Kanha National Park is among the most beautiful and well-maintained parks in India. It is home to the significant population of the royal Bengal tiger and Barasingha. Spread over 940 sq. km core area and 1009 sq, km buffer area, Kanha Tiger Reserve is the largest national park in Madhya Pradesh. There are many Kanha National Park Safari Zones where you can witness the royal Bengal tiger, Barasingha, and other exotic species.
The Core Zone and the Buffer Zone are two major zones into which the national park is divided.
The core zone is the central area, originally a spread area of the national park with no villages or settlements. Here the natural resources and wildlife are highly conserved and human activity is limited.
Kanha Zone, Sarhi Zone, Mukki Zone, and Kisli Zone
Kanha Zone has open fields with grasslands and bamboo vegetation that offer unique sightings. A major tourist attraction is Shravan Taal. It is legendarily known as the place where King Dashrath killed Shravan Kumar, mistaking him for a deer.
Sarhi Zone has dry deciduous forests and larger meadows. You can visit Sarhi through a common road via the Kisli zone, and one encounters the towering Saal forests on the way.
Mukki Zone presents surreal sightings. The beautiful landscape includes Saal, Grasslands, and Bamboo.
Kisli Zone also has elegant saal forests and scenic grasslands with bamboo vegetation. The four core zones are accessible from different entry gates. All these core zones are well-known among tourists.
| Core Zones | Entrance Gates (Full Safari) | Entrance Gate |
|---|---|---|
| Kanha Zone | Khatia / Mukki / Sarhi Gate | Khatia Gate |
| Mukki Zone | Khatia / Mukki Gate | Mukki Gate |
| Kisli Zone | Khatia / Mukki / Sarhi Gate | Khatia Gate |
| Sarhi Zone | Khatia / Sarhi Gate | Sarhi Gate |
The Buffer Zone is the forest surrounding or connecting the core area of Kanha National Park. In the buffer zones protection takes place along with limited human settlement.
Khatia Zone, Sijora Zone, Phen Zone and Khapa Zone
Kanha National Park Buffer zones are accessible from different entrance gates. At present three, safari entrance gates exist, i.e.Khatia Gate, Mukki Gate, and Sarhi Gate. Here is the table for the buffer zone that comprises the zone and its entrance gate.
| Buffer Zone | Entrance Gate for Safari Zone |
|---|---|
| Khapa Zone | From Mukki Entrance Gate |
| Khatia Zone | From Khatia Entrance Gate |
| Phen Zone | Separate gate, ideal for Mukki gate resorts |
| Sijora Zone | From Sarhi Entrance Gate |
Best Safari Zones in Kanha