The first of our five safaris in Kanha was in the evening. Unexpected rains in the afternoon had dulled our expectations. However, we were lucky with a few memorable sightings before the day ended. It began with a Jungle Fox, barely into the Kanha zone. It posed nonchalantly, as we went trigger-happy.

Kanha offers great sighting options of the Royal Bengal Tiger from close range. Pic courtesy/Travel with a couple

Jungle jive
Earlier that day, we had landed in Kanha National Park, which is divided into four zones — Kanha, Kisli, Mukki, and Sarhi. Each has its unique topography, and hence, some specific species are found in abundance in each zone. We entered the park from Khatia gate and headed for the Kanha zone, for which we had to pass through the Kisli zone. Kanha zone, considered the premium zone, is of mixed forest types — sal and bamboo trees, grasslands, and several waterbodies.