[kunalsb]

I just completed a trip to Kanha National Park & felt that many tourists are shortchanged as they are not aware about the administrative procedures. So I have attempted to make a ‘Ready Reckoner’ which may help fellow BHPians for their first visit.

Who should visit?
If your sole interest is in spotting a Tiger, then please do not read the next para. I would suggest you to skip Kanha & visit Bandhavgarh. The density of tigers in Kanha (approx 89 Tigers in 2000 sq.kms.) is lesser than that of Bandhavgarh & there are better chances of Tiger spotting at Bandhavgarh. I have seen many people take 5-6 safaris & yet not see a Tiger (I did two but only spotted the tiger in the ‘Tiger Show’).

Best time
Summers (Mar-Jun) - This is the best time for sighting animals (the foliage being less & animals present in vicinity of water holes). The season is uncomfortable though because of soaring heat. Evenings are somewhat better & suggested to carry light clothing. Also go for an AC/ aircooled room (as your wallet permits).

Winters (Oct-Feb) - Good chances of sighting & the weather is pleasant (early morning temperatures are known to have dipped as low as 0ºC). Carry warm clothing as safaris start early. There is a mad rush during Diwali, so book in advance (also the prices are high, suggested to give this period a miss).

Monsoons (1 Jul- 15 Oct) - The park is closed.

How to reach?
By air & rail - Jabalpur (150km) & Nagpur (330km).
By road - Bus/ taxis are available from Jabalpur. NH12A from Jabalpur is excellent to drive on. There is good road connectivity from Nagpur as well (partly along NH7).


There are two main entry points to Kanha National Park- Kisli & Mukki. Sarhi gate has recently opened but there are no lodging facilities available.
Kisli- The more popular option with numerous lodging options available. Nearest is Jabalpur (150km) followed by Nagpur (330km).

Mukki- Convenient entry point for those coming from Chhattisgarh. From Jabalpur the following route to be taken:-
Jabalpur – Motinala – Garhi – Mukki (approx 210kms)

Where to stay
There are numerous hotels/ resorts & are priced between Rs.1200 to Rs.5000 per day for a couple. In off season (no season is off in Kanha but periods when there no vacations/ Govt holidays can get some good discounts), one can even do walk in bookings (I went in May end & most of the hotels were empty). The following MPTDC hotels are available:-
Baghira Log Huts, Kisli (For bachelors, dormitories are available with a bed @ Rs. 890/- per night incl food)
Tourist Hotel, Kisli
Kanha Safari Lodge, Mukki
For above bookings, see 'online booking' on this site
Index :: Madhya Pradesh Tourism

Safari Bookings
This is an avenue where the hotel owners can take you for a ride. There are two safaris available in a day:-
Morning safari – starts at 5.00am
Evening safari – starts at 4.30pm
There are the following charges involved in a safari:-


Park entry fees – Fee is per safari. The booking can be done online at the following site:-
https://www.mponline.gov.in/Portal/S...st/Search.aspx

1. You have to fill this form:-
https://www.mponline.gov.in/Portal/S...&dt=10/06/2011



2. Important points to be noted are:-
The name & ID Proof of the 1st person should be correct & to be produced at the time of the safari (eg. If you have entered the Driving License as proof, carry the original as it will be checked. Also double check the number on the license as you enter it in the form).

Tip Fill in all the six names on the form even though just the two of you are going as you may get members at Kanha (who can share the cost). If no one turns up, no problem as only the ID of the 1st member is checked & there are no extra charges. Also ID of the balance people is not checked & is acceptable if the names of these are different than those on the form.
Also fill in the vehicle as LMV, Hired & Registered as you will be using the registered gypsy only. The number & the rest can be filled up later.
Guide charges –To be paid at the counter (not to Guide).
Gypsy charges – These are paid to the Gypsy owner. Can be negotiated.

Myth buster Some resorts advertise for a private safari. Routes & zones for all vehicles are fixed & they cannot ply as per their own whims. Also everybody comes to see animals in a safari, so it’s very rare that the people with you would want to go to place ‘X’ while you want to go to place ‘Y’. So you save a lot in a group safari & can do more number of safaris in the same budget, thereby increasing your chances of sightings!
e.g. A gypsy can carry six tourists (excluding the guide & driver), so if you have a full gypsy, the per head cost for morning safari comes to 3300/6 = Rs. 550/-. Hence liaise with your hotel to get additional members.

