Planning a wildlife tour to Kanha National Park …

The first question that strikes you is …

When to visit & what is the best time to visit Kanha National Park

 

Each & every season offers a unique experience. While in winters when the temperature falls below 2° C, the fog settling on the ponds & the meadows is a photographers delight.

In summers, the temperature can shoot upto 42° C.

As Kanha is strategically located in Central India, it witnesses tropical monsoon weather.

Best time to visit Kanha National Park – Summers

The hot, dry spell engulfs Kanha in the last week of March and lasts till around late-June, when the first showers of monsoon hits. The last fortnight of May is the hottest spell, and the mercury may shoot up to around 46^oC. The summer is usually dry, but instances of rains, hailstorm and thunder do occur in March and April.

Being a dry deciduous forest, predominantly Sal trees have finished shedding their leaves, and now wear a bleak look, and the once lush green meadows now turn yellowish-brown. Except a few perennial watercourses, streams and waterholes, specially in the lower valleys, there is a significant drop in the water level throughout the park. Ground fires originating from the periphery are common, and high temperature poses many problems in fire-fighting operations.

This is also the best time for wildlife sightings, specially Tigers.

Best time to visit Kanha National Park – Winters

Winters are the ideal time to visit Kanha. The days are pleasant and the nights are crisp. The forest is lush green, the grasses have flowered, seeded and turned golden yellow. With the onset of spring the trees are flushed with new leaves and flowers. The forest is splattered with colours as semal trees open their large scarlet flowers. This abundance of flowers and fruits sets off the breeding season of many birds and animals.In short, Kanha is celebrating.

Monsoon

The forest gets a new lease of life in the monsoon. In just a couple of weeks, the grey and yellow meadows and forests change dramatically to a rich green. The forests are heavy with foliage and the grass carpet thick. Large herds of wild ungulates gather to graze in the meadows. Orchids, monocots and creepers of all kinds appear. The streams are gushing, and crystal-clear water cascades downhill, the grasses flower even as new ones continue to break ground. Monsoon is also the time for the young ones to arrive: the mothers are well-fed, and food is aplenty. Butterflies and other insects, and frog begin to swarm all over.The park remains closed during this time of the year. However, the buffer zones are usually open for jungle safari & does offer a rich experience.

The mean average monthly temperature of Kanha National park is mentioned below :