IndiaKanhaThere’s a magic in the air at Kanha. A vast, undulating landscape of dry deciduous sal forest, grassy savanna and languid rivers, dotted with bamboo brakes, skeletal ‘ghost’ trees, and dense bush, Kanha covers a massive area of Madhya Pradesh’s central highlands. It’s a spectacular landscape, and heading out in a Jeep first thing in the morning, with a chill in the air and sunlight streaming through low-hanging mists – you don’t need to be a committed wildlife lover to find it totally thrilling. Overview Trip ideas Experiences Regions Best time to visit Accommodation Back to all places in Mumbai & Central India Formerly the hunting preserve of maharajas and colonial British officers, Kanha was declared a national park in the 1950s (after one hunter killed 30 tigers on a single shoot). Attitudes have come a long way since then, and Kanha is now one of India’s greatest conservation success stories. Not only has the tiger population recovered, but the state’s mascot animal, the endemic barasingha swamp deer (whose numbers dwindled from 3,000 in 1938 to around 66 in the 1960s) are now thriving, with a population of about 2,000 in 2024. Besides these flagship animals, there are leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, jackals – and over 300 species of birds: black ibis, green bee-eaters, plum-headed parakeets and a whole raft of teals, eagles, fantails, buzzards, vultures and hornbills.Many of these animals can be spotted in Madhya Pradesh’s other national parks. What makes Kanha different is its continuing connection to the indigenous tribal communities of the region. It hasn’t been an easy journey: Baiga and Gond villages have been illegally evicted in the past, leading authorities to be accused of violating their ancestral rights.Nowadays, thanks in part to the efforts of organisations like WWF, local communities are more involved in conservation, and many safari lodges work with Baiga and Gond people to provide cultural experiences that benefit their communities. Visiting their villages in the Kanha buffer zone – many of them still strikingly traditional, with tribal architecture, weekly markets, and the smell of woodsmoke in the air – adds a wonderful human dimension to the region. Other destinations in this region India AhmedabadGujarat’s biggest city has it all – including World Heritage status – plus a little extra Delhi doesn’t have: a bit of peace and quiet. India Aurangabad, Ajanta & ElloraKnown for their rock-cut temples built over a millennium, the caves of Ajanta & Ellora are among the greatest masterpieces of the ancient world. India BandhavgarhSmaller and busier than Madhya Pradesh's other national parks, Bandhavgarh is hilly, rugged, beautiful – and has the best rate of tiger sightings in India. India BhopalOne of our favourite unsung cities, Bhopal’s lakeside setting, Islamic old town and history of feisty female rulers are just a few of its draws. India BhujMughal palaces and sunbaked desert are the backdrop to laid-back Bhuj, where old-fashioned workshops produce some of the finest textiles in the world. India GwaliorJust a stone’s throw from the Golden Triangle, little-visited Gwalior boasts one of the most ostentatious palaces and the finest pre-Mughal fort in India. India KhajurahoA collection of World Heritage temples dating back over a thousand years, remarkable for being covered from top to toe in stunningly intricate carvings. India Little Rann of KutchA unique salt desert with diverse wildlife, engrossing local culture, and a history stretching back to the Indus Valley Civilisations. India MaheshwarStay at a converted fort with the descendants of a famous Maratha queen, and enjoy the magic of the Maheshwar countryside's ghats and riverside temples. India MumbaiHome of Bollywood, city of dreams, of haves and have-nots: Mumbai is extreme in every sense, and there’s no better people-watching on Earth. India OrchhaHidden for years in tangled scrub forest, Orchha’s tumbledown palaces, temples and cenotaphs hark back to the heyday of the once-great Bundela clan. India PannaA beautiful, little-visited national park, with open grasslands, deciduous forests, increasingly good tiger sightings and absolutely world-class bird-watching. Load More