Elephant safari/ Tiger Show The word ‘show’ is a misnomer as you are seeing the tiger in its natural habitat. It’s available only for the morning safari (depends on suitable tiger being sighted, not a regular feature). In case you do not see a tiger during the safari (chances are very high), you get a chance to see the tiger during the show.
The mahouts search the jungles early morning to locate a tiger, which has just fed & is likely to be resting for the next 3-4 hours. Then they ask the Forest Officer’s permission to conduct the show. Message is passed on the wireless & those who have enrolled for the show, are taken on elephant backs to see the tiger.
Tip In case you want to see the show, from the gate directly head for the Museum & enroll for the show (Rs. 200 per head). Enrollment is on first come basis as there are only 11 elephants available. In case there is no show or the tiger moves away, the money is refunded back to you.
Many people claim that the tiger is drugged but I did not feel so. The tiger was very much in its senses & gave a good scare to the elephants.

Guides/Misguides?
There is a paucity of guides so local boys/administrative staff may also act as one. But the locals & drivers are well versed with the park routes & Tiger zones. Basically, a guide/ novice can only take you to the beat zone of a tiger & you will generally see all vehicles make a bee line for these zones. But no one can guarantee sighting a tiger as it may decide to sit behind a rock & not move out. So there is no point quarrelling with a guide if you don’t sight a tiger (tipping up to Rs.100 can assure the best services of the driver & the guide).

Early bird catches the worm
In Kanha, it pays to be ahead in the queue. As per the locals, the best sitings are in Kanha zone followed by Mukki & Sarhi. As per the seniority, vehicles are allotted Kanha, then Mukki & finally Sarhi zones. Also trained guides are less, so the latecomers will be stuck up with the local boys/ Forest Dept staff (I went to the souvenir shop to find it closed as the shop keeper was sent as guide on the safari).

Miscellaneous
1. Top up your fuel tanks. Carry spare fuel cans, if required as the nearest Petrol Pump is at Mandla (approx 60kms away).
2. Carry enough cash. A Central Bank of India ATM has opened in Kanha but don't rely on it as it's not always functional (during my stay, it was not working due to power cuts). The nearest SBI ATMs are at Bamhni (30kms away) & Mandla.

Final words
The Park is well maintained and the park administration is quite strict regarding littering/ misbehaving with animals. One cannot step down from the vehicle during the safari for any reasons. Yet there are many people endowed with less grey matter, who just don’t respect the animals & their habitat. Enjoy the wild responsibly.

Happy Sighting!

[gd1418]

Kunal,

Excellant compilation but you missed one vital point:

National Parks/Sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh are closed on Wednesday evenings.

[kunalsb]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Kunal,

Excellant compilation but you missed one vital point:

National Parks/Sanctuaries in Madhya Pradesh are closed on Wednesday evenings.

I apologize for the goof up. Thanks for bringing it to my notice.

[amolpol]

Hey Kunal, this is excellent detail!

Some things that I can add from my experience:

- If you're doing the morning safari, make sure you tell your hotel guy for packed breakfast every night. The safaris are longer and you'll tend to get hungry. We forgot to inform once and the canteen at center point had only cold samosas to offer, we still ate them to fill the empty stomachs but they werent exactly what you'd want to eat in the morning.

- The gypsy rates are often over quoted and the morning and evening rates are an eyewash. You'd be able to get a gypsy for 1250 per safari easily since the demand supply isnt all that saturated.

- During the monsoons, the safaris are open only on one route (the main track) and all other routes are closed.

- There is a lifesaver laundry service guy at Baghira Log Huts. Sadly, he showed up only during the last day of our stay after I had already finished the dhobi chores the previous night.

[hvkumar]

Great information!
A few extra points: What are the connecting roads between Kisli and Mukki - I believe there are 2 routes, one going through the buffer zone and the other on the fringes?
Are there any night driving restrictions on any of these routes? If one were to arrive late from Jabalpur, Seoni or Raipur side, will you be allowed to reach your resort at Kisli or Mukki?
Tell us also about the Raipur-Chilpi-Kanha route?

[gd1418]

Between Kisli & Mukki the route that goes through the buffer zone is more scenic and amazing. The distance is 50 kms. I do not know about the one on the fringes.

There are no night driving restrictions on the road to Kanha (Kisli) if coming from the Seoni - Chirai Dongri Mal side. During my stay at Kanha, I noticed scattered traffic in front of my Motel as late as 30 minutes past midnight. And as you know, my hotel was just 50 mtrs away from the Khatia Gate.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Great information!
A few extra points: What are the connecting roads between Kisli and Mukki - I believe there are 2 routes, one going through the buffer zone and the other on the fringes?
Are there any night driving restrictions on any of these routes? If one were to arrive late from Jabalpur, Seoni or Raipur side, will you be allowed to reach your resort at Kisli or Mukki?
Tell us also about the Raipur-Chilpi-Kanha route?

