Panna Tiger Reserve

Top choice in Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh


Tigers are making a comeback after being reintroduced in 2009 to Panna Tiger Reserve from other Madhya Pradesh reserves; there are now thought to be more than 35 tigers here. There's a fair chance of seeing leopards, sloth bears or tigers while on safari, but what this park really excels at is birdlife, with over 200 species recorded, including many waterbirds not easily seen in other parks.

Panna is less visited than Bandhavgarh, Kanha or Pench, and safaris here are rarely booked out. The reserve's core zone is the Panna National Park, 543 sq km of beautiful forests and grasslands, with the crocodile-inhabited Ken (Karnavati) River flowing through it.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh attractions

1. Karnavati Interpretation Centre

0.01 MILES

This is where tickets for Panna Tiger Reserve 4WD safaris are issued. There's also a small museum with exhibits on the reserve. It's 1km from the park…

2. Chaturbhuja Temple

8.17 MILES

The small Chaturbhuja Temple (c 1100) anticipates Duladeo and its flaws, but has a fine 2.7m-high, four-armed statue of Vishnu in the sanctum. It is…

3. Bijamandala Temple

8.3 MILES

The 700m track to Bijamandala veers left (signposted) 200m before you reach Chaturbhuja Temple. This is the excavated mound of an 11th-century temple,…

4. Duladeo Temple

8.91 MILES

The Duladeo Temple, dedicated to Shiva and set among well-tended gardens just above a small river, is Khajuraho's youngest temple, dating to 1100–50. Its…

5. Shantinath Temple

9.1 MILES

Shantinath, a mixture of old and modern construction, is the main place of worship in the Jain group. It has a collection of components from older temples…

6. Parsvanath Temple

9.11 MILES

While not competing in size or erotica with the Western Group temples, this largest of the Jain temples in the walled enclosure is notable for the…

7. Adinath Temple

9.12 MILES

The late-11th-century Adinath has been partially restored over the centuries. With fine carvings on its three bands of sculptures, it’s similar to…

8. Ghantai Temple

9.28 MILES

Located between the old village and the Jain Enclosure, the small Jain Ghantai Temple is named after the ghanta (chain and bell) decorations on its…