Kuno National Park: A Safari Guide's Tips For The Best Safari Experience!

In September 2022, a 13-year-long project to reintroduce the cheetah entered its final phase at Kuno National Park, with eight cheetahs from Nambia and 12 cheetahs from South Africa making their way to the park in Madhya Pradesh. With the safari being completely new and an in-operational official website, however, little is known about the park.

Read on to know some of the key details required to plan a safari, from the best time to visit to the best hotels to book from the Naturalist Shubham Purohit.

About Kuno National Park:

From 1998 to 2003, 24 villages located on the outskirts of the sanctuary were relocated to create grasslands to convert it into a protected area, as the status of the sanctuary had to be upgraded to a national park to bring lions. In 1906, four lions made it to Kuno, and were released into the park after two years of captivity. However, these lions soon turned into man-eaters, killing people from the village. In 2009, Kuno was then proposed as a park for the reintroduction of the cheetah.

How were Cheetahs brought to Kuno National Park?

Due to large-scale hunting and capture, the cheetah's population in India declined, leading to its extinction. In 2009-10, The Wildlife Trust of India and the WII surveyed 10 potential sites and Kuno was found to be most suitable because of its grasslands! A lot of restorative investments had already been made at Kuno when the initial plan was to reintroduce Asiatic lions here.

In September 2023, eight cheetahs made a 5,000-mile journey from Namibia to India, marking the final phase of the reintroduction. The forest department works with 300-400 ‘cheetah mitras’ who are involved in tracking the cheetahs. They also help spread awareness in the villages, informing villagers not to be scared, but also not to go too near them and not to create unnecessary panic.

Speciality of Kuno National Park:

The topography of Kuno is what makes it special.

1. “Most parks in Madhya Pradesh like Satpura, Panna, Pench and Kanha focus on the tiger. Those forests are dense and one is hardly able to see beyond 100 metres. Most sightings take place when the animal walks to the dirt road. Kuno lies in northern MP, where the climatic conditions and habitat are quite different. This region gets less rainfall, there are more open grasslands and less dense jungle patches,” says Purohit.

2. "You won't find the leopards in Kuno on trees. They are seen walking on the ground. The dry forests that bear semblance to the parks in Africa are also one of the major reasons Kuno was chosen for the reintroduction,” adds Purohit.

3. “Leopard sightings are common in Kuno. Compared to other parks, the leopards here are healthier and stronger since there are no tigers around and they are the top predators in this park.

A few days ago, we saw two leopards within a distance of 4km. The first leopard was walking towards us, which was rare, as usually, you just see their face in the grasslands. It was walking on the road, marking its territory and looking straight at us. The second one, we caught basking in the sun. He waited for us to take pictures, then got up, started to walk away, turned back, and looked at us. The leopards here are not shy and scared of safari vehicles. They often stay for photo ops,” says Purohit.

Spotting at Kuno National Park:

Kuno National Park’s forest area is covered with 123 species of trees (mainly dominated by Kardhai, Salai, and Khair trees), 71 species of shrubs, 32 species of climbers and exotic species, and 34 species of bamboo and grasses, making it a place of great interest for botanists.

Jackals and foxes are often seen in the buffer area. One can also see antelopes, barking deer, the Indian bison, nilgai, wild dogs, Striped hyenas, Indian wolves, wild boar, civets, sloth bears and monkeys in Kuno.

Bird watchers can keep their eyes peeled for raptors and water birds, stork-billed kingfishers, sirkeer malkoha, crested bunting, parakeets, white-eyed buzzard (a medium-sized hawk), crested honey buzzards, drongos and also vultures.

Best Time To Visit:

While most parks in Madhya Pradesh are known for their summer sightings, Shubham advises visiting Kuno in the winter, between November and February. Summers are said to be unbearable with minimum shade in the park. While the region gets less rainfall, the park remains closed in the monsoon from mid-June to September.

How many safaris should you do in a 2N stay?

