About
Panna National Park is part of Panna tiger reserve of India. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1994 as the 22nd tiger reserve of India and fifth in Madhya Pradesh state. The park is situated in Panna and Chhatarpur districts of Indian central state Madhya Pradesh. This forest region is spread over Bundelkhand region on Vindhya range. It is the same range on which Bandhavgarh tiger reserve forest is spread. Vindhya range in Central India, moves from south-west to north-east direction, touching the starting point of Aravali range. Panna forest is also called Emerald forest of Central India and is known worldwide for its healthy population of leopards, sloth bears, tigers, deers, antelope, vultures, wolf, chinkara, cheetal and lots more. This region is substantially noticing attention for its diamond industry. Simple meaning of Panna is Emerald stone. thus it is often referred as Emerald forest of Central India. Being close to Khajuraho that is only 25 km away to the park, it can be very well visited clubbed with Khajuraho temple tour and enhance the tour experience. It has an area of 542.67 km2 (209.53 sq mi) which is vast enough to provide better comfort for wild species. The park has got the Award of Excellence in 2007 as the best maintained national park of India by the Ministry of Tourism of India, as it is notable that by 2009, forest department accomplished the aim to kick off poaching to the park. The connectivity of Panna Tiger Reserve with the other places and the condition of the roads are excellent, hence tourists from either abroad or the country feels this place a worth to visit. Though Tiger sightseeing are not very common here, one needs to be patients, getting glimpse of this big wild cat. The vegetation of this region is mixed with uneven terrain with scrubby vegetation and grass, rocky landscape gathered along with hundreds verities of trees and shrubs. One can explore Indian species of crocodiles like mugger and long snout gharial in the Ken River that flows from here toward the north harbors.
In past, Panna National Park foresst was private hunting preserve of erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur & Bijawar states. It is part of Bundelkhand region, which is a rocky & arid region thus many historical buildings can be seen in this region. In 1975, Gangau wildlife sanctuary was created by comprising North & South Panna forest division. In year 1978, Gangau sanctuary was extended by inclusion of Chhatarpur Forest Division. Later in year 1981 Panna National Park was declared with inclusion of Gangau sanctuary with areas of Chhatarpur division. Panna National Park is a 22nd Tiger reserve of India and fifth in Indian central state of Madhya Pradesh, once this land was a private hunting land of the royal family of Panna until India’s independence, and then the park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1981. 0n 1994 this National park was upgraded into a Tiger Reserve with inclusion of some other wildlife sanctuary like Gangau WLS, Panna National Park & Ken Gharial wildlife sanctuary. Pandav caves in Panna is mentioned in the great epic of Hindus ‘Mahabharata’ that Pandavas spent a long time of their exile in this forest of Panna.
In March 2009 two female tigers were brought here from Bandhavgarh National Park and Kanha National Park, however, when last male tiger disappeared, a committee took place to observe the reason of disappearance. Horrible result came out when in June 2009 it was officially announced that the Reserve, where had over 40 tigers six years ago, has no tiger left except to only two tigresses arrived here a while ago. In an instant being worried about of this debacle, Ministry of Environment and Forest taken a decision in June 2009, to relocate two tigers and two tigresses to the reserve. A young tiger male was moved from Pench Tiger Reserve but strayed out of the park shortly thereafter; in November 2009 It was brought back to the park about a month later. A tigress, translocated from Bandhavgarh National Park, gave birth to three cubs in April 2010. The second tigress, translocated from Kanha National Park gave birth to two cubs several months later. A third tigress was translocated to Panna from Kanha in March 2011. This re-introduction of tigers in Panna forest gave surprising result with consistent increase in tiger population in this tiger reserve. It is the result of these translocations that today Panna national park have healthy tiger population and thus tiger sighting index of Panna national park has increased. Almost daily tiger sighting information comes from safari guides which resulted into increase in tourism at this national park.
How to reach easily
Reaching Panna National Park is no tough task, there is several ways to get into this place, the conditions of the Roads which connects other major places to this Park, are very good. Here are three common ways to reach Panna National Park :-
| Through Airports | Through Railway Stations | Through Destinations |
| Khajuraho Airport = 28 km / 30 min | Khajuraho Railway Station = 25 km / 30 min | Khajuraho = 30 km / 40 min |
| Jabalpur Airport = 250 km / 05:00 hr | Satna Railway Station = 90 km / 02:00 hr | Orchha = 180 km / 03:30 hr |
| Gwalior Airport = 300 km / 06:00 hr | Jhansi Railway Station = 190 km / 03:45 hr | Bandhavgarh NP = 220 km / 05:00 hr |
The Best Time To Visit : :
Here monsoon rain starts from July and lasts till October, during this time river, lakes, small canals show their best flow volume of rainy water and some times over-flow also. During monsoon season, park remain closed as tracks inside park were not good enough to drive. Being close to evergreen site Khajuraho, it can be visited throughout the season when it is open for visitors. Best time to visit Panna National Park is from November to April during which climate remain good so that tourists can enjoy the Panna jungle safaris and boating in Ken river. Pandav cave is another attraction for visitors which remain open throughout the year for visitors and can be visited separately from jungle safari. During summers from April to June, rocky surroundings makes the region hot with severe heat waves which poses challenge but evening boating in Ken river makes a healing effect. Jungle safari with boating makes a good combination for tourists visiting Panna National Park. It can also be taken a excursion tour to Khajuraho or while staying in resort at Panna National Park, one can take excursion tour to Khajuraho.