Kanha National Park

About Kipling Camp
The Camp was established in 1982 on the edge of Kanha National Park, by conservationists Bob and Anne Wright. It was one of the first wildlife camps in India, and remains among the finest with attention given to every little detail.

Scattered among trees and a small lake, Kipling Camp's cottages have comfortable rooms, a large family room, and a private cottage with a sitting room. There is 24-hour electricity and excellent cuisine. What sets Kipling apart is the care and attention that goes into every little detail.

The Kanha national park is situated in the Maikal hills, in the Satpura range of the central Indian highlands, Spreading over a area of 940 sq km and a buffer zone of 1005 sq km,in the State of Madhya Pradesh (22o 17'N, 80o 38'E). The land rises from 450 to 950 metres above sea level, and is drained by tributaries of the Narmada river.

The Park and Tiger Reserve is considered one of Asia's finest protected areas and probably the best place in the world to see tigers in the wild. Tracts of Kanha have been a wildlife sanctuary since 1933. In 1955, 318 sq km was declared a National Park and in 1973, 940 sq kms became one of the first nine Project Tiger Reserves.

Kanha was expanded in 1976 - the National Park now has a core area of 940 sq km and a buffer zone of 1005 sq km.

Seasons
The winter months (November to early March) are delightfully cool and dry, with the day temperature rarely going above a comfortable 32oC, and the night temperature dipping as low as 2oC with occasional frost. The rutting season of the barasingha - one of the rarest animals on earth - is in December and January. Their haunting, bugling calls echo across the meadows and spectacular fights can be seen between stags.

The summer months (March to mid June) are hot and dry, with temperatures ranging from 42oC in the day to 20oC at night. The grasses on the meadows are pale and parched. The sal trees begin to bloom in March. The rivers dry up and the days get hotter and hotter. During the summer, when water is scarce, the gaur descend from the forested hills to feed around the meadows. This is also the time when a tiger census is carried out by the Park authorities. Individual tiger pugmarks are collected, either by tracing the pugmarks using a glass tracer, or by making a plaster cast.

As soon as the monsoon breaks in mid to late June, the Park is closed to visitors. Kanha is transformed with lush new growth. The rivers fill to bursting point. It is humid and wet with temperatures ranging from 20o to 30oC. Kanha has an annual rainfall of 1600 mm (approx 64 inches) or more, 95% of which falls during the monsoon, from late June to September.