Hotels in Kanha National Park

Situated in the Maikal Hills of Satpura Range is a quaint little paradise and it is also known as a wildlife haven. Kanha National Park lies in the State of Madhya Pradesh or Central India. The park has been a conservation unit since the British Raj, but the focus on the tiger came into the picture during the post-independence era.

The National Park was declared a tiger reserve under the Project Tiger Program. Since then the reserve has never turned back on its purpose and continues to be at the forefront of conservation in India. The most acclaimed accomplishment of Kanha has been the conservation of the Hard Ground Swamp Deer or Barasingha. The park has acted as a guiding light to conservationists all over the World.

Since the nineties, tourism has increased and created a demand for accommodations. In order to provide a comfortable stay to guests at Kanha, a large number of resorts and hotels have been established. A tourist can find all types of accommodations ranging from budget to luxury. The properties are situated near the Khatia and Mukki Gate in the adjoining buffer zone.

Kanha became popular much before the concept of wildlife tourism flourished in India. In the early sixties and seventies, it was subject to groundbreaking research by George Schaller et.al. Tourism infrastructure was lacking during that period and was limited to two forest rest houses at Kanha and Kisli.

Few wildlife lovers visited Kanha then. They made use of scant facilities available then, the rest houses were built during British Era. But then with greater awareness creeping in about the amazing ecosystem, more and more people started coming for tiger safaris here.

There was a sudden boom in the arrival of tourists in the late eighties. The accommodation crunch invited entrepreneurs to open resorts here. The first few of the entrants at that time were built with a small number of rooms - but they expanded later.

Soon more and more properties came into the picture. The government enterprise MPTDC had already established luxury hotels at Mukki and Kisli. With the onset of greater tourist attractions more were built. Eventually, as a conservation measure, the RH accommodations in the park were closed. These were turned into interpretation centers - the finest in India.

At Kanha National Park, tourism is divided into zones comprising many routes. These zones are allotted during the entry booking for jeep safaris. The excursion is conducted strictly on jeeps - stepping down is not allowed. A nature trail has been made separately for trekking in the park.

Whence booking you can choose from the available zones. There are four zones Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi. All the zones have a similar status now as of October 2016, and the earlier concept of premium zones has been abolished.

You have to hire an open jeep if arrangements have not been made in advance. The jeeps are available at Khatia and Mukki Gates. The round begins early in the morning while the evening round is around noon. The evening round on Wednesday is closed.

While booking the gate entry you have to pay a prescribed amount along with the guide fee. It is compulsory to hire a forest guide. You have to pay a charge for professional photography and film equipment that you carry. Personal cameras are free of charge.

New rules have been set up in the park for gate entry. There is an add-on facility available for rides which as on October 2016 has to be paid only once. One can hop on an already booked ride by paying an additional amount of this charge. Hence if two people are on a jeep safari another four can join them by paying the prescribed fee sum total of Rs.1500.

The jeep hire has to be paid separately and is not included in the gate entry fee. Inside the park, you cannot eat except at designated places. You can carry mineral water and breakfast with you. You should! A toilet facility is also available at these centers situated in each zone.

The safari is about three hours on average and you get to see wonderful habitats and wild animals. You can come across tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, swamp deer, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, langur, and some other animals.

Kanha is a paradise for birders. You should carry good pair of binoculars during the trip. A spotting scope can come in use as well so carry one if you have one. Carry books and if possible hire a professional birding guide.

FIve Star Category

• Banjar Tola

A five-star property near the Mukki Gate. It belongs to the famous chain, the Taj Group of Hotels Worldwide.

Boutique Resort

• Courtyard House Kanha
  

A boutique resort in the surroundings of Kanha forest the accommodation provides all the luxuries and modern amenities. It is a five-room property and offers a peaceful stay.

Star Category

• Kanha Village Eco Resort
• Tuli Tiger Resort
• Krishna Jungle Resort
• United 21
• Kipling Camp
• Kanha Jungle Lodge
• Tiger Corridor
• Celebration Van Vilas
• Mowgli Resort
• Royal Tiger Resort
• Tigerwood Resort
• The Baagh
• Wild Chalet
• Dyna Resort
• Sanjay Tiger Retreat
• Singinawa Jungle Retreat
• Mahua Tiger Retreat
• Maple Bundela Tiger Retreat
• Shergarh Camp
• Camp Dev Vilas
• Satya Asoka Resort
• Flame of the Forest
• Kanha Earth Lodge
• Kanha Meadows Retreat
• Koushyla Resort
• Bundela Safari

The list above mentions hotels with good reputations. They provide luxury stays and modern amenities. The rates are on the higher side but affordable. Most of these are large properties with trained staff.

