Kanha National Park

If the smell of the jungles thrills you come to Kanha. Rolling Meadows of tall grass, streams meandering through with a gurgling sound – jungle landscape is dramatic as though just a photographic representation of Kipling’s Jungle Book. In the dense wilderness of Madhya Pradesh this is the place, covered in Sal and bamboo forests, where tigers prowl, Barasingas graze in herds. Not too far from Bandhavgarh, Kanha is another National Park infested with myriad wild animals and birds.Bandhavgarh has the highest density of Bengal tigers known in the world, and is home to some famous named individual tigers. Charger, an animal so named because of his habit of charging at elephants and tourists (whom he nonetheless did not harm), was the first healthy male known to be living in Bandhavgarh since the 1990s. A female known as Sita, who once appeared on the cover of National Geographic and is considered the most photographed tiger in the world,was also to be found in Bandhavgarh for many years. Almost all the tigers of Bandhavgarh today are descendants of Sita and Charger. Their daughter Mohini, son Langru and B2 also maintained their tradition for frequent sighting and moving close to tourist jeeps.

Mohini, became prominent following Sita’s death. She mated with Mahamn Tiger. She later died of her wounds from the vehicle accident.Charger died in 2000 and his body was buried at Charger Point where he was kept in a closed region at his old age. Between 2003 and 2006, many of his descendants met with a series of unfortunate ends. B1 was electrocuted and B3 was killed by poachers. Sita was killed by poachers. Mohini died of serious wounds to her body. After the death of Charger, the fully grown B2 survived as the dominant male in the forest between 2004 and 2007. He also became the strongest tiger in the world. Mating with a female in the Siddhubaba region of Bandhavgarh, he became a father of three cubs. One of them was a male. He was named Bamera. Bamera was first sighted in 2008 and is now Bandhavgarh’s dominant male. In November 2011, B2 died. Postmortem studies suggest that he died a natural death. But many other professional people, who know more than the officials, say that he was injured by the villagers of the village in the buffer area.

Each of our journeys in India is tailor-made to suit your own interests, preferred style of accommodation, pace of travel and budget. Using a private car and driver, and excellent guides on safari, the following is a suggestion for an India safari based around Kanha National Park.After flying to Delhi spend a day or two exploring India’s capital.Take the train to Agra. Enjoy a guided tour of the magical Taj Mahal and the Red Fort.Make an excursion to Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary and the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri before boarding an overnight train to Jabalpur. (or take a flight from Delhi)Transfer from Jabalpur to Kanha National Park. Take an afternoon guided walk in the jungle buffer zone with your naturalist.

Staying at a small lodge or camp, get to know the forests, swamps, grasslands and wildlife of Kanha on morning and afternoon jeep safaris and excursions on elephant back in the national park. Visit the local villages and markets, take a walk by the river or cycle on quiet tracks through the forests.Drive to Nagpur and fly to Mumbai (Bombay) for your onward flight home. Alternatively, for a more comprehensive wildlife experience in central India you could extend your trip by adding Bandhavgarh, Pench, Satpura or Tadoba national parks.