Kanger Valley National Park

Kanger Valley National Park is a protected forested valley in Bastar district, Chhattisgarh, about 27 km southeast of Jagdalpur along the Kanger River. Notified in 1982 and covering about 200 sq km, it is noted for dense sal and teak forests, limestone caves such as Kotumsar and Kailash, and waterfalls including Tirathgarh and Kanger Dhara. The park supports diverse wildlife including leopards, sloth bears and the Bastar hill myna, the state bird of Chhattisgarh.

Visitors can expect a dense deciduous forest valley with the Kanger River flowing through it, limestone cave systems, waterfalls and viewpoints. Accessible areas include guided cave tours at Kotumsar, Kailash and Dandak caves, viewpoints over Tirathgarh and Kanger Dhara waterfalls, forest trails and safari tracks for wildlife and birdwatching. Facilities are basic with forest rest houses, visitor centre and local guides. Terrain includes forest paths, steps and dark cave interiors.

Notified as a National Park in 1982 under the Wildlife Protection Act, covering 200 sq km of the Kanger Valley. Named after the Kanger River which flows through its length, the valley has long been part of the Bastar forest region and was protected to conserve its unique limestone cave systems, forest ecosystem and wildlife.

The park lies in the traditional homeland of Dhruva and other tribal communities of Bastar. The surrounding region is known for tribal culture, handicrafts and local festivals, and the Bastar Hill Myna found here is the state bird of Chhattisgarh.