Budget Hotels in Kanha

• Motel Chandan
• Panther Lodge
• Mowgli Youth Hostel
• Vansthali Resort
• Hiawatha Resort
• Maheshwar Resort
• Muba at Mukki
• Pug Mark Resort
• Chitvan Jungle Lodge

The list above is of luxury hotels that provide accommodation to travelers on a budget. The fare is economical with a good enough comfort level. Some of the properties are visible online but many do not have their own websites. Travelers should seek information from the locals before booking them.

For an economical stay, many rooms are available for families living near the gates. These are more homestay accommodations minus the frills. Some families also provide meals while many connect with small restaurants nearby.

Kanha is an ecotourism destination much visited on wildlife safaris and birding trips. The tourism infrastructure is well laid and self-sufficient. Food is not a problem as there are plenty of restaurants and dhabas (small Indian eateries) near the gates outside the park.

All the hotels have fine dining facilities, they serve vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. Most of the accommodations are well-equipped with modern facilities and climate control. For tiger safari, some properties employ naturalist guides in their service. This is for those who wish to hire specialists in birding and wildlife. The places are safe but basic precautions should be taken by the occupants.

Wide open spaces give a good feel of the stay. The properties which are based near the forests offer wonderful settings and are hence preferred. Many accommodations have a swimming pool which is usually operated during the warmer climes. Some of the amenities available are interconnecting telephone, cable TV, air conditioning, coolers, tea/coffee makers, mini fridge, business desks, balconies, tables & chairs, water heaters, and so on. The upscale properties carry all the luxuries but not as compared to the city hotels.

The good hotels in Kanha are comfortable to the core though not necessarily fancy. A Comfort zone is defined by good hygienic food and modern amenities. The rooms have heaters in many properties and a generator to be used during light failures. Food served is Indian and Continental, usually more of a hot and spicy kind.

It is better to read reviews of the properties before booking online. Some of the cheap hotels in Kanha are nice and clean. Do not expect many luxuries here but hot water and a heater may be available. These properties do not have a generator. Meals served are hygienic and good.

All the properties organize tiger safaris in the park. But since there is a limit on jeep entry you should book in advance. You can do this at MP Online Portal, or ask the hotel to do it for you.

There is one forest rest house in Kisli where accommodation is available to VIPs and Government officials. This is always booked and not available for the public...perhaps on special request accommodation may be granted.

For the public, accommodation is available at the Khatia Gate, this property belongs to the forest department and is nice clean, and economical. There is a dormitory and a hotel owned by the MPTDC which is good. The dormitory offers a cheap package with meals, but the facility is basic. Another hotel owned by MPTDC is situated near the Mukki Gate. There are some more rest houses owned by various government departments but not open to the public.

You can book your accommodation in Kanha National Park online. Visit the company website and book there or call and ask for details and then send money. In all cases, you should reserve accommodation in advance, especially during the peak season.

Most luxury hotels offer discounts during the off-season, which is mostly in the summer. If you are booking online do seek the offers by bargaining.

Another way is booking through a tour operator in MP or getting into a package deal. The package tours to Kanha are affordable. You can secure full reservations for all your travels in Madhya Pradesh through the agents.

In case of online booking have a look at the list of hotels in Kanha for information. Read the reviews carefully before deciding on your choice. Contact the property managers for more details.

Personal contact with those who have visited Kanha is a good way of finding reliable places. This way you get a first-hand account of their stay in the reserve.

The preferred route is Jabalpur to Kanha which is about 165 km. Jabalpur is a railhead and is also connected with flights from New Delhi & Mumbai. The road route goes through Mandla which is a small town and then to Mocha and Khatia where most of the accommodations are situated. The Mukki Gate is about thirty km further from Mocha.

Mukki Gate can also be approached from Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Gondia in Maharashtra. The distance from Gondia township is 96 km while Raipur is a distance of 162 km. Those arriving from Nagpur can visit Pench Tiger Reserve en route and then reach Kanha. The distance between Pench and Kanha is 156 km.

From the tiger reserve, Kanha one can visit Pench and Bandhavgarh as desired. Pench is about a five-hour drive from Nagpur. This city in Maharashtra is well connected by rail and air. Kanha to Bandhavgarh is about a five-hour drive. Bandhavgarh is about a five-hour drive to Khajuraho City of Temples in the Chhattarpur District of Madhya Pradesh. Flights operate between Khajuraho and New Delhi via Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.