Panna National Park

Panna lies along the Ken river in gorges and plateaus of dry deciduous forest and teak, and in 2009 an official assessment confirmed that poaching had eliminated its tigers entirely. Reintroduction began the same year with animals from Bandhavgarh and Kanha, and the population has since grown into the dozens, with the recovery treated as one of the more successful of its kind. The river is a second draw: boat trips run on the Ken past gharial and mugger crocodiles, and the Pandav falls and Raneh gorge lie nearby. Its proximity to Khajuraho makes it easy to combine with the temples.

What you actually see

• The reintroduced tigers - a population rebuilt from zero since 2009.
• The Ken river - boat trips past gharial and mugger crocodiles.
• The gorges and plateaus - dry deciduous forest over layered rock.
• Raneh falls - a canyon of coloured volcanic rock nearby.

When to go

October to June; the park closes for the monsoon. Sightings improve from March as water concentrates. Khajuraho's proximity makes a two or three day combination straightforward.

Honest expectations

Tiger numbers, though recovered, remain lower than the big reserves and sightings are less frequent. A proposed river-linking dam project has raised long-running questions about the park's future. Boat operation depends on water levels.

Nearby

Khajuraho lies northeast; Orchha is northwest.