wildlife tours

Wildlife tourism in India has been attracting tourists from all over the world. There are a number of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India which are appealing tourists, nature lovers, wildlife lovers, and wildlife adventure enthusiasts from all over the world. Indian jungles are home around 3500 species of mammals, two thousand different species of birds, nearly 30000 different kinds of insects and more than 15000 varieties of plants. Wildlife tourism in India will never fail to lure visitors and wildlife enthusiasts coming from different parts of the world. Know about some famous wildlife parks and sanctuaries of India.

Jim Corbett National Park

 

The oldest National Park of the country, Jim Corbett National Park was established in the year 1936. Originally called the Hailey National Park, it was renamed as Jim Corbett in 1956, in honour of the hunter of the man eating tigers in the Kumaon hill, Jim Corbett. Corbett turned into a world famous wildlife conservationist and author of some of the world renowned books in the later year of his life.

The Park
The Jim Corbett National park is located in the Nainital district of the Uttarakhand State, India. Covering an area of 1318 sq km of area, the park is spread over a varied landscape including mountains, grassland, rivers, swamps, marshes and forests. The fauna accordingly is as varied as the flora.

The Park is divided into two areas, the buffer or the outer area and the core area, which is the innermost area which is untouched by the human population. The buffer area is where tourists go to spot animals, while the core area is dense and without any human interruption.
The area accessible to tourists consists of dense forests and the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Flora:
The park is dominated by Sal forests, which have covered it densely. Also, there are around 488 plant species that have been recorded at Corbett.

Fauna:
The Fauna varies greatly at the Park and is residing in plenty. The mammals found at the park include- Bengal Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Deer (Barking, Cheetal, Black Buck and Sambar), Black Bears, Sloth, Yellow throated Martens, Langurs and Indian Grey Mongoose etc.

There are about 585 species of migratory as well as resident birds, some of the most famous ones including- red jungle fowl, crested serpent eagle, blossom headed parakeet etc.

Jim Corbett National park is also home to 37 species of dragonflies, 7 species of amphibians, 7 species of fishes and 33 species of reptiles.

Project Tiger:
The Government of India's ambitious Tiger Project was launched in the Corbett National Park, the main reason being that the park is home to the endangered species of the Bengal Tiger.

Things to do:
A visit to Corbett national Park opens up a wide variety of opportunity to explore and spend some of the best time in the dense forests, locating some of the rare species of animals and exotic varieties of birds as well as insects. There are many things to do here, including:

• Elephant Safari: One of the most popular things to do in Corbett, the elephant safari is entertaining as well as exhilarating ride atop an elephant.

• Jeep Safari: More apt for those who want to explore the forests a little deeper and are ready for some adventure. Jeep Safaris take you through the course made in the forests, and if luck is on your side, you can spot a tiger perhaps.

• Corbett Museum: The museum, which is dedicated to the founder and the eminent figure of the Kumaon hills, Jim Corbett, houses some of the man's weapons, old maps, books and other articles. The museum, well preserved, is an enriching experience in itself.

Accommodation:
There are various resorts as well guest houses in as well as around the park.

How to reach:
Jim Corbett can be easily reached through the following ways:
Airport: The nearest airport from Ramnagar is Pant Nagar at a distance of 80 kilometres.
Rail: The nearest railway station is at Ramnagar.

Highlights:
State: Uttarakhand
Address: Dhikala, Rankihet Raod, Ramnagar, Pin- 244715, Uttarakhand, India
Area: 1,319 sq km (509 sq miles)
Year of Establishment: 1936
Forest Types: Sal forests, Anogeissus-Acacia catechu forests
Flora: Jamun, Diospyros Tomentosa, Mallotus Philippensis
Fauna: Leopard Cat, Hog Deer, Sloth, Himalayan Goral
Best Time to Visit: January to March


Kaziranga National Park

 


Kaziranga National Park, is an esteemed national park of India. This protected area of Assam has no dearth of distinct flora and fauna. Due to which, in the year 1985 it has designated as one of the famous natural World Heritage Site of our country.

This national park was established in the year 1905 as a Reserve forest. Since than it has achieved a notable success in wildlife conservation. All thanks to the first efforts made by the Mary Victoria Leiter Curzon, wife of Viceroy of India Lord Curzon in the British era.

This place is a paradise for nature's lover. It has distinct biological biodiversity of universal value. It is the oldest park in Assam which covers a vast area of 430 Sq km. Long elephant grasslands, marshlands, and dense tropical moist broad leaf forest creates an ideal ambiance for the survival of the wildlife.

