Cheetahs disappeared from India in the 1950s. In 2022 they came back — to Kuno National Park in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh. Today Kuno is the heart of Project Cheetah, and the best place in India to look for one in the wild.
Project Cheetah — a short history
- September 2022: the first 8 cheetahs arrive from Namibia and are released at Kuno.
- February 2023: 12 more cheetahs arrive from South Africa.
- 2023 onwards: the first cubs are born on Indian soil — the start of an India-born cheetah population.
- Today: India has 60 cheetahs, 41 of them born in India, with Kuno as their main home.
Latest: 5 new cubs
India-born cheetah KJP21 has given birth to five cubs at Kuno. Read the full story: KJP21 gives birth to 5 cubs. For more updates, follow our Kuno news.
Can I see a cheetah on a Kuno safari?
Yes, many of our guests do — but no sighting can ever be guaranteed, because the cheetahs roam freely over a very large area. Your best chances:
- Go with a local guide. Our guides grew up around Kuno and know where the cats have been moving.
- Take the morning slot (06:00 AM). Cheetahs are most active in the cool early hours.
- Think about the season. Later in the season (around March to June) the grass is drier and shorter, which can make spotting easier — but it is hot, so take the morning slot. See timings & season.
- Book two safaris. A morning and an afternoon drive roughly doubles your chances.
Watch: filmed on our Kuno safaris
Real moments our guests and drivers filmed on Kuno safaris from the Tiktoli Gate. Tap a video to play. More in our gallery.
Cheetah or leopard?
Kuno also has leopards, and visitors often mix them up. A cheetah is slim and long-legged with solid round spots and a black "tear line" running from each eye to the mouth. A leopard is stockier with rosette-shaped spots (rings with a hollow centre) and no tear lines. More on Kuno's other animals: Kuno wildlife.
See Kuno cheetah safari packages