, leopard cat and small Indian civet are found throughout
Kanha. Striped hyena and jackal are the main scavengers.
Kanha Tiger Reserve is home to over 1000 species of flowering plants.[4]Â The
lowland forest is a mixture of sal ( Shorea robusta ) and other mixed-forest trees,
interspersed with meadows. The highland forests are tropical moist, dry
deciduous type and of a completely different nature from bamboo
(Dendrocalamus strictus) on slopes. A notable Indian ghost tree ( Davidia
involucrata ) can also be seen in the dense forest.
Our birding guide will escort you to the best birding spots especially in the mixed
forest zones.Some of jewels of Kanha are red jungle fowl, painted francolin, black
naped monarch, Asian paradise flycatcher, Malabar pied hornbill, common gray
hornbill, red avadavat, crested hawk eagle, serpent eagle, honey buzzard, grey
headed fishing eagle, osprey, Pallas's fishing eagle, Indian pitta, white rumped
shama, gold mantled chloropsis, Tickell's blue flycatcher, Jerdon's leaf bird, plum
headed parakeet, Alexandrine Parakeet, brown fish owl, tawny eagle owl, mottled
wood owl, barred jungle owlet, Indian scops owl, spotted owlet, bar winged
flycatcher shrike, pied bush chat, common stone chat, small minivet, scarlet
minivet, black rumped flameback, white naped woodpecker, yellow crowned
woodpecker, Hume's warbler, sulphur bellied warbler, greenish warbler, rain
quail, common bush quail, ashy prinia, common tailor bird, plain prinia and many
more.
Entry Gates
Kanha national park has many entries off which 3– Khatia, Sarhi and Mukki gates are open for tourists.
Accessibility :
Khatia gate (also known as Kisli gate) is the main entry gate for excursions. If you are staying near Khatia gate (we have many resorts in Khatia, Mocha and Boda Chhapri villages) you can go to any of core zones for safari as well as visit Khatia buffer.
Sarhi gate is the northern gate and we can visit Sarhi, Kanha and Kisli zones
from this entry point. Sarhi gate does not have good accommodation although Madhya Pradesh Tourism is coming up with a property here and forest department runs some home stays. Rarely anyone stays at Sarhi side so most entry to Sarhi zone is from Khatia gate only.
Mukki gate is best for entry to Mukki, Kanha and Kisli zones.