Location Of Kazianga:

Kaziranga is situated partly in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam in India. It is situated along the river Brahmaputra on the North and the Karbi Anglong hills on the South. Hemmed by lush tea bushes, Kaziranga National Park provides an awesome scenic view. National Highway 37 passes through this park.

Attractions Of Kaziranga:

The real asset of Kaziranga National Park is its wide variety of flora and fauna. The main treasure trove of Kaziranga is Great One Horned Rhinoceros, but it is also home to other species of wildlife such as elephants, wild Asiatic water buffaloes, swamp deer, hog deer, gaur, sambar, Indian Muntjac, Hispid Hare, wild boar, jungle cat, Large Indian Civet, Bengal Fox, Golden Langur, Assamese Macaque, Gibbon and many more.

Kaziranga also has a great number of tigers due to which it was declared as a Tiger Reserve in the year 2006. Rivers flowing through Kaziranga are home to the Ganges Dolphin. Kaziranga National park is also recognized as an important bird watching destination by Birdlife International for conservation of avifaunal species. Earlier it was the home to seven different types of vultures which are now on the verge of extinction. Some of the famous birds that are available in this park are Bengal Florican, Blyth'sKingfisher, Swamp Francolin, White- Bellied Heron, Dalmatian Pelican, Spot-billed Pelican, Eastern Imperial, Grey Headed fish eagle etc.

Best time to visit Kaziranga:

The best time to visit Kaziranga National Park is from mid-November to early-April. The Park generally remain close during the monsoon season i.e from May to October. Due to the heavy rains, Brahmaputra River bursts its banks, flooding the low-lying grasslands and causing wildlife to migrate from one area to another within the Kaziranga National Park.

Nearby excursion places to Kaziranga National Park

Nearby excursion places to Kaziranga includes the lush tea, coffee and rubber plantations of the nearby Karbi Anglong district. Karbi villages located near to the park also can be nice place to visit. Another nearby excursion place to Kaziranga is Panbari Reserve Forest and the tea gardens of this region.

Highlights:
State: Assam
Address: National Highway -37, Bokakhat, Pin-785609, Assam, India
Area: 430 sq.kms.
Year of Establishment: 1974
Forest Types: Grasslands, Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests, Tropical Semi-Evergreen Forests
Flora: Albizia Procera, Duabanga Grandiflora, Lagerstroemia Speciosa, Crateva Unilocularis
Fauna: One-Horned Rhinoceros, Asiatic Elephants, Wild Buffaloes, Royal Bengal Tiger
Best Time to Visit: November to April



Ranthambore National Park

 

Ranthambore National Park, the enchanting 400 square kilometer park in that state of Rajasthan has an astonishing copiousness of wildlife including rare and endangered animals such as tigers, leopards, Asian elephants and nilgai. Other species present are jungle cat, hyena, jackal, porcupine, wild boar, sloth bear, marsh crocodile, langur, Indian gazelle, spotted deer and sambar (Asiatic stag).

The Ranthambore National Park is the Rajasthan's first Project Tiger Reserve. It is counted among India's best national parks. Ranthambore derives its name from the 1,000 year old fort which stands within the premises of the park. The park is bounded by the river Chambal in the south and river Banas in the north. The three water features Rajbaugh lake, Milak Tank and Padam tank are a home to variety of migratory birds. They are adorned with the pink lotuses on which the Sambars often feed.

The landscape is covered with the belts of dry deciduous forests with ancient banyan trees, pipals, dhok, ranj, salai, ber and palm trees. Ranthambore is a very special biosphere for it harbors huge variety of species of birds and animals. Some of which are highly endangered and listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red Data Book. It is one such park where Tigers can also be spotted during the day time.

There is no better way to explore the park than by taking the exciting jeep safari. Get up early in the morning, hire a jeep for the day, go to the forest area and and indulge in birding, game viewing or tiger spotting in the park. Do not forget to take the wildlife expert guide, who can give you the better insight of the jungle and wilderness.

Highlights:
State: Rajasthan
Address: Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan
Area: 392 sq.kms
Year of Establishment: 1980
Forest Types: Dry Deciduous Forests, Open Grassy Meadow
Flora: Mangifera Indica, Ficus Benghalensis, Tamarindicus Indica, Prosopis Specigera
Fauna: Leopard,Chital, Sambar, Hyena, Nilgai, Wild Boar
Best Time to Visit: November to March


Bandipur National Park

 

Bandipur National Park is one of the oldest parks in the Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary. Situated in Karnataka, it is among the biggest wildlife reserves of India. It is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is highly protected by the Indian Government.

