November 14, 2020

My Rendezvous With Nature And Wildlife In Kanha

Kanha is beautiful. It’s way more beautiful than I thought. The landscapes are imposing – the Satpura Range just makes it more awe-inspiring. The unique trees, the wild flowers and the foliage concoct their own stories. The flowing river sing a happy song. The tribal villages appear straight out of a book, almost dreamlike.

Yes, Kanha is a place to be in awe of nature and wildlife.

Pugdundee Safaris made it possible for me to enjoy nature, the open sky and the fresh air of the forest even during a pandemic. The way they extract nature experiences beyond their lodges is unparalleled. I felt it was my chance to rediscover my passion for nature, and I could bond with nature in a much deeper and meaningful way.

With Pugdundee, I got to learn new insights on wildlife, build a new level of consciousness towards the environment and take responsibility to protect it. Pugdundee doesn’t just give experiences to its guests, but makes them aware of sustainable travel.

While my stay at Kanha Earth Lodge was experiential and fascinating in its own way, I got to explore a few rare gems around the property as well.

Of course, visiting the Kanha Tiger Reserve was top on my list – to spot a tiger! However, there’s so much more to discover and revel in than a tiger. The fact that it’s one of the densest forests ensures plenty of beautiful sights.

My Rendezvous With Nature And Wildlife In Kanha

Being spellbound by the mesmeric landscapes of Kanha National Park.

I woke up at 5 am just for the jungle! The adventure of setting out for the forest while it’s still dark is absolutely thrilling.

The moment we began our ride into the jungles, a few deer emerged out of the bushes. We experienced the forest even before we entered the national park. We entered through Khatiya gate, which is supposed to have access to a lot of good zones within the park, with a lot of scope of sightings.

Well, first thing first – we were amazed at the landscapes that Kanha National Park had in store for us. The morning mist had enhanced the beauty of the forest a little more, which made me gasp and remain speechless for a while.

And of course, the chill in the air also added to the experience. It’s the Sal trees that keep the forest so cold. Thereby, it was comforting to see the first glimpse of sunrise filtering through the trees.

Forest landscapes are one of my most favorite sights to explore. I enjoyed a lot of the unique landscapes in Pench as well.

Oh Deer!

The most usual sighting in Kanha or for that matter in any national park is of deer, and we don’t complain about it at all! They are absolutely delightful – Barasingha (Swamp deer), Chital (Spotted deer), Chousingha (four-horned antelope), and Sambar deer to name a few.

We spotted a good variety of deer in Kanha. The best part is that they don’t shy away from getting photographed. In fact, they pose for your lens and how!

Yes, my chase for a tiger/tigress remained unfulfilled. However, I got to learn a lot about their behavior and that it takes them several trials to work towards their prey.

Beautiful birds and their unruffled ways.

Birds rule the sky in Kanha National Park. Since there are open grasslands, vegetation and plenty of water bodies, birds find it conducive to grow in Kanha.

I got to see quite a few unique and beautiful birds in Kanha, such as Indian Roller, Black-hooded Oriole, Scarlet Minivet, and Crested hawk-eagle to name a few.

Even though I’m not much of a bird-watcher, I enjoyed the experience of knowing unique details about different birds. There are also plenty of migratory birds that you get to see in different seasons.

A mellow evening by the River Banjar.

I am grateful to the diligent staff at Kanha Earth Lodge for preparing a beautiful evening for me – sunset by the riverside. As the name suggests, the river Banjar remains dry during summer.

However, I got to witness the serene flowing water and the sun waning beautifully. The joy of slow travel just gets better when you have such experiences to savor.

Apparently, Pugdundee doesn’t promote these lesser-known places to everyone, which is why such places remain so pure and unaffected.

Being intrigued by Baiga and Gond tribe.

The tribal life of Kanha is fascinating. There’s quite a lot of interesting stuff to explore about the tribes – their lifestyle, language, food, and the art they produce. I mostly got to see tribal folks from the village Narna.

Although I couldn’t saunter through the villages or interact with the villagers due to COVID, I could comprehend the uniqueness these tribes had for us to get intrigued with.

Perhaps that’s how travel has changed. We need to admire certain things from a distance.

My hike through the bushes, and the hilltop sunset.

When I was told about this hilltop hike for a sunset, I had no idea what would unfold. I just wanted to make the most of the 4 pm light. The typical rural charms, such as a herd of buffalos with their shepherd, bullock carts and the sound of bells made me stop and savor.

It was thrilling to find a way through the bushes, get acquainted with the wild foliage and climb up a little bit to have an overview of the Kanha forest from above and also the magnificent Satpura hills.

We sat down to gaze the sunset with a mug of French Press coffee.

I was equally smitten by the many wild trees and plants that greeted me all along. There were so many Tulsi (Holy Basil) plants towards the hill. And, how can I not mention the “ghost” tree, which is the most famous one in Madhya Pradesh. It’s called the ghost tree because of its spooky appearance, especially on a full moon night.

Other famous trees to spot in Kanha are Mahua, Sal, Saja, Tendu and Palash.