[TaureanBull]

Thanks Kunal. Wonderful info. IMO all travelogues should consist of one such part. We all read lots of travelogues and books but still end up screwing up the trip many trips because we lack the practical knowledge.

It would be wonderful if GD can add this type of info in his travelogue about the other national parks /tiger reserves. Thanks in advance.

[gd1418]

@TaureanBull: It seems then that you have not read my travelogues in entirety and in detail.

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

It would be wonderful if GD can add this type of info in his travelogue about the other national parks /tiger reserves. Thanks in advance.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Great information!
A few extra points: What are the connecting roads between Kisli and Mukki - I believe there are 2 routes, one going through the buffer zone and the other on the fringes?
Are there any night driving restrictions on any of these routes? If one were to arrive late from Jabalpur, Seoni or Raipur side, will you be allowed to reach your resort at Kisli or Mukki?
Tell us also about the Raipur-Chilpi-Kanha route?

Kumar sir, the mukki - Kisli road goes through buffer zone as well as on fringes. It is lovely drive. The last ten KMs is through kutcha road through forest and is not possible in monsoons. We did Kanwardha - chilpi - Mukki - Kisli road and the road condition is very good. Raipur - Kanwardha is excellent. The advise is if you are coming from Raipur side stay at Mukki. If you are coming from Jabalpur side stay at Kisli. I have given detailed information in my travelogue " Meanders in Madhya Bharat - Chattisgarh and Kanha"i

[TaureanBull]

Originally Posted by gd1418

@TaureanBull: It seems then that you have not read my travelogues in entirety and in detail.

GD saab I apologize. It seems that I did not convey my message properly. Your travelogues are a treat to read and I follow them religiously. What I meant to say was that the information is detailed but it would be nice to see the info is collated in one post. Just a suggestion in general.

[Fauji]

To add to Kunal's nice check list

a) The museum is one of the best. Dont miss visiting it.

b) "Wild Chalet Resort" in Kisli on Banjar river is an excellent resort with good staff, good rooms and excellent location. Value for money. Check out some pics of the resort on my travelogue

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...h-kanha-5.html

c) Yes. Always pack your breakfast. Generally good resorts - Wild Chalet did - do this.

d) Don't be fussy with spotting tiger. We missed it by a whisker!! Enjoy the other flora and fauna which is abundant in the park.

e) Kanha has possibly the well maintained and cleanest of toilets in any national parks in the country!!

f) Yes, the volunteers are fussy in ensuring the central area - where you stop for Breakfast clean - which is very good. Respect them and don't litter.

g) If you are staying for more time in Kanha, it makes sense to visit a tribal village around the park.

h) If you are in Kanha in March, carry wollens. Mornings in wilderness will be really chilly!! Check out our experienece on my travelogue above.

[Wanderer78]

Post deleted by the Team-BHP Support : Typing a message which is not a value-addition to the topic being discussed, or is just entirely irrelevant is considered as “Spam” on this community. Spamming is STRICTLY prohibited on Team-BHP.

We advise you to read the Announcements and Board Rules section before proceeding any further.

[ExtremeTorque]

Originally Posted by kunalsb

Happy Sighting!

Kunal - Excellent info, definitly help first timers a lot. I recently visited Pench and Bandhavgarh and gather from your post that national parks in MP have a similar pricing and operating structure. 5*

Fauji - I agree with you, it could be great if all folks contributing travelogues here could summarize such vital information in one post for the next in que.

[inder]

Reviving an old thread. Just wanted to know if we can take our vehicle in buffer zone in monsoons when the core area (safari) is closed. Also can we traverse the main road in the jungle in monsoons , like they allow in Tadoba ? I am Planning to go in August just to relax in the jungles.

[hothatchaway]

Originally Posted by inder

Reviving an old thread. Just wanted to know if we can take our vehicle in buffer zone in monsoons when the core area (safari) is closed. Also can we traverse the main road in the jungle in monsoons , like they allow in Tadoba ? I am Planning to go in August just to relax in the jungles.

The park is closed during the monsoons, from July and opening only in mid Oct, so August is out.

The drive right upto the main gate (Khatia) of the Kanha national park is through the buffer zone if that is what you mean. You will not be allowed inside the core area during the monsoons since the park is closed as mentioned. If you are staying at the Baghira loghuts/Kisli tourist hostel 3 kms inside the core area past the main gate then you are allowed to drive upto the property but not beyond the Kisli gate which lies just after the tourist properties and past which, the gypsy safaris begin in right earnest.

The loghuts and hostel belonging to MP tourism are the only properties situated inside the core area and are set to be relocated shortly out of the jungle, but you may get lucky if you make it this season. Believe me, the experience of spending the night inside the core area in the lap of nature is unforgettable. You can find more information from my TL below

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...bangalore.html