Route library · Outstation · Jungle & wildlife
Delhi to Kuno National Park
Kuno National Park, near Sheopur in the north-west corner of Madhya Pradesh, is the dry-deciduous forest and open grassland chosen for India's cheetah reintroduction — the first cheetahs on Indian soil in about seventy years. It sits on the Kuno river in the broken, thinly-populated country south of the Chambal ravines, and was originally prepared as a second home for the Gir lions. It is a long outstation ride to a reserve that is still finding its feet as a visitor destination — few crowds, big skies, real wilderness.
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At a glance
- Round trip
- About 950–1,050 km
- Riding time
- 2 days each way
- Nights
- 3 nights
- Start point
- Delhi (via Sawai Madhopur and Sheopur, or via Gwalior and Sheopur)
- Highest point
- About 500 m — low, rolling forest and ravine country
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Long highway and state-road riding through thinly-populated ravine country; safari inside the park is by registered gypsy only.
- Surface
- Sealed throughout; the Sawai Madhopur–Sheopur and Sheopur–Kuno state roads are two-lane with broken sections and long empty stretches.
- Best season
- October to March. Winter is dry, cool and the best time for the grassland and for sightings; April to June is severe heat; the park's safari zones close in the monsoon, roughly July to September.
- Permits
- Park entry and safari are by forest-department permit and registered gypsy from the designated gates only — private motorcycles are not allowed inside Kuno.
The ride
Two routes south: via Sawai Madhopur and Sheopur (quieter, more ravine country), or via Gwalior and Sheopur (more highway). Either is two riding days. Base at a lodge or a Sheopur / Kuno-gate homestay.
You cannot ride inside the park — take a booked forest-department safari from the designated gate. Around Kuno: the Kuno river and its bridges, the Sheopur fort and old town, and the road on toward the Chambal ravines and Palpur. It is a place for slow riding and long light, not a checklist.
Day by day
Delhi to Sawai Madhopur / Sheopur
Expressway and highway south to Sawai Madhopur or straight on toward Sheopur (9–11 hours). Night en route or at Sheopur.
To Kuno; afternoon safari
Complete the ride to the Kuno gate area, check in, and take a booked afternoon safari.
Kuno: morning safari + Sheopur
A dawn safari, then the Sheopur fort and old town, or a quiet ride along the Kuno river. Second night near the park.
Kuno to Delhi
The two-day ride home — start early to clear the ravine roads in daylight.
Fuel & services
- Fuel is fine on the main legs — the expressway, Sawai Madhopur, Gwalior, and Sheopur all have pumps.
- The Sawai Madhopur–Sheopur and Sheopur–Kuno stretches run through thinly-populated ravine country with long gaps between pumps — up to 80–100 km. Fill at every town and carry 3–5 litres of spare for the group.
- Kuno has a growing set of lodges and homestays near the gates; Sheopur has basic hotels. Food is simple. Carry cash — card acceptance and reliable ATMs thin out past Sawai Madhopur / Gwalior.
Road & conditions
The expressway and main highways are fast with the usual truck and fatigue hazards. The state roads to Sheopur and Kuno are two-lane with broken sections, blowing dust, slow farm and quarry traffic and long empty stretches through ravine country — ride them in daylight, keep the group together, and do not ride the forest-edge roads at night, when leopards, hyena, jackal and now cheetah move. You cannot and must not ride inside the park.
Bike, fuel & getting help
- Suggested bike
- Fine on a well-maintained 150–200cc commuter.
- Fuel gap
- One long stretch without a pump — fill up before it and top off where you can.
- Spare fuel
- Carry 3–5 litres of spare fuel.
- Emergency & logistics
- District hospitals at Sheopur and Sawai Madhopur; forest-department help at the Kuno gates; safaris are by registered gypsy only. The Sheopur–Kuno roads run through thin ravine country — plan the legs to arrive before dark and do not ride the forest-edge roads at night, when leopard, hyena and now cheetah move.
Best time to ride
October to March. December to February is ideal — dry, cool, the grassland at its best and animal movement easiest. April to June is hard, dry heat. The safari zones close for the monsoon, roughly July to September, when the state roads are also at their worst. Sightings of cheetah are not guaranteed at any time — go for the country as much as the cats.
What to add to your kit
Beyond the standard ride kit: a dust buff and eye protection for the ravine roads, layers for cold dawns, binoculars for the safari, spare fuel for the group, and cash. Nothing technical, but the legs are long — plan fatigue stops.
Ride this with a group
We run Kuno as a 4-day outstation ride — two riding days south through ravine country, booked forest-department safaris, the Sheopur fort, and a river-access clean-up as the service action. India's cheetah country, still quiet.