Rising excitement was palpable as we hauled our luggage and made our way towards the log hut at Kanha National Park. The logged cabin was reserved for the next two days. The striking rays of the sun beamed down through the scattered trees above.
We could hardly feel the afternoon heat as the winter wind caressed us.
Our jungle refuge🛖
would remain etched in my memory as long as I live
The self-contained log hut was a single storied outfit with sloping metallic tin sheets that were held together by a central cemented ridge which ran across the roof-line.
Stone walls met the wooden structure making it secure. Heavily iron grilled windows from the inside covered with hard glass looked out towards the forest.
The roof was painted white and reflected the sun rays to form a dazzling effect. The next log house was about one hundred meters away.
When we entered the house, the innards of the edifice made us speechless.
A master bedroom with an attached toilet lay on one side. The linen and the bed sheet with its colorful floral designs complemented the light yellow walls that went all the way up and met a white ceiling which had a single motionless fan.
Tasty forest luncheon🍽️
Unbuckling our shoes, we jumped backward on to the bed and soft sheet consumed us with its coziness.
Being famished beyond words, we refreshed and headed for the forest bistro which was about three hundred meters away to get some morsels to the tired souls. The uneven pathway was fringed by the forest with sal trees hovering above.
Little did we know then how the very same walk would be when the sun melted away 😰
The buffet lunch was wholesome and extremely tasty. About ten different dishes were on offer – purely Indian origin, mainly comprised of rice, ‘chapatis‘, vegetable curry, chicken, and mutton.
The sweet dish was a chocolate pudding, the flavor still sticks even after so many years. The hour hand of my watch was nearing the digit ‘3’ in the afternoon. It meant we were about thirty minutes from boarding the forest vehicle that will start its first round of the Wildlife drive, Kanha.
Afternoon forest drive🌳🚙
Nature adventure brings in anticipation, ears alert for forest sounds all around. They made us numb with a sort of nervous happiness .
On our way back to get our jackets, water bottles, camera, we had our first glimpse of a few wild animals roaming aimlessly.
A stream flowed past the broken road with low bushes around its bank. Huge sized brown bison with tufts of white on their legs were seen grazing the undergrowth. Numerous spotted deer ran among the parked cars and Jeeps and they looked comfortable with the humans.
I asked the manager and he gave the reason – the deers know that the moving cars, human activities and light formed a safety net for them as the roaming predators would think twice before they hound them down amidst the humans.
We were ready to leave for the central forest which was deep and huge.
The forest vehicle was the trusted Maruti Gypsy, 4×4 which meant the car could tackle slushy and muddy roads as we would be venturing into the forest unevenness.
High ground clearance will let it climb and descend the jagged roads and ditches. Most importantly, petrol engine makes less sound, no chance of scaring away animals.
Jungle chase begins🌳🐅
We clambered into the Gypsy. We had two people who tagged along – the driver and a forest guide, who were supposed to have immense knowledge and perhaps be trusted to show us the wilderness in its completeness.
I sat in the rear seat with my team up front. The soft topped Gypsy rumbled along the dusty and dried muddy road. Winter had dried it completely.
Trees of all kinds stood like bystanders and waved us in the morning breeze.
Kanha’s sprawling greenery🌴
The tree climbers warned the deer of predator presence
Sal, Jamun, Mahua with their long and ever spreading branches entwined over the narrow winding road. Kanha is a beautiful forest where one can witness the variety of trees in their full glory.
forest road circled its way through the sal and Jamun trees
The cacophony of birds and other animals transported us to a world of natural wonders.
A botanist would find this a treasure trove. The sketch of the forest was so brilliantly sculpted by nature, a layman like me remained enthralled with the sheer greenness, the towering sal trees and the interplay of colors.
Animals momentarily, become secondary seeing the vivacious flora.
After about an hour’s drive, the sun climbed high above. Beads of sweat lined our forehead.
