India Travel Information

Introduction :
Kanha National Park, which is one of the most well known tiger reserves worldwide, is located among the Banjar and Halon valleys in the Mandla / Balaghat districts of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It's creation took place among, and after, a lot of turbulence and storm within concerned circles regarding rampant killing of wildlife in the area at the time.

The central Kanha valley was declared a sanctuary way back in 1933 but got it's status as a National Park in 1955. It covers a large area of 1,945 square kilometers, out of which 940 square kilometers form the main park. The altitude of the park ranges from 450 meters to 900 meters above sea level. The temperature, depending on the season, ranges from 0 degrees in the winters to 48 degrees in the summers. The park remains open from the 01st of November to the 30th of June. Sometimes, as with most parks of the country, it can be closed earlier if the monsoon season arrives sooner than expected. The park has a heavy monsoon season with an average annual rainfall of 1600mm. The basic infrastructure at the park is well developed and visits can "mostly" be expected to pass without any problems.

Kanha is also famous for it's animal conservation efforts made in collaboration and cooperation with the local resident communities. One of the famous success stories of the park is the survival of the Barasingha population in the park, which went down to as low as 66 animals in 1970 from the earlier 3000 and which through huge efforts have now revived to a respectable number of around 1000. Kanha boasts of many such success stories of which this is only an example.

Attractions of the Park :
» Flora & Fauna - The terrain inside the park is varied, nonetheless enjoyable. Bamboo forests flow into Sal forests and meadows. There are herds of spotted deer to be seen with smaller herds of beautiful Antelope, the Black Buck. With a little luck, you could also spot the timorous Barking Deer. It's snapping warns other denizens of the forest that a predator is around. There is also a very strong possibility that you will see the Rare Barasingha, the Swamp Deer. Once there were only 66 of these in Kanha, but careful conservation and management raised their population to over 400.

» Major Wildlife Attractions - Spotting wild animals is always a matter of luck but Kanha is so rich in wildlife that the odds are titled in your favor. First time visitors are often so keen to spot the larger animals that they overlook the smaller ones. There are 175 varieties of birds in Kanha. So if you happen to be bird watcher, look forward to a full bird show. Most people are keener to meet Kanha's major attraction, the Tiger; still one has to be patient to spot one.

But while on a mission to find a tiger, one can easily catch glimpses of all the grazers, a Porcupine, many Gray Langurs, Mongoose, Hyena, Jungle Cat, even a Leopard. Other wild attractions in this Tiger country include varieties of Deer - the Barasingha, Chital or Spotted Deer, Chousingha, Nilgai, as well as the majestic Gaur or Indian Bison and wild Pig.

» Kanha Museum - There is a museum at Kanha national park, depicting attributes and activities of the park and the tribal culture of the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Excursions :
There are several excursion points that you can visit from Kanha. Most of the places are of historical importance. Some of them also make ideal base points to visit some of the popular tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh. The city of Nagpur which is famous for its orange orchards makes an ideal day or weekend destination from Kanha. Moreover, you can also visit Jabalpur, a small city housing some of the important historical monuments and archaeological findings. Jabalpur is also famous for its highly revered Tilwara ghat where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the river here.

Best Time To Visit :
Kanha Tiger Reserve is closed to visitors during the monsoon months, from July to November. Winter, between November and January, is a comfortable time to visit the park, when the weather is pleasant. April to June is when the summer sets in; it can get pretty hot at this time, but if you are a die-hard wildlife fan, this is when a visit can reward you with satisfactory wildlife-watching at the parks waterholes.

General Information Tips :
» Note - Visitors are advised to reach the gate half an hour in advance to complete the formalities for entry into the park.

Tourist Information Centers :
1. The Manager, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd., Log Hut, Kisli, Bhopal.

2. The Field Director, Project Tiger, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Mandla - 481661.

Safaris :
» Elephant Safari - The animals at Kanha are best observed from the elephant back and the open country makes the chance of sightings reasonably good.

