Kanha National Park

Lush sal and bamboo forests that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, home to the endangered Barasingha deer.

Location: Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, Mandla & Balaghat Districts, Madhya Pradesh

Best time: October to June

How to reach: Jabalpur Airport is 160 km away. Regular cabs available.

Kanha National Park is one of India's finest tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Spanning lush meadows, dense sal forests, and sparkling streams, Kanha was the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's timeless classic 'The Jungle Book'. It is famous for successfully saving the hardground Barasingha (swamp deer) from near extinction.