Plan your trip · Kanha

What's on in Kanha

Upcoming festivals, fairs and events in Kanha — plan your visit around them, then check the best time to visit.

Nothing dated is confirmed for Kanha right now, so here is the year instead — the fixtures that come round annually, and what each one means for a visit.

The year in Kanha

Kanha's calendar is the park's: safaris run through the dry months and stop for the monsoon, and the weeks that sell out first are the school and festival holidays. Broadly, Oct – Mar and Apr – Jun is the time to come, and safari permits for the holiday weeks go early.

Most of these follow lunar calendars and move by weeks from year to year, so treat the windows below as the season rather than the date, and confirm the year’s dates before you book around one.

Signature to Kanha

Park season

🗓️ October–June

Safaris run from October to June; the core zones shut for the monsoon. Winter mornings are cold and misty over the meadows, and sightings get easier as the water dries up through April–June.

Planning: Safari permits are booked online through the state forest department and sell out for holiday weeks.

Nationwide

Diwali

🗓️ October–November

The biggest holiday of the year — lamps, sweets, fireworks and a week of visiting family. Cities are lit up and markets stay open late.

Holi

🗓️ March

Coloured powder and water, thrown at anyone within reach, mostly through the morning.

Navratri and Dussehra

🗓️ September–October

Nine nights of fasting, music and dance, ending with Dussehra. What it looks like changes completely by region — garba in Gujarat, pandals in Bengal, processions in the south.

Eid al-Fitr

🗓️ shifts ~11 days earlier each year

The end of Ramadan. The old quarters of Delhi, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Bhopal are at their best in the evenings through the preceding month, when food streets run past midnight.

Makar Sankranti and Pongal

🗓️ mid-January

The harvest turn, marked with kites in the west and north and four days of Pongal in Tamil Nadu.

Kanha's calendar is set by the park more than by festivals. The core zones reopen after the monsoon, usually on 1 October, and the season runs until 30 June. Safaris usually do not run on Holi and Diwali, and there is no afternoon safari on Wednesdays, so check these dates before you book. The Diwali holidays, Christmas and New Year are the busiest weeks of the year.

In the villages around the park, the Gond and Baiga people keep their own festivals. Gond communities celebrate Pola, when farmers honour their bullocks, as well as Phag at Holi time and Dussehra. The Baiga are known for the Karma dance. In nearby Mandla, Narmada Jayanti brings devotees to the riverside ghats, usually in late January or February. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change each year, so check them against the best time to visit Kanha before you plan your trip.

Tips for Attending Events & Festivals in Kanha

Check the closure days before you book, as safaris usually stop on Holi and Diwali.
Book safari permits and rooms early for the Diwali holidays, Christmas and New Year.
Visit village festivals only with a local guide or when you are invited.
Ask before photographing dances, rituals or people.
Carry warm layers for evening events from November to February.
Expect crowds at the Mandla ghats on Narmada Jayanti.

Questions

Kanha — FAQ

What are the main festivals and events in Kanha?

Kanha has no big festivals of its own. The key dates are the park's reopening on 1 October and the busy Diwali, Christmas and New Year holidays. Around the park, Gond and Baiga villages celebrate festivals such as Pola, Phag and Dussehra, and Mandla marks Narmada Jayanti.

Is Kanha open on Holi and Diwali?

Safaris in Kanha usually do not run on Holi and Diwali, and the afternoon safari is closed every Wednesday. Check the official booking portal for the closure days before you plan.

When is Narmada Jayanti in Mandla?

Narmada Jayanti falls on the seventh day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Magh, usually in late January or February. The main celebrations are at Rapta Ghat in Mandla.

Is Kanha busy over Christmas and New Year?

Yes. Christmas and New Year are among the busiest times in Kanha, and safari permits and rooms can sell out well ahead. Book as early as you can, and pack warm clothes for the cold mornings.