Bandipur Park is home to around 70 Royal Bengal Tigers, and more than three thousand Indian elephants. It is also an integral part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The park is also well known for its sandalwood trees and some of the rare most species of flora. The park is known for rare species of timber and bamboo trees.

Highlights:
State: Karnataka
Address: Ooty Road, Bandipur, Mysore, Karnataka 571121, India
Area: 874 sq.kms
Year of Establishment: 1974
Forest Types: Dry Deciduous Forests, Tropical Mixed Deciduous Forests
Flora: Rosewood, Teak, Sandalwood, Banyan
Fauna: Panther, Tigers, Chital, Four-Horned Antelope
Best Time to Visit: July and September-November


Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary

 

This is among the famous of all Kerala Wildlife Sanctuaries which famous for its exotic collections of flora and fauna. It is located in the beautiful ambiance of the Western Ghats and spreads over an area of approximately 777 sq km. This wildlife park derives its name from the Periyar Lake which flows across this park. This is the only wildlife park in India where watchers can view wild animals from close quarters during the boat cruise in the lake. Some of the well sighted species of this wild reserve are tigers, wild elephants, Sloth Bears, wild boars, Stripe-necked Mongoose and more. The availability of 260 species of birds makes this reserve a heaven for bird's lover.

Highlights:
State: Kerala
Address: Anappady, Thunakadavu P.O, Parambikulam, Palakkad, Muthalamada South, Kerala 678661
Area: 643.66 sq km
Year of Establishment: 1973
Flora: Teak, Neem, Sandalwood, Rosewood
Fauna: Lion-Tailed Macaques, Wild Boar, Leopard
Best Time to Visit: August to January

Bandhavgarh National Park

 

Bandhavgarh National Park, the name at once conjures up the image of a national park which is rich with flora and fauna of many varieties and which boasts of the pride of the jungles-the tigers. But Bandhavgarh is much more. It's also a Tiger Reserve with the highest density of tiger population in India. More importantly, it is the White Tiger Country. Yes, Bandhavgarh is the place where you can still see the rare white tigers in their natural habitats.

Situated on the Vindhya Hills, in the Shahdol and Jabalpur districts of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, the Bandhavgarh National Park was the shikargarh (game reserve) of the former Maharaja of Rewa. The Park has a core area of 105 sq km and a buffer area of 400 sq km. The Johilla, Son and Umar rivers pass through Bandhavgarh.

The magnificent Bandhavgarh Hill, from which the national park gets its name, is situated in the center of the park, and is surrounded with sloping hills that end in small swampy meadows. There are 32 beautiful hills surrounding the Tiger Reserve. There's the 14th century Bandhavgarh Fort also inside the park which much adds to the park's appeal.

Apart from the pride of Bandhavgarh, the Royal Bengal Tigers, the Sal and bamboo trees dominated national park has several types of animals that include Sloth Bear, Leopard, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Gaur (Indian Bison), and Black Faced Langur. For the bird watchers, Bandhavgarh has Owls, Minivets, Steppe Eagles, Black Stork, White Bellied Dronges, and Parakeets.

The best time to visit the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve is between mid November and June. As it is well connected, the Bandhavgarh National Park can be reached easily, without any convenience. The nearest airport is at Khajuraho which is 270 km away and the nearest rail head is at Umaria which is just 35 km away.

Highlights:
State: Madhya Pradesh
Address: Tala, Umaria (M.P.), India, Pin Code – 484 661.
Area: 446 sq.kms
Year of Establishment: 1968
Forest Types: Sal Forest, West Gangetic Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests, Moist Peninsular Low Level Sal
Flora: Anogeissus Latifolia, Butea Monosperma, Grewia Tilifolia, Terminalia Tomentosa
Fauna: Tiger, Panther, Deer
Best Time to Visit: October to April

Gir National Park and Sasan Gir Sanctuary

 

Gir National Park is 64 kilometers from the city of Junagadh and 32 kilometers from Verawal. It is located in the city of Gurajat. The park has a total land area of 1,412.14 sq. kilometers. Its lion sanctuary measures 141,213 hectares while the main area of the national park is 35,948 hectares. Aside from being a national park, Gir is also a wildlife sanctuary. It was established in September 18, 1965 as a forest reserve in order to protect the world famous Asiatic lion.

