The diverse landscape of India makes it one of the most diverse in flora and fauna as well. If you are a wildlife enthusiast of just someone who wants to enjoy this diversity, here are the top places for wildlife safaris in India:
Ranthambore National Park – Rajasthan
Best time to visit: October to June and for tiger sightings, March to May
The park spans over 1300 square kilometers and is home to the royal Bengal tiger. Among the other fauna, you can spot Sambar deer, Sloth ears and Wild boars.
Jim Corbett National Park – Uttarakhand
Best time to visit: Mid November to June with maximum tiger sightings from March to May
This is one of the most well known national parks in Asia. It is the best place to spot tigers and other fascinating species of animals like the Goral, Serow and Himalayan Tahr.
Bandhavgarh National Park – Madhya Pradesh
Best time to visit: October to June
The Badhavgarh National Park is known for its dense tiger population. It is also one of the best place for wildlife safaris in India.
Kanha National Park – Madhya Pradesh
Best time to visit: October to mid-June with maximum tiger and panther sightings being between March and May
This national park was popularized by Rudyard Kipling and was named Mowgli land. It is home to an assortment of interesting species like Black Panthers, Pythons, Bears, Elephants and Bengal Tigers.
Kaziranga National Park – Assam
Best time to visit: November to April
Kaziranga: Tourists riding on elephants look at the one-horned Rhinoceros at the Kaziranga National park in Guwahati, Assam on Friday. The park was reopened for tourists on Friday. PTI Photo (PTI11_1_2013_000036A)
Think Kaziranga and you immediately think of the mighty rhinoceros. It has one of the largest populations of Rhinoceros in the world. Besides that this UNESCO world heritage site is also home to elephants, panthers, bears and an array of beautiful birds.
Sunderban National Park – West Bengal
Best time to visit: October to April
A safari through the mangroves of the Sunderban National Park offers some of the most interesting sights like tigers swimming in water. This is one thing you will only see here. Fishing Cats, Leopards, Macaques, Indian Grey Mongoose and Wild Boars are among the other species that inhabit this area.
Gir National Park – Gujarat
Best time to visit: December to April
The western peninsula of Gujarat is home to one of the most beautiful national parks that offers great jeep safari thanks to the landscape. This is the only place in the world where one can find Asiatic Lions. Besides lions and leopards, other interesting species include striped hyenas, Indian Fox, Jackals and many species of reptiles and birds.
Satpura National Park – Madhya Pradesh
Best time to visit: October to April
The rugged terrain mixed with dense jungles makes this national parks one of the best areas for several species to flourish. The safari can be challenging simply because the number of species found in this national park is massive. The fauna includes Leopards, Spotted Deer, Sloth Bears, Sambar, Porcupines, Smooth Otters and Four Horned Antelopes.
Tadoba National Park – Maharashtra
Best time to visit: October to June with maximum tiger sightings from March to May
This national park is surrounded by hills and forests and is best known for the stunning lake in the midst of several wild species. The wildlife in Tadoba National Park includes Hyenas, Gaurs, Leopards, Barking deer and of course, the majestic Tiger.
Bandipur National Park – Karnataka
Best time to visit: October to June
Located amidst the serene surroundings of the Western Ghats, Bandipur National Park is one of the most sought after places for wildlife safari in India. There is a sizeable population of tigers along with several other species such as the jackal, sloth bear, panthers, Malabar squirrels, porcupines, mouse deer, wild dogs, jackals and more. The park is also bird watcher’s haven with several species of birds nestled in the trees and the surroundings.
Nagarhole National Park – Karnataka
Best time to visit: September to May
This is one of the most important national parks in Karnataka. Along with the Bandipur and Madhumalai National Parks, this national park contributes to the largest biosphere reserves in India called the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve. It is known for its picturesque landscape and the diverse species of animals including the hyena, spotted deer, tigers, elephants, leopards, wild boars and many more.