At every turn of the trees, we swung our heads from side to side, to catch any movement.
Kanha’s wildlife🐾
The Gypsy moved along the uneven track at a snail’s pace. The engine hardly making any note.
We covered this section very slowly when the driver’s reaction suddenly changed.
Did he sense something?😧
He switched off the engine and the vehicle rolled along an incline under gravity. He asked us to remain quiet. Apart from some bird calls, we did not hear anything different.
The sound of the wind through the trees perhaps hid, a sound. Was it a barking, or short squeaks? The Gypsy had started and again, came to a halt as the road leveled off.
Were they bigcats?🐅
Alim started her up and we climbed and turned as the road took a sharp right and then we came across a large waterhole.
artisans were worth thousand praises
We saw a few animals yonder, grazing, and drinking.
We came across innumerable termite hills. They all looked like decayed tree trunks with the upper part narrowing up like a church spire.
Not far away from the pond, we got our first awakening of the presence of a predator. We had missed the big cat by a whisker.
Alim showed us the fresh pug marks that were large and ingrained on the dusty road we were driving on.
We had spent by now about two and a half hours. The western horizon and the trees that lined were glowing far more than they did in the morning.
The sun was about an hour away from ushering in the night and before that happened, the forest went on painting canvases of great views.
We drove further east and then skirted Kanha’s central grasslands, made a U-turn and went back towards the Kisli gate. Our first day’s excursion of the park rumbled to a close.
We may not have seen the big cat today, or any other members of the feline family; however, the forest was strikingly gorgeous.
To us, it seemed, the supreme creator had bestowed the districts of Mandla and Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh with overflowing natural beauty.
We bumped along the track.
Kanha’s setting sun🌄
The silence of the jungle was punctuated by sudden drones of bees, or chirping of the birds returning to their respective trees for the night.
With a heart full of optimism, we planned to come back to the forest next day; however would be going to a different locale near Mukki. We had one full day to cover and two Gypsy trips were reserved to be with this great forest.
What unfurled in Part 3, would take your breath away…
In Part 1, you must have seen the approach to Kanha’s buffer zone and route from Hyderabad via Nagpur.
Inference
- Best time to travel November to March, as the weather remains pleasant
- Reserve your Jungle stays well in advance
| Safari Core Zones of Kanha | Entry Gate Name | Charges For Indians | Charges for non-Indians |
| Kanha | Khatia | Rs.9000 (weekdays), Weekends Rs.10000 | Rs.13500 (weekdays), and (weekends) > Rs.15000 |
| Mukki | Mukki | Rs.9000 (weekdays), Weekends Rs.10000 | Rs.13500 (weekdays), and (weekends) > Rs.15000 |
| Kisli | Khatia | Rs.9000 (weekdays), Weekends Rs.10000 | Rs.13500 (weekdays), and (weekends) > Rs.15000 |
| Sarhi | Sarhi | Rs.9000 (weekdays), Weekends Rs.10000 | Rs.13500 (weekdays), and (weekends) > Rs.15000 |
| Khapa, Khatia, Phen, Sijora (Buffer Zones) | For all gates | Rs.7000 (weekdays), Rs.8000 (weekends) | Rs.8000 (weekdays), & weekends > Rs.9000 |
| Budget hotels | Rs.2250 to Rs.3500 per night |
| Part 1 | Part 1 – Just 45° ↗️ to the northeast lies our gateway to the wilderness of 🌳 Kanha Wildlife Reserve 🦌 |
| Part 3 | 🌿🐅 Part 3 – Up Close with the Majestic Tigers of Kanha National Park! 🌳📸 |
| Part 4 | 🌿 Part 4 – Spellbinding Slices of Wildlife 🐅🦜: Kanha’s Living Natural Museum 🏞️🦌 |
| Part 5 | 🌳 Part 5 – Kanha’s Last Wild Passage Before Reaching Pench 🐾🦌 |
SPITFIRE GAUTAM 