The land coverage area has a status of being a national park even at only 2,450 hectares. In addition, it lies within the district of Junagadh in Gurajat. It is about 65 kilometers from the southeastern portion of the Junagadh city and about 90 kilometers from the eastern portion of the Keshod Airport in Saurashtra or Kathiawar Peninsula.

The forest rest house of Sasa is the main headquarters of the sanctuary. It is filled with varieties of deciduous type such as teak, flame of the forest, ber and jamun as well as types of acacias like babul. The road that leads to the attraction is hilly with a lot of rivers. Moreover, this national park offers its visitors pleasant and long drives throughout the forest cover.

The park's main wildlife attraction is the Asiatic lion. This site is the only lasting habitat of this species that has been residing in the park's forest since the year 1884. An estimated 239 of this breed had been reported to live in this area since 1885. They are slightly smaller in appearance than their African counterparts though the largest male lions of this park are still a wonderful sight to see.

Highlights:
State: Gujarat
Address: Junagadh District, Gir Somnath District and Amreli District Gujarat, India
Area: 1412 sq.kms.
Year of Establishment: 1965
Forest Types: Mixed Deciduous Forest
Flora: Timru, Amla, Babul, Moledi, Bahedo
Fauna: Asiatic Lions, Spotted Deer, Chinkara, Blue Bull, Chousingha
Best Time to Visit: late-November to early-March
 

Kanha National Park

 

Kanha national park is one of the wild life parks in India. Kanha national park is located in Mandla district, Madhya Pradesh state, central India, extending over 122 sq mi (316 sq km) of the central highlands, at an elevation of from 2,000 ft (600 m) to 3,000 ft. Originally established as the Banjar Valley Sanctuary in 1935, it became a national park in 1955 and was enlarged in 1964. It is an area of grassland, bamboo groves, and sal forests that supports 22 species of mammals, including tigers, leopards, chital (spotted deer), sambar (large, long-tailed deer), and barasingha (swamp deer), and about 200 species of birds.

The park was originally established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1935. Kanha national park was astablished to protect wild species, Kanha is home to about 22 species of mammals and about 300 species of bird and largest no. of tigers found in the park.

Main Attractions of Kanha National Park

The main attractions of Kanha national park are Tiger, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Barasingha, Barking Deer, Chousihgha, Nilgai, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Fox, Porcupine, Hyaena, Jungle Cat, Python, Hare, Monkey, Mongoose, etc. can also be seen here.Birds species in the park Storks, Teals, Pintails, Pond Herons, Egrets, Peacock, Pea Fowl, Jungle Fowl, Spur Fowl, Patridges, Quails, Ring Doves, Green Pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Cuckoos, Rollers, Bee Eater, Hoopes, Drongos, Warblers, King Fishers, Wood Peckers, Finches, Orioles, Owls, Fly Catchers in Kanha Kisli.

The tiger population was said to be 48 in 1976 and is estimated today at 100. Here are an estimated 8,600 species of birds worldwide and of these over 1,200, or about 14%, may be found in the Indian subcontinent.

Other Attractions in Kanha National Park

Kanha museum is situated inside the park. Inside museum a visitor can find lots of information about topography, park maps, pug marks of various animals etc.

Raja Rani:Near the visitor centre one can see the stumps of two giant sal trees that are worshipped daily in the forests. Known as Raja Rani, these trees once lived in the Kanha National Park.

How to Reach Kanha National Park?

By air
Jabalpur is the nearest airport while Nagpur is nearest most convenient airport. Daily flight available from the major cities in india. Indian airlines operates daily flight Delhi-Nagpur & Mumbai-nagpur.

By Rail:
Many trains are available to Labalpur, Daily trains between Delhi and Jabalpur are Mahakoshal Exp and Gondwana Express, Other major trains plying to Jabalpur include Sanghamitra Exp and Varanasi Exp.

By Road:
Regular buses from abalpur to Kanha are available. Easily anyone can here cars for there convenience to reach kanha. Another option is the drive from Jabalpur via Tikaria and Mandla. To reach the park from Nagpur, take the NH6 to Bhandara.

Highlights:
State: Madhya Pradesh
Address: Mangitola Mukki Gate, Mukki, SH 11, Gunegaon, Madhya Pradesh – 481111
Area: 1945 sq km
Year of Establishment: 1955
Forest Types: Tropical Moist Dry Deciduous Type
Flora: Acacia Torta, Anogeissus Latifolia, Buchanania Lanzan, Butea Monosperma
Fauna: Tiger, Gaur, Sambhar, Chital, Python, Leopard, Porcupine
Best Time to Visit: October to June