The seventh-largest country in the world, India possesses an incredible mix of landscapes and wildlife.
Recognising the importance of nature conservancy, the Indian government has protected more than 1 per cent of the country’s territory.
In all, India has nearly 100 national parks, with more than 60 more authorised and awaiting setup. Here we rundown India’s five unmissable national parks.
Sundarbans National Park
• Location: South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal (extends into neighbouring Bangladesh)
• Landscape: densely covered mangrove forest (largest of its kind in the world) across a network of 54 islands criss-crossed by watercourses of the Ganges delta, mudflats
• Wildlife: Bengal tiger (an estimated population of 400), salt-water crocodile, mongoose, fishing cat, macaque, flying fox
• Size: 826 square miles
• Insider fact: Accessed only by boat; best to organise a three or four-night safari
• Best time to visit: November through February
Bandhavgarh National Park
• Location: Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh
• Landscape: Rocky hills, green valleys, sal forests and stretches of bamboo and grassland
• Wildlife: Tiger (around 45), antelope, gazelle, wild boar, jackal, hyena, porcupine, macaque and bison
• Size: 168 square miles
• Insider fact: Thought by some to have the densest tiger population of all Indian parks
• Best time to visit: March and April (closed during monsoon – July through September)
Kanha National Park
• Location: Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh
• Landscape: Lowland forest, open meadows, sal and bamboo forest
• Wildlife: Royal Bengal Tiger, leopards, sloth bear, swamp deer and Indian wild dog
• Size: 360 square miles
• Insider fact: The inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book
• Best time to visit: March and April
Nagarhole National Park
• Location: Kodagu and Mysore districts of Karnataka
• Landscape: Shallow hills and valleys covered in dry deciduous forest
• Wildlife: Elephants, macaques, leopards, wild dogs, bison and tiger
• Size: 248 square miles
• Insider fact: The park’s name comes from the Indian words for snake (naga) and streams (hole) – a reference to its many gently winding streams
• Best time to visit: Any time of year (the park experiences a relatively temperate climate)
Ranthambore National Park
• Location: Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan
• Landscape: A mix of rocky outcrops, steep scarps, lakes, streams, and forest (ancient banyan trees are a particular attraction)
• Wildlife: Tiger, leopard, striped hyena, jackal, caracal, jungle cat, sloth and several species of deer
• Size: 152 square miles
• Insider fact: The park contains a historic fortress (dating back to the 10th or 11th century) – the formidable Ranthambore Fort covers a massive 102 hectares
• Best time to visit: March and April see the highest amount of wildlife activity
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to Mumbai
(Koshyk took the featured image at the top of this post.)
