DESTINATION

Kanha National Park

Mandla & Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh

The largest of Madhya Pradesh's tiger reserves, and the one that saved the barasingha (hard-ground swamp deer) from extinction. Vast sal forest opens onto wide grassland meadows — the closest thing to the classic postcard image of a Central Indian safari.

FLORA & FAUNA

What grows and roams here

Flora

  • Sal forest
  • Bamboo
  • Grassland meadows (maidans)
  • Mahua

Fauna

  • Bengal tiger
  • Barasingha (hard-ground swamp deer)
  • Indian gaur
  • Dhole (Indian wild dog)
  • Leopard
  • Indian wolf

SAFARI ZONES

Zones & gates

Safari zoneGate code
KisliKIS-01
MukkiMUK-02
SarhiSAR-03
KhatiaKHT-04

SEASON

Best time to visit

Open October through June. The meadows are greenest just after the park reopens in October; sightings peak in the heat of April and May.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
  • Peak sightings
  • Core zone closed
  • Open, moderate

GETTING HERE

How to reach

Nagpur

260 km · approx. 5 hrs by road

Delhi

900 km · fly to Nagpur or Jabalpur (1.5 hrs) + 3–5 hrs road

Mumbai

1,050 km · fly to Nagpur (1.3 hrs) + 5 hrs road

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Before you ask.

Still have questions?

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Plan a safari here
Why is Kanha further from Nagpur than the other parks?

It sits further north toward Jabalpur. Many guests fly into Jabalpur instead of Nagpur specifically to shorten the Kanha leg — ask us about routing it that way.

What makes Kanha's barasingha significant?

The hard-ground swamp deer subspecies was down to under 100 animals here in the 1970s. Conservation work in Kanha brought it back from the edge — you won't see this animal anywhere else in the wild.

Which zone is best for barasingha sightings?

The Kisli and Sarhi meadows hold the core barasingha population — we route your morning safaris there specifically if that's a priority for you.

Is Kanha good for a first-time safari-goer?

Yes — the open maidan grasslands make for easy, unobstructed sightings, and Kanha's size means we can shape a gentle, family-friendly pace without giving up much on wildlife density.

Should I fly into Nagpur or Jabalpur for Kanha?

Jabalpur, if Kanha is your main or only stop — it roughly halves the road transfer. Nagpur only makes sense if you're combining Kanha with our other Central India reserves.