Located amidst the 34 km long and scenic Kanger Valley, a Biosphere Reserve, Kanger Valley National Park is one of the most beautiful and picturesque national parks of India. The beautiful park is located on the banks of Kholaba River at a distance of about 27 km from Jagdalpur (headquarter of Bastar). Spread over an area of approximately 200 sq km comprising mainly of hilly terrain, the Park derives its name from the Kanger River, which flows throughout its length.
Known for its scenic beauty and the unique and rich biodiversity, Kanger Valley attained the status of a National Park in 1982. Besides wildlife and plants, there are many tourist attractions inside the park such as the Kutamsar Caves, Kailash Caves, Dandak Caves and Tiratgarh Waterfalls. Kanger Dhara and Bhaimsa Dhara (a Crocodile Park) are the two beautiful and exotic picnic resorts in the Park. The Park also has a sizable tribal population and can be an ideal destination for wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers, researchers, anthropologists and for anyone who wants to discover the very best of Chhattisgarh wildlife and unique tribes of the region.
Kanger Valley National Park is very rich in wildlife. Ant-hills are abundantly spread.Major animals found in the Park are cheetal, sambhar, wild boar, sloth bear, barking deer, porcupine, mouse deer, civet, rabbits, tiger, leopard, crocodiles, wild dog, hyena, mongoose, wolf, leopard cat, Indian false vampire bat. Darha of Kanger River and its tributaries and Parewa Badi have deep water pool and they are reservoir of varieties of fishes.
The panoromic Stalactites from Kotumsar Cave, IndiaKotamsar cave is reported to have fishes that are blind in the sense that their life activity like reproduction is not governed or actuated by solar light. Their blindness is not yet confirmed. Various kinds of snakes are reported in the park like python, cobra, karait, dhaman, flying snake, green snake etc. Among birds crested serpent eagle, woodpecker, owl, red jungle fowl, peacock, kingfisher, parrot are seen in good number. The famous Bastar hill mynas (Gracula religiosa peninsularis) are also seen seasonally.
Eastern half part of the park is richer in wild animals than western half. Eastern part is very hilly and steep and villages at its fringe are very few. Therefore, this part is more or less free with human interference. Adjoining to north-eastern boundary of the park is Machkot range of Bastar Forest Division, which is rich in wildlife. Gaurs (Bos gaurus) in good number of about fifty are found in Kurandi area of this range.
Flora and Fauna - Kanger Valley National Park
The flora in the park chiefly comprises of mixed moist deciduous type of forests with predominance of Sal, Teak and Bamboo trees. In fact, the Kanger Valley is the only region in the Peninsular India where one of the last pockets of virgin and untouched forests still left. Major Wildlife of the Kanger Valley National Park are the Tigers, Leopards, Mouse Deer, Wild Cat, Chital, Sambar, Barking Deer, Jackals, Langurs, Rhesus Macaque, Sloth Bear, Flying Squirrel, Wild Boar, Striped Hyena, Rabbits, Pythons, Cobra, Crocodiles, Monitor Lizards and Snakes to name a few. The avian fauna at the Park includes Hill Myna, Spotted Owlet, Red Jungle Fowls, Racket-tailed Drongos, Peacocks, Parrots, Steppe Eagles, Red Spur Fall, Phakta, Bhura Teeter, Tree Pie and Heron among many others.
How to Reach - Kanger Valley National Park
Kanger Valley is well approachable from Jagdalpur, district head quarter of Bastar. It is at a distance of about 27 km from Jagdalpur on the Jagdalpur - Konta road. You can also approach the park via Jagdalpur - Sargipal - Jatam - Nianar - Bodal road. Raipur (330 km) is the nearest airport and Jagdalpur (27 km) is the nearest railhead and bus stand from the Kanger Valley National Park.
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