Situated on the Brahmaputra River, the Kaziranga National Park covers an area of about 430 sq. km. Its swamps and grasslands with tall thickets of elephant grass and patches of evergreen forest, support the largest number of rhino in the subcontinent.
Kaziranga National Park is a birding paradise; the grasslands are a raptor country that can be seen on safari makes a remarkable experience. These include the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-Shouldered Kite, Black Kite, Brahminy Kite, Pallas's Fishing Eagle, White Tailed Eagle, Grey-Headed Fishing Eagle, Himalayan Griffin, etc. Huge numbers of migratory birds descend on the parks lakes and marshy areas during winters, including Greylag Geese, Bar-Headed Geese, Ruddy Shel duck, Gad wall, Falcated Duck, Red-Crested Po chard and Northern Shoveler.

Attractions In Kaziranga :
» Elephant Safari - The vast open country makes Kaziranga National Park very accessible and wildlife viewing fairly pleasurable. Here one can leave in the early hours of the dawn for an elephant-back-ride. Authorized and trained Mahouts who guide visitors through the park train the Elephants. One could see wild Elephant herds roaming around or Indian Rhinos browse past visitors unconcernedly. Since Kaziranga wildlife Sanctuary is easily accessible, its provides a chance to see animals in the wild at such close quarters, thus making a trip to this National Park a very rewarding experience.

Sightseeing in Kaziranga :
Tourists can stroll through the lush coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby Karbi Anglong. Or visit the Karbi villages, meet the Karbi people and observe their way of living. Yiu can also venture through the tea gardens that Assam is so famous for and watch how one gets one's daily cup of tea. Film shows on wildlife can be arranged at the various tourist lodges in Kaziranga, on request.

How to Get there??
» Air - The nearest airport is situated at Guwahati, which is 217-km away from the park. The other airport is located at Jorhat, 97-km from Kaziranga.

» Rail - The nearest railhead is Furkating, situated 75-km away from Kaziranga National Park.

» Road - The main gate for Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, at Kohora on the NH-37, consists of a handful of cafes and a small local market. ASTC and private buses stop here on their way to and from Guwahati, Tezpur and Upper Assam. Some private buses also retain a seat quota for Kaziranga passengers.

An Introduction :
Bandipur, the large forest (866 sq km) south of the river Kabini is now part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and one of WWFs Project Tiger sites. It neighbors the Nagarhole National Park, the Mudumalai National Park in Tamil Nadu and Wynad in Kerala. All together this area makes for the largest protected forest in India.

Bandipur has a sizable population of wildlife - elephant, spotted deer and sambar, gaur and flying squirrel, four horned antelope, Nilgiri langur and sloth bear. Amongst the reserves most prominent animals are its 1,900-odd elephants.

Bandipur National Park is a single ecological continuum that comprises Wayanad-Nagarhole-Mysore-wildlife reserves. Due to geographic, climatic and vegetation commonality, these wildlife reserves share common wildlife. One of the best ways to experience the jungle is to take a ride on elephant back, or try a night vigil in a watchtower or machan and have a clear view above the tree cover. Boats and angling facilities are also available inside the park.

Bandipur National Park was the private game reserve for the Maharajahs of Mysore. It was created in the 1930s on the local Maharajah of Voodiyars hunting lands, and was named Venugopal Wildlife Park. It was expanded later in 1941 to adjoin the Nagarhole National Park, and the Wayanad and Madhumalai Sanctuaries. The entire area now constitutes the vast Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of India's most extensive tracts of protected forest. It was designated a tiger reserve in 1973, and was declared a national park in 1990.

Best time to visit :
The best season depends on what you are looking for; if its wildlife you seek then the hot months from March to May are when animals flock to the watering holes, and hopefully to the ones close to your machan (but be aware: droughts also push animals into Mudumalai); for cool comfort the months of November-February are great when the flora is re surging after the rains; the rainy months of June-September bring the elephants to the fore, bring the temperatures down and the metalled roads of Bandipur dont get washed out either.