A Panna Pilgrimage: Stripes, Spots, and the Vindhyan Soul
Our quest for the striped phantom led us to Panna Tiger Reserve, a gem nestled within the Vindhyan Ranges of Madhya Pradesh. This protected area, spanning roughly 542 square kilometres of core zone, is not just famous for its successful tiger reintroduction story but also for its diverse landscape of plateaus, gorges, and the life-giving Ken River. Panna was declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1994. Today, it is home to more than 80 wild tigers, including cubs. For its significant conservation efforts, Panna was included in UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves in August 2011. Approximately 20% of the park's core area is open to tourism.
We arrived near the reserve's primary entry point, the Madla gate, which is conveniently located on NH 39, the Panna-Khajuraho road. For our stay, we chose the MPT Jungle Resort, a well-regarded option situated right near the Madla gate, offering easy access for the safari timings. Madla is often considered a better zone for tiger and leopard sightings due to the higher density of these animals.
Our plan encompassed four safaris, all originating from the Madla gate, allowing us to delve deep into the core zone accessible from this entry point.
Safari 1: Afternoon of 18th April 2025 from Madla Gate
Our adventure began on the afternoon of 18th April 2025, entering the Madla core zone. The landscape immediately transitioned to the characteristic dry Teak and dry mixed forest, with stretches of miscellaneous dry deciduous forest and grasslands. As we drove through the trails, we had our first significant sighting: a cub sitting in the Ken River. This cub, part of the litter of tigress P141, was sitting a bit far away, but this distance allowed us to get an excellent habitat shot, capturing the animal within its natural environment. After this thrilling encounter, we searched for P141, the cub's mother, but returned with no success. During our return drive towards the gate, we were rewarded with another sighting: a leopard sitting inside a tree.
Safari 2: Morning of 19th April 2025 from Madla Gate
The following morning, we set out for our second safari in the early hours, often the most active time for wildlife. The safari started with a tiger (named SitA Gita) sighting on the other side of the Ken River in front of an area referred to as Baradari . She targeted a deer and was successful in her hunt, giving us a good habitat record shot of her kill. Later, we saw P141 resting with her cubs near a water body. We were able to take some photographs of the family. Then, P141 walked toward us, and we were able to get a few eloquent close-ups. After photographing her cubs, we moved toward the area of Vulture Point, a location historically important for vulture conservation. We had a sighting of a vulture. From there, while travelling over the plateau, a characteristic feature of Panna's terrain, we returned towards the Madla gate. En route, we saw Chausingha as well as other antelopes (like Chinkara and Nilgai) and a nightjar .
Safari 3: Afternoon of 19th April 2025 from Madla Gate
Our third safari in the afternoon saw us venturing into the known territory of P141. We saw all three of her cubs sitting in the grassland. Then, at some distance, P141 made a kill and returned together, the cubs for the feast. We managed to get shots of this incredible interaction, a testament to the tigress's role in providing for her young.
Safari 4: Morning of 20th April 2025 from Madla Gate
Our final safari, on the morning of the third day, took us back into the Madla zone. P141 was still in the grassland near her kill with her cubs, but due to bushes creating a disturbance, there was no clear sighting. We then decided to go for a boat safari on the Ken River, the reserve's lifeline. From the boat, we witnessed a crocodile in the river, which is also home to Gharials and Muggers. After the boat safari, we saw what were identified to us as P151's cubs resting in the bushes. We managed to get a few shots despite the bushes again obstructing a clear view.
Across our four safaris from Madla, we were treated to the diverse beauty of Panna's terrain, from the Ken Valley's scenic views to the vital grasslands and wooded areas. Beyond the thrilling search for tigers, we observed a wealth of other wildlife. We saw leopards, Deer species were abundant, including Chital, the large Indian Sambar, Chinkara, and Nilgai in the open grasslands. The birdlife was spectacular, with over 200 species recorded, including six of India's nine vulture species found here. We also learned about the unique flora, such as the medicinal Arjun tree, the Chirongi tree etc.
While a full sighting of every animal on the wish list is never guaranteed on any specific drive, the overall experience of exploring Panna Tiger Reserve from the Madla gate is incredibly rich. Our four safaris allowed us to witness the reserve's diverse ecosystems, its impressive wildlife, and provided unforgettable encounters that highlight the remarkable conservation success story of Panna.
My Final impressions of Panna Tiger Reserve trip:
Sighting Potential: Had notable sightings such as a P141 cub, a leopard, a tiger making a kill ("Geeta Seeta"), P141 with her cubs, a crocodile, and potential P151 cubs [Previous conversation]. This aligns with Panna's reputation, post its successful reintroduction program, as "one of the best places in India to see a wild tiger". Sources indicate the reserve is home to over 80 wild tigers, including cubs, or around 70. Madla gate is noted as generally having a higher density of tigers and leopards and is considered the number one gate for sighting. The presence of the Ken River, the reserve's lifeline, is highlighted as providing excellent habitat for tigers. Beyond tigers, Panna is home to a diverse range of mammals including leopards, sloth bears, hyenas, various deer and antelope species, birds (over 200 species, including 6 of India's 9 vulture species), and reptiles like pythons and river dwellers such as gharials and muggers.
Summer Heat: be ready to bear the extreme heat during the summer. The sources confirm that the period from March to June is considered the Summer Season for park timings. The mean maximum temperature in Panna can reach 45°C. While potentially uncomfortable, summer is also noted as a time when tiger sightings can be good because animals are often found near limited water sources.
Morning Safari Timing: morning safaris run from 5:45 AM till 11:30 AM, but guides/drivers tried to finish by 10:30 AM.
Guide/Guard Nexus & Guest Pointing: I witnessed a nexus between guides and guards who might target guests wishing to stay the full duration.
Guides/Drivers Working Purely for Tips: I noted that guides and drivers seemed to be working purely for tips, unlike other parks .
Vehicle Rule Violations: I observed vehicles flouting rules, disturbing animals through speeding, and staying beyond prescribed times at a single spot, particularly identifying "forest administration's guest vehicles" as offenders.
Accommodation/Food Costs and Guide Flexibility: MPT is a luxurious stay adjacent to park gate and I suggest to avoid MPT's all-inclusive food package for cost optimization.
I observed a lack of flexibility in choosing guides and found guides influencing counter staff to get visitors of their choices. visitors lack flexibility in choosing their guide while i found that guides are getting their allocations changed with the help of counter staff.
