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Kanha National Park

Area Code: 07642

Kanha National Park, 175km from Jabalpur, was turned into a wildlife reserve in 1933. Hunting was allowed in the park until 1955. The park is nearly 2,000 sq km of beautiful jungle, grassland, and hilly forest. It is home to over one hundred tigers, leopards, bears, wild boars, pythons, the rare twelve-horned swamp deer (barasingha), nilgais, chitals, gaurs (wild buffalo), sambars, deer, and porcupines. There are also many species of birds. The chances of seeing a tiger here are better than at most Indian parks, but it may take several visits.

Information
There is no place to change travelers cheques (the closest place is in Jabalpur).

Wildlife Adventure Tours (011 331-2773), 606 Akashdeep, Barakhamba Rd, New Delhi, can arrange reservations and a trip to Kanha and Bandhavgarh parks.

Kanha National Park, by HS Panwar, describes the park.

Park Information
The park has two main gates, in Kilsi (northwest) and 35km away in Mukki (southwest). There are visitor centers at both entrances as well as in Kanha village in the middle of the park. There are several roads into the park, and the road you take will determine what animals you see. In the wide-open grasslands there is a large number of deer.
The park is open only for morning and evening trips from November 1 to June 30. Closed during the monsoon season. The gates are open from Nov to Feb 15, sunrise to noon and 3 pm to sunset; Feb 16 through April 30, sunrise to noon and 4 pm to sunset; May 1 to June 30, sunrise to 11 am and 5 pm to sunset.

During December and January, it can be quite cold in the morning (2ºC, 36ºF). Plan on wearing warm clothing. As the temperature rises, sightings increase because the animals come out to find water. In May and June, temperatures rise over 40ºC. During this time less people come, but the chances are better for tiger sightings.

Entrance fee: Rs 20 per person; Rs 10 for a vehicle. You need a fast film speed (400 ASA or more) to take decent photographs of the animals in the early morning or evening light.

Getting Around the Park
Jeeps can be hired at Kisli or Mukki Gates. MP Tourism rents jeeps at the Baghira Log Huts, at Kisli Gate. The fee is based on a per km driven scale. An average drive is about 60km. Expect to pay about Rs 700, which can be divided between six people. There is also a Rs 100 fee for the compulsory guide. During the high-season you should hire a jeep as soon as possible, because sometimes there are a shortage of them. The diesel jeeps are best avoided because they are too noisy. If you are alone, your hotel can often help you find a seat in a jeep.

Often the best way to view wildlife is to sit in a parked jeep. Unfortunately, the rate is based on km driven, so the driver prefers to drive as much as possible. I suggest offering the driver a tip (say Rs 100) to go to a good location in the park (they know where they are) and to park for awhile.
You can also take a pleasure ride on an elephant for Rs 50 per person per hour. Visitors are not permitted to walk around the park.

Visitor Centers
There are three visitor centers in the park: at Kanha, and at the two entrances at the Kisli and Mukki gates. The one at Kanha has exhibits of the animals and their surroundings. These exhibits are well done and are worth seeing. There is a twenty-minute Sound & Light Show, “Encounter in the Dark.” The visitor centers were set up with the help of the US National Park Service.
The centers also sell a full-color book about the park, brochures, and postcards. The visitor centers are open 7 to 10.30 am and 4 to 6 pm. There is a free film shown in the evening at the Kisli Visitor Center (6.30 pm).

Where to Stay and Eat
The hotels are spread out over several km along the road from Jabalpur. You should ask the bus driver to let you down at the hotel you have chosen. It is a far walk from one place to the next.

Near the main gate at Kisli there are two hotels managed by MP Tourism. These places should be booked at least three days in advance and paid in full at a MP Tourism office. If you do not book in advance, dorm beds may be available, but private rooms are unlikely to be vacant. You can book a room at the MP Tourist Office (0761 322-111) at the railway station in Jabalpur.

