A beautiful park situated in the districts of Panna and Chhatarpur in Madhya Pradesh is Panna National Park. In 1994, it was declared India’s 22nd Tiger Reserve and 5th in Madhya Pradesh.
Panna National Park is situated in the Vindhya Range of Madhya Pradesh, India. The park’s terrain is characterized by dense forests, rocky outcrops, and winding streams. The climate is tropical, with hot summers and mild winters. The river Ken serves as the lifeline of the forest and the Panna hills provide the catchment area for the river.
Panna has a subtropical type of climate with temperatures touching 50 degrees Celsius. In winters the temperature drops to a low of 10 degrees Celsius.
The park like all national parks is divided into core and buffer zones and these are:
The core zones are:
• Akola
• Hinouta
• Madla
The core zones are:
• Akola
• Jhinna
CORE ZONES OF PANNA NATIONAL PARK
Panna National Park has three core zones which are Madla., Akola & Hinouta.
1. MADLA ZONE
This is one of the most preferred zones in Panna National Park. Known for its high tiger sighting opportunities and scenic landscape, Madla zone has a diverse array of wildlife, including the majestic Bengal tiger, leopards, and various other species. Tourists can enter this zone through Madla entry gate.
Madla gate is also the closest gate to the world famous Khajuraho temple This UNESCO world heritage site is just half an hour drive from the national park. Tourists can also visit some local temples located in the zone.
This zone also have a lot of staying options. Madla is the oldest safari zone and one of the most popular ones. What makes this zone popular are good tiger sightings and availability of luxury resorts in Panna. The gate is built at such a strategic location that even if you enter from Akola or Hinouta you can still exit from Madla gate.
Here you can find number of options for staying, depending upon your budget.
WILDLIFE RESORT IN PANNA- KEN RIVER LODGE
Machaan where the meals are served. The machaan popularly known as the Tree House overlooks the Ken River and offers fresh home cooked meals.
Hinouta on the other hand is a little far from the mainstream spots. Here options for staying are limited but hosts good amount of tiger sightings. Ken River Lodge also gives access to Hinota gate. The gate is merely about 35-40 mins drive from the lodge.
2. AKOLA ZONE
This is one of the core zones located in Panna National Park. Tourists can enter this zone through Akola entry gate. This zone is located on Katni-Panna route, but due to lack of stay options, this zone is not preferred much by tourists.
3. HINOTA ZONE
Hinota gate of Panna National Park
Another core zone in Panna National Park, this zone is recognized for its good tiger and other wildlife sightings. Home to a variety of species, this zone offers ample opportunities to spot different species of birds as well. Tourists can enter this zone through Hinota entry gate. Ken River lodge is merely about 35-40 mins drive from the lodge.
The landscape here is predominantly rocky and dry making it ideal to spot wild cats such as tigers, leopards and others. Besides this, the zone offers beautiful gorges and ravines for the tourists to explore. Hinota is the located on the topmost plateau of Panna National Park. One of the most renowned landmark here is Dhudwa Falls.
DUDHWA FALLS
Dudhwa falls in winters
This majestic water falls is located inside the Hinota zone. Surrounded by lush green vegetation and slippery rocks. The falls provide a picturesque location for the tourists. Lodges in vicinity of the fall organize transportation to reach the waterfalls. Private lodge jeeps or government run jeeps can be used to reach there.
BUFFER ZONES OF PANNA NATIONAL PARK
Buffer zones of National Parks serve as a crucial boundary between the core zones national parks and villages on the outskirts. It provides a transition between human-inhabited areas and the core of the national park. There are two buffer zones in Panna National Park, these are:
1. JHINNA
Another buffer zone situated on the outskirts of the core zone of the national park. This zone is known for its rich wildlife. Since the zone is situated near human-inhabited areas, it gives an opportunity to tourists to explore local villages and culture of the region. Tourists can enter the zone through Jhinna gate. Jhinna is a village located in the Panna district of Madhya Pradesh. Jhinna night safari camp one of the top things to do in Panna is carried out in this zone.
JHINNA NIGHT SAFARI CAMP
The Jhinna Night Safari Camp is an hour’s drive through the buffer zone of Panna Tiger Reserve from the lodge. The Camp run by local villagers, is a Ken River Lodge initiative and is situated in the buffer zone of Panna Tiger Reserve.
Jhinna Night Safari Camp
It offers 05 mud houses built in local village architectural style, which have been built by local villagers and gives a feeling of an extension of the jungle village. From the Camp night Safaris are offered in the buffer zone of the reserve forest and offers good opportunity to see nocturnal animals. Frequently seen animals include Civets, Jackal, Porcupine, Hyena, Fox, Sloth bear, Jungle cat, Blue bull and Cheetal. Click here to know more Jhinna night safari camp.
2. AKOLA
Core zones of most tiger reserves in India are open to visitors from October to June, making this period ideal for a safari. Buffer zones in most popular reserves across the country remain open throughout the year. However, the highest population of tigers can be found in the forests of Central India. Visiting any of the tiger reserves in this region can strengthen the odds of spotting this big cat. While the best time to visit tiger reserves in India depends on one’s priorities, certain months maximize the probability of tiger sightings, scenic beauty, and comfortable weather.
GATES OF PANNA NATIONAL PARK
Below provided is a table explaining zones and gates in the national park.
Panna Tiger Reserve
ABOUT PANNA NATIONAL PARK
| S.NO. | SAFARI ZONE | CATEGORY | GATE |
| 1. | Madla | Core | Madla |
| 2. | Hinouta | Core | Hinouta |
| 3. | Jhinna | Buffer | Jinna |
| 4. | Akola | Core/Buffer | Akola |
The park is slightly different from other national parks in Madhya Pradesh. The park supports closed canopy forests, open forests with short grass, and undercover, open Savannah woodlands which reflect sub-Saharan habitats, tall grasslands, and degraded scrub. Overall, the park has different topography in different regions.
The Ken River passing through it acts as the park’s lifeline. The river is also a home for gharials and muggers. Spread over 543 sq km, the national park was carved out of the hunting reserves of the erstwhile Panna, Chhattarpur and Bijawar states. Panna was accorded sanctuary status in 1975 and upgraded to a national park in 1981. In 1994, it became India’s 22nd Tiger Reserve. Panna has been home to a highly successful Tiger relocation project. From near extinction the tiger population has reached a healthy figure of 70 plus. This park holds one of the best wildlife safari in India.
Panna National Park has its own success story of revival. There was once a time when declining population of the park became a cause of concern. Now with effective and active interference of various stakeholder, the situation has changed a lot, only for good. Click here to know more.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PARK
- The reserve has a bench topography which can broadly be divided into three distinct tablelands on the Panna side: the upper Talgaon Plateau, the middle Hinnauta plateau, and the Ken valley.
- The Ken river, which flows through the Reserve from south to north, is home for Gharial and Mugger, and other aquatic fauna and is one of the least polluted rivers and a tributary of Yamuna. It is the lifeline of the Reserve.
- Fragile through the dynamic dry deciduous forest, the terrain of the reserve is characterized by extensive plateaus and gorges accompanied by mesmerizing waterfalls.
If you’re looking for safari adventures in Panna National Park contact one of our safari experts. But beware this could be the adventure you always wanted.
Written by Richa Dhiryan
