CLIMATE

PARK SEASON, EXCURSION TIMINGS

The park is open daily from 16th October to 30 June, although management reserves the option to close earlier if the rains begin before the end of June. The opening hours are scheduled to accord roughly with the seasonal variations in climate, as well as with the length of the day at different seasons. There is always a mid-day break, so that employees may eat lunch and rest and the animals may have a respite, too. Morning Safari is about 6 hours, and the evening safari is about 3 hours.

These hours are subject to change because of special conditions: for example, heavy rain showers may make park roads temporarily hazardous, or official activities such as census taking may be scheduled. In practice, "sunrise" and "sunset" are interpreted as "dawn" and "dusk," with vehicles being admitted at 6:30 A.M., for example, if sunrise occurs at 6:50. The gate attendants tend to be stricter about exit times, since darkness follows sunset quite rapidly at this latitude.

CLIMATE

Kanha is one of India's largest national parks, covering 1945 km², and is located in the Maikal Hills of the Satpura Hills range in the south eastern part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Park has beautiful areas of sal forests, large bamboo stretches and lush green meadows.

In 1973, when Project Tiger was launched to save the tiger, Kanha was one of the nine reserves selected for the project. It is prime tiger country and is the project's star success story.

Herds of animals are found in the central parklands, where approximately 22 animal species are regularly spotted, including the more unique species such as the three-striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig and black buck. Striped hyena, leopard, mouse deer and porcupine also reside here, as do the chinkara and ant-eating pangolin. Kanha is home to the highly endangered deer, the hardground barasingha, as well as sambar, chital and gaur. Kanha features approximately 70 tree species and is a bird watcher's paradise, with over 200 recorded bird species.

Tiger and general wildlife sightings are good from October till May, but weather wise, Nov, Feb and March are good months.  For Tiger photography, March till May are better months, as it gets hot, and the Tigers are seen relaxing around the water holes.  

Weekends are relatively more busy compared to the weekdays, so those wanting complete peace, and seclusion travel during the week days to Kanha.

TEMPERATURES OBTAINED FORM THE FOREST DEPARTMENT IN CELSIUS