Explore the Wild at Kanha Jungle Camp

Journeying into the forests that inspired Kipling’s Jungle Book, the twice- daily jeep drives present a perfect opportunity to witness these forests intimately. Kanha Tiger Reserve is considered to be on of the most picturesque national parks in India. The evergreen Sal trees, the dramatic dichotomy of lush green meadows followed by dense wilderness acts as a beautiful backdrop for sighting tiger and other animals in the wild.

You can reserve our in-house naturalists to accompany you. This is in addition to the park guides provided by the park. The naturalists are well versed in English & Hindi and with an in-depth knowledge of flora and fauna of the region, they elevate your safari experience.

The jeep safari can be experienced either in the mornings at sunrise (morning safari) or in the afternoons until the sunset (evening safari). The timings of the safaris are decided by the park authorities and changes with season.

The vehicle used is open roofed 4x4 jeep, fitted with elevated seats to give a panoramic view of the wildlife.
For the morning safari, the breakfast is packed in picnic style and there are designated spots inside the park, where you can stop and enjoy the breakfast. Since the evening drives are post lunch so only refreshing beverages are carried during the safari followed by high tea once you are back at the resort.

If you have any special areas of interest regarding the flora and fauna, do let us know at the time of the booking so that our naturalists and park guides will try their best to include it during your game drives.

For further details about the game drives at Kanha National Park,

Timings of Jungle Safaris

• Winters (October to February): Morning Safari: 06:30 am to 11:00 am | Evening Safari: 02:30 pm to 06:00 pm
• Summers (March to June): Morning Safari: 05:50 am to 10:30 am | Evening Safari: 04:00 pm to 07:00 pm

*The timings are subject to change basis the park authorities, do reach out to our team to know the exact timings.

What to Carry:

In order to have a comfortable and memorable safari experience, here are some of the things you may wish to carry:

• Your original id from which you have booked the safari. It it’s absence, you shall not be allowed to enter the park itself.
• Binoculars for watching animals at a distance or the birding.
• Cameras for capturing those special safari moments.
• Hat & sunscreen for protection from the sun.
• A scarf or hat to cover your hair and masks to cover your face to avoid the dust.
• Warm jackets along with coverings for your ears during the winters to beat the cold.
• Avoid using strong fragrances or wearing bright colours during the safaris. Dull and neutral coloured clothing is suggested.

Park Gates:

In Kanha Tiger Reserve, the safaris for the core zone are conducted through three gates: Mukki, Khatia and Sarahi gates.

Kanha Jungle Lodge is situated near the Mukki gate and while the entry is from Mukki gate, they can go to Kanha, Kisli and Mukki zones.

Safari Bookings:

• Online safari bookings for Kanha National Park open 120 days in advance. Due to limited number of safari tickets and to avoid any disappointment at a later date, we strongly urge you to book your safari in advance.
• The bookings can be done directly through the government website or you can book it through the lodge.
• We require the following information from you at the time of booking your safari. This is as per the governmental regulations : Name, Age, Date of birth (MM-DD-YY), Father/ Husband’s Name, Gender, Nationality, Passport Number for international tourists and any other government recognised id for Indian nationals (aadhar card, driving license, voter id, passport) Do ensure that the id you have submitted during the safari booking, you carry the original with you during each game drive.
• All safari bookings are subjected to availability and the government rules. Kanha Jungle Camp will does not take responsibility for ensuring safari confirmation, unless otherwise stated.
• Tatkaal Bookings: There is an option of booking the safaris on Tatkaal which is just prior to a day before. These are done through online bookings that open just an evening before the safari date.

However we strongly advise against relying on it as these tickets are basically the cancelled safari by other guests across the park, therefore are unreliable and limited in number, making it quite difficult to get a ticket.

The reservation team at the lodge does offer assistance in booking tickets through tatkaal services but they are highly subject to availability.

Some other things to note:

• Smoking or alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited inside the park.
• No edibles are allowed during your safari. There are designated spots approved by the park authorities where we stop for a delicious picnic style breakfast during the morning drives.
• Please do not get out of the jeep at any point of time.

Cancellation Policy:

• We regret to inform that we charge 100% cancellation fees on cancelled safaris because safaris once booked cannot be modified and that ticket goes for a waste.
• Refunds for jungle safaris offered as credit notes and are allowed only due to sudden extreme changes in the weather and are at the discretion of the lodge management.

*While we have tried to share all the important details with you in this list, at no point do we claim for it to be exhaustive. Please refer to the government website for further details.

These safaris allow one to spend an entire day inside the park from sunrise to sunset. This allows one to go across in any zone giving you a chance for better sightings.

• Maximum number of guests allowed in a vehicle – 3 (three)
• Only 5 vehicles across the park is allowed
• The safari is booked offline through a special permission from the Field Director.
• Atleast a month’s advance notice is preferred for hassle-free booking of this safari.
• Since you spend the day inside the park, the lodge packs breakfast, lunch and some snacks in the morning itself.

As the setting sun gives way to the night sky, the jungles become quieter and more mysterious. It is a great way to experience a different side to the jungles. The nocturnal birds and wildlife take over, the predators use this time to stalk the prey while the prey try their best to survive. This happens against the backdrop of the calls of owls, eagles and other birds.

