Panna National Park is located in Chhatarpur, famous for diamond industry in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. The national park is home to some of the best wildlife species in India and is also a well-known Tiger Reserve. The park is also a stopover destination on way to Khajuraho, a top tourist spot in India. The national park is spread over an area of 1,406 square kilometres. In 2007, Panna was conferred with Award of Excellence by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
Panna is a Tiger Reserve for it falls under the aegis of Project Tiger in India. However, two female tigers were relocated to Panna from Bandhavgarh National Park and Kanha National Park in 2009 to address the problem of reducing tigers. In June 2009, it was officially announced that Panna has no tiger left apart from the imported ones.
Panna mainly experiences tropical climate. Summer is the time to spot a wide variety of wildlife while the winter is cold and comfortable. Monsoon hits this part of the country around July and extends till mid-September.
January to May is the best time to visit Panna National Park.
The dry and hot climate of Panna, coupled with the shallow soils has led to the growth of dry Teak and mixed vegetation. Dry deciduous forest interspersed by grassland areas. There are also riverines, open grasslands, open woodlands with tall grasses and thorny woodlands.
The main wildlife species found in Panna include tiger, wolf, sloth bear, chinkara, sambar, nilgai, wild dog, leopard and smaller cats. Besides, various reptiles are also found in this national park.
Panna’s bird population comprises over 200 species, including migratory birds. White necked stork, Paradise flycatcher, Slaty-headed Scimitar Babbler, Blossom headed parakeet are some of the avian residents of Panna.
Jeep safari: Tourists however, need to bring in their own rented jeep as the park authorities do not provide vehicles.
Boat ride: Boat ride in Panna is a nice option to spot various water-borne animals.
Elephant safari: The best option to spot a tiger
Night safari: Ken River Lodge offers night safari facilities at Gangau (timings: 6:30-10:30 am and 2:30-5:30 pm).
By Air:
Khajuraho is the nearest airport to Panna. Flights connect Khajuraho from cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. One can also fly to Khajuraho via Varanasi.
By Rail:
Satna, located about 90 km from Panna, is the nearest railway station.
By Road:
Nearest bus terminal is Panna, which is connected with Khajuraho. One can change at Madla, located around 24 km south west of Khajuraho, to reach Panna National Park.
Panna is located 580 km from New Delhi, 986 km from Mumbai, 176 km from Jhansi and 865 km from Kolkata. Panna can be approached by National Highway 75 that links Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh to Parsora in Orissa.
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