Cradled within the Vindhya Range, this tiger reserve occupies two revenue districts, Panna and Chhatarpur. Like Bandhavgarh, Panna too was the hunting reserve of its erstwhile rulers. The Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary comprising of the Panna Forest Divisions (north and south) was created in 1975. In 1981, the area was enlarged and its legal status was elevated to a national park. The protected area was brought under Project Tiger in 1994. The topography in Panna is an open and dry landscape, where the distribution of water bodies plays an integral role in the spatial presence of wild animals. Places where there is a significant drop in elevation are locally referred to as seha, and these provide a good cover for the animals. The animal life here comprises of tigers, leopards, chowsingha, sloth bear, nilgai, chinkara, hyena, chital, over 200 species of birds, gharial and mugger in the Ken River, and vultures and other raptors as well. Must-see areas include Pandava Fall, Kamasan Fall, Dhundhawa Fall, Bhauradeh Fall, Bhadar and Badgadi Fall, Raneh Fall and the cave paintings.
You can also get binoculars in order to witness far-away animals and other exciting attractions. The most exciting fact about the Panna National Park is that this park along with its neighbouring areas was the real source of inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s famed novel, Jungle Book. Needless to say, this could be a source of immense excitement and happiness for children. You would also be very excited to learn that there are many other parks nearby which are equally famous. These include, Kanha National Park, Pench National Park, and Bandhavgarh National Park. Thousands of tourists come every year to visit these important parks, and of course they are never disappointed. Panna National Park with an area of 542.67 km2 is one of the best maintained national parks in India, and attracts numerous tourists every year. The roads are pretty well maintained here, and people are always on the lookout for the tigers. If you are lucky, you will be able to witness tigers here in the Panna National Park. You can also explore exotic water animals, thanks to the Ken River flowing here.