Getting Around Kanha National Park

Once in Kanha, you could go around in the Park either in a jeep or on elephant back. Both elephant and jeep rides are permitted only during the day. The best times for sightings are either in the morning from dawn to 10 a.m., or in the evening from 4 p.m. till nightfall, after which the Park is closed for visitors. Over time, wild animals have accustomed themselves to jeeps and elephants, and animal sightings are fairly common.

Many prefer tiger tracking and photography from elephant back, which often involves some systematic tiger tracking. Also, altitude increases visibility. Your guide during the elephant rides will be a mahout, the elephant driver and keeper. Most mahouts are expert trackers and would be able to identify all the possible signs that give away the tiger’s hideout.

A jeep can also be hired to visit the Park. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you on these trips. The meadows in Kanha are abuzz with animals like the barasingha, black buck and chital.

The best chances of seeing a gaur (Indian bison) is at Bamni Dadar, also famous for its beautiful sunset because of which it is locally known as Sunset Point. Other places to watch animals are at the waterholes. Animals visit these waterholes around midday, providing an enchanting view from machans (observation towers) that visitors are permitted to use.