Guide for Kanha National Park
Best Zones and gates of Kanha Tiger Reserve
In India the forest comes under the administration of States it belongs to. The rule are set as per the laws laid by the forest department of the state. The total area is divided into different zones in National Parks. Zones are divided into two types which are: Core zones and Buffer zones. The core zones are major areas within the National Park that are restricted for entry for tourists as well as local people.
Buffer areas are accessible to Local residents and lie on the boundaries of the National Park. There are only a certain no. of vehicles allowed in a single shift during Safari in India. As per the latest rules laid by the Supreme court of India to conserve the animals , only 20 percent is for tourism, the rest is for conservation. Generally, there are two shifts in each zone in which safari is conducted in India: Morning (starts from the sunrise for 4-5 hours) and afternoon (starts from 2-3 hours before sunset). There are also options to select full-day safari with less restriction and the option to cover all the zones in a single day.
The safari jeeps wander around the set tracks within the same zone and changing zones and routes is not allowed in India. The jeep tracks inside the National Parks are not pitched or concrete which makes it inaccessible during Monsoon months which is also closing time for these parks.. At Kanha National Park, there are eight tourism zones. The core area comprises four zones: Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi.
| Zone | Shift | Entry Gate for Full Vehicle | Entry Gate for Single Seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanha | Morning | Khatiya / Mukki / Sarhi | Khatiya |
| Kanha | Afternoon | Khatiya / Sarhi | Khatiya |
| Kisli | Morning | Khatiya / Mukki / Sarhi | Khatiya |
| Kisli | Afternoon | Khatiya / Mukki | Khatiya |
| Mukki | Morning | Khatiya / Mukki | Mukki |
| Mukki | Afternoon | Khatiya / Mukki | Mukki |
| Sarhi | Morning | Khatiya / Sarhi | Sarhi |
| Sarhi | Afternoon | Khatiya / Sarhi | Sarhi |
Guide for Kanha National Park: Entry restriction for afternoon safari at core zone
- From Mukki Gate, one can only enter for morning safari in Kanha Zone
- From Sarhi Gate, one can only enter for morning safari in Kisli Zone.
- There is one zone in the adjoining Phen Sanctuary and three zones in the buffer areas of the Tiger Reserve adjacent to the core zones: Khatia, Khapa, and Sijhora.
| Zone | Shift | Entry Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Khatia | Morning | Khatia |
| Khatia | Afternoon | Khatia |
| Khapa | Morning | Mukki |
| Khapa | Afternoon | Mukki |
| Sijora | Morning | Sarhi |
| Sijora | Afternoon | Sarhi |
| Phen | Morning | Ghurri Barrier / Mukki |
| Phen | Afternoon | Ghurri Barrier / Mukki |
When can one book safaris in Kanha ?
The safari or excursion bookings to all the Tiger Reserves, National Parks, conservation areas for Gharials and birds and wildlife sanctuaries in the state of Madhya Pradesh are booked through the portal. It also lists Kanha Tiger reserve and its eight tourism zones allowed for safari, four core zones namely, Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi and adjoining Phen Sanctuary and three buffer zones namely Khatia, Khapa, and Sijhora. The safari bookings open 120 days in advance from the date of safari. In order to get the best zones for tiger sightings one must plan before 120 days and book as soon as the online bookings opens for the Kanha National Park. The good safari zones tend to sell out due to limited no. of vehicles allowed within each zone from the different park gates.
Is it possible to do Elephant safaris in Kanha ?
No, Elephant safaris are now completely banned in Kanha National Park, as per the latest forest department regulations. Previously, they were offered alongside jeep and canter safaris in the core zones of Kanha, Mukki, and Sarhi during full-day permits. Visitors would switch from jeeps to elephants for a three-hour ride before returning to the vehicle. Joy rides were also popular. However, these activities were stopped due to concerns over animal cruelty and the challenges of training elephants. Today, elephants are used solely by the forest department for essential tasks, as heavy machinery is not allowed inside the park.
Can one do a full day safari in Kanha ?
Yes, The Full-day jeep safari permits issued by the forest department allows safaris vehicles to cover all the zones in a single day without any restriction on traveling across all four core zones namely, Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi and half and hour earlier entry and later exit from the park gate compared to morning or afternoon jeep safari timiings. Full day safaris are often preferred by the professional photographers as it allows a crew of three to enter the park half an hour early to enter and leave after half an hour after the end of the afternoon safari timings. The full day safaris are issued offline from the forest department. One would require the passport for Foreign National and other Government IDs issued by the Government of India for an Indian tourist.
What are the safari timings in Kanha?
Safari timings keep changing as per seasons as per the sunrise sunsets timings. For the start of morning jeep safari it’s after the sunrise for four to five hours and for afternoon safari the timings for start is three or three and a half an hour before the sunset .
- Morning safaris – 0600 hrs. to 1130 hrs.
- Afternoon safaris – 1500 hrs. to 1800 hrs.
Which is the closest Airport to Kanha?
Raipur, Jabalpur & Nagpur are the closest airports to Kanha National Park.
- Raipur – 200 km, 4.5 hour drive
- Jabalpur – 200 km, 4.5 hour drive
- Nagpur – 260 km, 6 hour drive
Is it possible to reach Kanha by train ?
Yes, Gondia is the closest railway head which is 120 km, 3 hour drive from Kanha National Park and Jabalpur is 200 km. Both these railway stations have good train connectivity from almost all corners of India.
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