Going into the forests at night is a thrilling experience. Some of the species that can be spotted are leopards, foxes, deer, civets, rusty spotted cats, night jars, owls and many other arboreal species that descend for water and food. Join our naturalists for this truly unique safari.

Night safari is offered in buffer zones only however since there are no boundaries between the core and the buffer, there are great chances of sighting. The name of the gate is Khapa. The duration is approximately 3 hours from 7pm to 10 pm.

Our over 10 acres of ecological park within the lodge estate, is a host to innumerable birds and other species. We are visited by innumerable wildlife and to document these visitors, we have placed a couple of camera traps in the eco-park.

These studies help us provide data on which species is visiting us and how are they interacting. Guests can also see the photographs captured by these during their interactions with the lodge naturalists. Some of the visitors that have been recorded are:

Enjoy cycling through the countryside or inside the trails at the eco park. Explore the lush green surroundings, the charming village, the rich birdlife or learn about the local trees and their significance in day to day lives.
This also allows young ones to explore the traffic free trails, truly close to nature while at the same time learning about the flora and fauna of the area.

Guided nature walks with in house field guides is a great opportunity to experience the nature at close quarters. We offer a variety of nature trails to explore, some of which are inside the lodge’s eco park and there are others inside the buffer zone of Kanha National Park itself.
Accompanied by the field guides who are passionate wildlifers with an in-depth knowledge of the area, these nature walks are a must-have immersive experience. Charges for the trails vary as the ones inside the Kanha National Park have additional park & guide fees.

Slowdown and savour the moments as you watch the setting sun at a distance. Streaks of pink and orange painted over the sky against the silhouette of tall trees are a sight to behold. Lazily observe the birds returning to their nests as you reflect and unwind. Accompanied by a selection of cocktails and savoury bites, this is a nod to the drinking tradition originated in Africa to mark a transition from day to night. A quintessential wildlife experience indeed.

Join our resident experts for a transcendent experience of viewing the night sky and all the celestial bodies. Free from city lights and pollution, this is an experience that is bound to fill you with awe and wonder.
With state of the art telescopes, that can be set up in designated areas, this is an unparalleled experience.

The proximity to the nearby village hamlets offers interesting experiences which include naturalist -led nature and birding walks, village walks to observe the indigenous tribal communities- the Gonds & the Baigas. These visits provide an opportunity to gain an insight into the tradition and culture of the local communities that have been living on the fringes of these parks.

In the Gond village, you can observe the artists painting the traditional Gond art. The Gonds believe that viewing good images brings good luck so they painted nature inspired motifs on the walls and the floors of their homes. Try your hand at the painting. You can also purchase it from them to carry a small memento of your trip.

You can also learn the art of basket making from the Baigas. These baskets are weaved from the bamboos and traditionally caters to many daily needs like carrying produce, storage of grains and other things. They are known to make more than 50 different types of baskets for various needs.

Duration: 3-4 hours

If you are travelling for any special occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries or simply wish to surprise your partner, do reach out to our travel experts to craft an experience for you. With a host of gourmet options in personalised intimate settings and a dedicated butler to look after all your culinary needs, we believe in creating memories for you and your loved ones.

These experiences can also be tailor-made for a family or a group of friends.

Personalised meals in unique outdoor settings to make the most of the lush green surroundings and open spaces. These experiences are designed to take you on a culinary journey that tickles your senses with delicious multi-course meals in the surroundings where simplicity of the nature is a luxury in itself.

Some of the alfresco experiences which can be hosted on request include:

• Breakfast in the jungles
• Outdoor breakfasts
• High tea
• Barbecue evenings under the night sky by the bonfire
• Candlelit dinner by the poolside
• Special bush dinners

Getting your children on a trip to the ‘tiger country’ encourages an appreciation for wildlife and nature from a young age. Fresh air, open spaces and lush green surroundings ensures that they experience the joys of simplicity which often gets lost in the school routines of the city-life.
It also instils an element of awe for the magnificence of the Indian wildlife and nature which is a great way of ensuring that our future generations too recognise the importance of conserving these.

Apart from the usual activities in which they accompany the adults, we offer some additional activities solely designed for them:

1. Educational Nature Walks

Guided nature walks inside or in the surrounding areas of the lodge. Accompanied by expert field guides, these walks are designed to be engaging basis their age. They learn about the common trees and plants of the area and hear about the animals that inspired the characters in the Jungle Book – Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa, Haathi, Bandar Log and the mighty Sher Khan. The duration and the length of the walk is customised as per the child’s age and fitness levels.

2. Treasure Hunt

A small and engaging treasure hunt is organised inside the lodge property with clues that keeps them engaged and perhaps away from the electronic devices. The clues are based on the things they have learnt during their stay and makes for a great bonding time.

3. Picnics

Recreate the picnics of the Enid Blyton’s books for your young ones. The picnics are done amidst the designated areas in the midst of nature. Picnic hamper with delicious refreshments, snacks and fruits add to the charm.

4. Cookie Making

Learning to bake delicious cookies surely is a life skill. The children assist our chefs watching and learning to make their favourite cookies. After the cookies are bakes, it is taken to the nearby villages and shared with the children there to gently teach them the art of sharing.