Two safaris—one in the morning and one in the evening are considered to be adequate. The safari route is short and the frequency of spotting animals during a single safari is good. Safaris at different times of the day allow you to see wildlife in different routines.

Safari Timings:

The park is usually open from 6.30 am to 11.30 am, and then in the afternoon from 3 pm to 6 pm, with slight changes in the timing depending on the season and weather. The morning slot gives visitors more time in the park, as in the evening the gate closes before sunset.

Jeep Safari and Guide Booking:

The jeep can be booked at the Ahera Gate inside the park. Since the park is relatively new and isn’t too busy, currently on-the-spot bookings are easy to make. The safari can also be booked by the hotel you choose to stay at.

Each vehicle that seats six people (including the driver and guide) is charged Rs. 750. If there are more than six people, an additional Rs.150 per person must be paid. The guide charge is Rs.360 and applies to private vehicles. At the moment, even private vehicles—both diesel and petrol are allowed inside the park. All vehicles must be accompanied by a government-certified guide for the safari.

Best Zones at Kuno National Park:

There are three entry gates to Kuno National Park—Ahera, Peepalbawadi and Tiktoli. The Tiktoli gate has always been the preferred gate for safaris, but it is currently shut as the cheetahs are incubated in this area. The safaris are currently happening from the Ahera gate. Once all the cheetahs are released into the wild, the safaris from the Tiktoli gate will resume.

Best Hotels To Stay:

1. Madhya Pradesh Tourism’s Jungle Resort Kuno

This is located about 18km from Tiktoli gate. The rooms and suites come with creature comforts, with some overlooking the forest, pool or the Kuno River.

2. Kuno Forest Retreat (tent city)

It is an initiative by MP Tourism in partnership with Evoke Experiences, which is roughly a 3.5-hour drive from Gwalior airport and 90 minutes from Ahera Gate. The Tiktoli gate is 15 km away (30 minutes) but was shut when we visited.

The air-conditioned tents with a spacious front porch are tastefully furnished with a grand four-poster bed and creature comforts. The luxury tents are scheduled to be set up for 3 months annually (during the winter months) for the next 10 years. The property has one-night and two-night packages that include safaris.

They also organise cultural performances by local artists, guided nature walks, village walks, workshops, and adventure sports.

3. Rent House

There is also a rest house at Kuno National Park which can be booked by email (dfokunowls@mp.gov.in) or by phone (07530-220004, 9424791938, 9907216080). The rights of reservation of the rest houses remain with the CCF Lion Project and DFO Kuno, Sheopur. The rest house is perched on a high spot on the west bank of the Kuno river, and has four rooms with attached baths. Meals can be prepared on request. More hotels and resorts are expected to be set up in the coming years as the Cheetah project picks up.

Things To Do At Kuno National Park:

1. Kuno is home to three majestic fortresses, including the 500-year-old Palpur Fort or Garhi, located on the banks of Kuno River itself, the Amet Fort which was part of Chandravanshi Raja Bal Bahadur Singh’s kingdom and the Maitoni Fort which was the first fortress built when the royal family came here from Karauli. However, access to the fortresses is difficult, and they have been reclaimed by the jungles and are mostly populated by monkeys.

2. About 20 minutes away from the tent city lies Dev Kho, a serene spot with a waterfall and temple which can also be a bird watcher’s paradise. At the tent city, one can also sign up for photography, tribal art, and cooking workshops or try a tethered hot air balloon ride.

How To Reach:

Gwalior is the nearest airport to Kuno National Park; the distance of 160 km is covered in two and a half hours. Gwalior, Sawai Madhopur, Kota, Jaipur, and Jhansi are the nearest stations that provide rail connectivity to Kuno National Park.

Guide Contact:

You can connect with Shubham Purohit at +91 9754769047.

India is a proud owner of 200 wildlife sanctuaries! And it has always been and will forever remain as one of the best biodiversity hotspots in the world! When are you visiting Kuno National Park? Visit there soon before it gets crowded!

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