Planning for a Wildlife Tour? Here are the Awesome Destinations
Do you still remember the famous movies — Tarzan and The Jungle Book? Of course, more than half of us do! And in all honesty, we all still want to live the life of Tarzan and Mowgli (like we all used to dream in our childhood), isn’t it? So what we cannot live in such a world, but hey, we can still spot Bagheera, Sabor, Sher Khan, Kala, and Akela in the wilds of India.
Wildlife in India is very rich and diverse that draw a large influx of nature and wildlife lovers from around the globe. Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India offer travellers an ultimate excitement of coming face to face with wild animals and that too in their own habitat. The list of wildlife destinations in India is quite long with each offering a unique experience in itself. Since all the destinations cannot be includes, we have compiled a list of top wildlife places in India. So, let’s get started. Enjoy!
1. Ranthambore National Park
Sprawls over an extensive area of 392 sq km, Ranthambore in Rajasthan is one of the largest national parks in India. The park was once the hunting ground for the Maharajas of the region. Apart from the wildlife, the park is also famous for a historical fortress. This conservation park is known for its tiger trails and birdwatching tours.
Species to See: Egret, Jackal, Jungle Cat, Indian fox, tiger, leopard, Parakeet, flamingos, Ibis, Pelican, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Monkey and more.
Best Time to Visit: October to May
2. Sundarbans National Park
An unworldly setup of wetlands mudflats, mangroves, seven rivers and crocodiles, Sundarbans National Park. In the state of West Bengal, Sunderbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. The only way to explore the park is through cruising. The park is home to a variety of reptiles, birds and wild animals.
Species to See: Bengal tiger, jungle cat, flying fox, chital, fishing cat, macaques, wild boar, pangolin, Indian grey mongoose, black-headed ibis, jungle babbler, cotton teal, eastern knot, northern pintail, butterfish, common carp, estuarine crocodiles, turtles, monitor lizard, green turtle and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to February.
3. Jim Corbett National Park — Uttarakhand
Whenever it is about wildlife in India, Jim Corbett National Park is considered to be one of the best hideouts for wildlife buffs. Situated close to Nainital, Jim Corbett was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park to preserve the endangered Bengal tiger. The park has four zones — Dhikala, Durgadevi, Bijrani, and Jhirna. All the four zones are ideal for tiger sighting.
Species to See: Elephant, spotted deer, tiger, leopard, jungle cat, fishing cat, barking deer, sambar deer, Himalayan black bear, Indian grey, Indian pangolins, blossom-headed parakeet, crested serpent eagle, red junglefowl, and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to March
4. Kaziranga National Park — Assam
Home to the Indian rhino, also known as one-horned rhino, Kaziranga sprawls over a large area of 430 sq km. Apart from the rhinos, the park also serves as the dwelling land of other four of the ‘Big Five’. Besides, Kaziranga is also an ideal place for bird watching as it houses more than 450 feather species.
Species to See: Rhino, buffalo, elephant, tiger, leopard, small Indian mongoose, Chinese pangolin, hog badger, sloth bear, jungle cat, golden jackal, hoolock gibbon, black-necked stork, greater spotted, Pallas’s fish eagle, lesser kestrel, Bengal monitor, rock python, reticulated python, and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to April
5. Periyar National Park — Kerala
One of the most important tiger reserves in South India, Periyar is spread over an area of 305 sq km. The park boasts a perfect blend of nature and adventure. Apart from the jungle safari, tourists can also indulge in various other enthralling activities like jungle patrol, jungle camp, bamboo rafting, and border hiking.
Species to See Asian elephant, tiger, white tiger, sloth bear, Nilgiri tahr, jungle cat, Salim Ali’s fruit bat, Nilgiri marten, Travancore flying core, little spider hunt, great hornbill, Oriental darter, king cobra, Malabar pit viper, and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to March
6. The Great Himalayan National Park — Himachal Pradesh
Amidst the snowclad mountain regions of Kullu, The Great Himalayan National Park is undoubtedly one of the most amazing places to be for an ultimate wildlife experience. Covering a large area of 1171 sq km, the park is a world heritage site and is home to affluent flora and fauna. Far away from the cacophony of city life, The Great Himalayan National Park is one of the best stopovers for wildlife aficionados exploring the top wildlife destinations in India.
Species to See: Himalayan brown bear, blue sheep, snow leopard, musk deer, Himalayan tahr, barking deer, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan goral, common leopard, red fox, serow, crested kingfisher, blue whistling thrush, and more.
Best Time to Visit: February to June
7. Tadoba National Park — Maharashtra
In the Chandrapur district, Tadoba National Park is spread over an extensive area of 625 sq km, It is one of the 50 tiger reserves in India. The name of the park derives from the tribal deity, Tadoba, who is worshipped by the locals in the region. The national park has three regions namely, Morhurli, Kolsa, and Tadoba.
Species to See: Bengal tiger, sambar, Indian leopard, honey badger, marsh crocodile, small Indian civet, nilgai, striped hyena, sloth bear, gaur, barking deer, barking deer, Indian star tortoise, Indian cobra, Indian pitta, stone curlew, crested honey, bronze-winged jacana, Indian peafowl, and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to March
8. Panna National Park — Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh is a treasure trove for wildlife lovers and Panna National Park is one of its concealed solitaires. One of the reasons to plan a wildlife tour in Panna National Park is that the park was given the Award of Excellence back in 2007 by the Ministry of Tourism. Undoubtedly, Panna is one of the well-maintained national parks in the country. The park is also an ideal spot to visit for bird watchers as it serves as home to more than 200 species of birds.
Species to See: Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, chinkara, sambar, nilgai, sloth bear, chital, chowsingha, wild dog, wolf, hyena, caracal, smaller cats, white-necked stork, honey buzzard, blossom headed parakeet, paradise flycatcher, and more.
Best Time to Visit: November to March
9. Bhitarkanika National Park — Odisha
In the district of Kendrapara in Odisha, Bhitarkanika has spread over 145 sq km of land which is dotted with lush green mangroves meandering watercourses, migrating birds, crocodiles, turtles and the serene surrounding. The wildlife experience at Bhitarkanika National Park is nothing less than that of Sunderbans. The park has a wide variety of faunal species which can be explored while cruising through the waters.
Species to See: Saltwater crocodile, black ibis, chital, darter, monitor lizard, Indian python, olive ridley turtles, spotted deer, wild boar, monkey, jackals, common langur, jungle cat, mongoose, hyena, sambar deer, otter, and more.
Best Time to Visit: March to June
10. Jhalana Research Forest — Rajasthan
Jhalana is one of the most beautiful safari parks in the state of Rajasthan. Tourists from every nook and corner of the world flock to this place to spot leopard for which Jhalana Research Forest is famous. One the park was the elusive property of the erstwhile Jaipur estate. It was used to cater to the needs of the fodder and fuel of neighbourhood villages and also to play sports.
Species to See: Leopards, striped hyena, desert fox, golden jackal, Indian palm civet, Indian pitta, dusky eagle, owl, spotted owlet, white-eyed buzzard, peacock, and much more.
Best Time to Visit: November to February
Conclusion
The uniqueness and the exquisiteness of the Indian wildlife have secured a permanent place in the global map of tourism. Therefore, you can visit any of these national parks and forest reserves for an ultimate wildlife expedition in India. And while you are in the wild, make sure you be ready with your camera to capture the enthralling wild animals in the lenses. Otherwise, you will regret it later. Besides, also make sure you do not leave your carbon footprints in the wild as it is our responsibility to make sure the beauty of nature remains intact.