Other MP tourist offices are:
Bhopal, 4th Floor, Gangotri TT Nagar (0755 774-343).
Mumbai, 74 World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Colaba (022 218-7603).
Calcutta, 6th Floor, Chitrakoot Building, 230A, AJC Bose Rd (033 247-8543).
Delhi, 2nd Floor, Kanishka Shopping Plaza, 19 Ashok Rd (011 332 1187).

Tourist Hostel, opposite the bus stand, has dorm beds for Rs 275 which includes meals. It has hot water.
Baghira Lodge, Kisli, has good-sized rooms with air-cooling for Rs 650/750. It has a restaurant. It is not a good value.

Where to Stay—Kisli Area
Krishna Jungle Resort has cottages for Rs 650/700 or Rs 1000/1400 with meals. It has a pool. You can book this place at the Hotel Krishna in Jabalpur ((0761) 28984; fax 315-153).
Wild Chalet (77203) has cottages for $85 per person, which includes meals, transportation to the park, and a tour (two park excursions a day). It is a well-run, friendly place. It is in a peaceful location by a river. Book it by contacting Indian Adventures, Bird-watching and walk can be arranged. 257 SV Rd, Bandra, Mumbai 400 050 ((022) 642-8244; fax 640-6399).
Mogli Resort (77228) is a new place that has clean comfortable rooms with a balcony and bath for Rs 400/600 and cottages with A/C and a bathtub for Rs 1200/1500.
Kipling Camp has high-quality cottages and tents for Rs 3200. Price includes meals and travel into the park in a Land Rover, and a guide. They also arrange elephant rides and can arrange transportation from Jabalpur. It is efficiently run and is the best hotel in the area. Open from November to the beginning of May. Rooms and services should be booked in advance by contacting Tollygunge Club (033 473-4539; fax 473-1903), 120 D Sasmal Rd, Calcutta 700 033.
Kanha Jungle Lodge (07632 56323), 11km from Baihar, has clean, comfortable rooms with hot water. It is in a good location, surrounded by forest. Their guides are knowledgeable. Reserve with Tiger Resorts ((011) 685-3750; fax 686-5212), 206 Rakesh Deep, 11 Commercial Complex, Gulmohar Enclave, New Delhi.
MPTDC Kanha Safari Lodge, Mukki, 30km from Kisli at the park’s southern entrance, has rooms for Rs 500/650 and Rs 750/850 with A/C. It is in a good location and often has vacancies. It is usually better to stay in Khatia.

Where to Stay—Khatia
Machan Complex (2584) has basic rooms with bath for Rs 225 and dorm beds for Rs 60.
Motel Chandan (77220) has decent rooms with bath for Rs 250/350 and Rs 500/600. It has a good restaurant.
Chaman Restaurant has some rooms for Rs 100/150. It serves vegetarian food.
Jungle Camp Khatia, near the Khatia Gate, has rooms with bath for Rs 250/350, which includes vegetarian meals.

Travel
A MP Tourism minibus departs from Jabalpur train station at 8 am. It stops at Khatia, Kisli and hotels on request. It departs to Jabalpur from Kanha at 2 pm. It should be booked at the tourist office (0761 322-111) in Jabalpur in advance.
Buses depart from Jabalpur to Kisli (7 and 11 am, Rs 40, 7 hr) and Mukki (9 am, Rs 50). There are state buses departing from Jabalpur to Kisli Gate at 7 and 11 am. Two buses a day depart from Kisli to Jabalpur (8 am and in the early afternoon). There is one bus daily from Jabalpur to Mukki (6 hr, 9 am). These buses can be really painful.

The closest railway station to Kisli is located in Chiraidongri (1½ hr away). Slow trains pass through here, which can be caught at Jabalpur or Gondia.

You can also go roundtrip by car from Jabalpur (5hr, about Rs 2200 for the taxi), which can be arranged through the tourist office in Jabalpur.

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