The best places to enjoy wildlife and nature in India are the National Parks. There are over 100 National Parks in India. No matter where you live, you are never far away from a National Park. The following are the 10 most famous National Parks in India. Let’s read.
10 famous National Parks in India
Kaziranga National Park
Located in Assam, Kaziranga National Park is famous for its Indian Rhinos. The park was established in 1974 and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. Additionally, the park was declared a tiger reserve in 2006 after the tiger population saw significant growth. The park covers an area of around 890 sq km.
There are more than 2,500 Indian rhinos in the park, meaning almost 2/3rd of the total Indian rhino population in the world reside in Kaziranga National Park. The tall elephant grass and the marshland provide a perfect home for the Rhinos. The National Park also hosts many migratory bird species like the lesser white-fronted goose, ferruginous duck, Baer’s pochard duck, Asian Openbill stork, etc.
Kaziranga National Park is open for visitors from November to April (Winter and Spring). In the monsoons, there is a great chance of flooding because of the Brahmaputra river, hence the park remains closed.
Sunderbans National Park
The Sunderbans National Park of West Bengal is located in the Sunderbans delta (Ganges delta), the largest river delta in the world. The delta is home to the largest mangrove forest in the world. Around 60 percent of the delta is in Bangladesh and the rest in India.
The Sunderbans National Park was established in 1984. It covers an area of 1330.1 sq km. Famous as the fortress of the Royal Bengal Tiger, the park is both a tiger as well as a biosphere reserve. Getting a glimpse of the King can be difficult so don’t go to the park just to see the Tiger. There is a lot of enthralling wildlife you can see.
Just like Kaziranga National Park, the best time to visit Sunderbans is during the winter and spring season.
Gir National Park
Gir National Park is the only place left on Earth where you can find Asiatic Lion roaming freely without any bars. The park is located in Gujarat. It was established in the year 1965. The total area of the park is 258.71 sq km and it is home to 674 lions (according to a 2020 survey).
Apart from Lion, other faunas of the park include the Striped hyena, Indian fox, Jackal, and the threatened Chousingha.
If you are planning to visit Somnath Temple, add a few days to your trip and visit the Gir National Park. For wildlife lovers, Gir is a must-go place as we don’t know what the future holds for the magnificent species.
Kanha National Park
Featuring on the list of famous National Parks in India as no surprise, Kanha National Park in the state of Madhya Pradesh is the foremost destination for Tiger lovers. Spread across 940 square kilometers, the park came into existence in 1955. It is one of the largest National Parks in India.
If you are a nature lover, this jungle in the Satpuras is the place to go. The peace and serenity, coupled with the thrill of watching a Tiger will provide you with an experience of a lifetime. Kanha National Park also provides a safe home to the extremely rare Barasingha. It is said that this jungle was the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling to write the famous “The Jungle Book”.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Another famous National Park in Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh is located in the Vindhya Range. It was established in the year 1968. The National Park is spread across 448.9 sq km.
Bandhavgarh National Park is known for its high density of Tigers. Other carnivores like leopards and striped hyenas are also present in considerable numbers. The park remains closed in the monsoon season from 1 July to the start of October. The best time to visit is from October to mid-March. The winters can get really cold. It is advised to carry woolen clothing.
Jim Corbett National Park
The Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest National Park in India. It was established in the year 1936 as Hailey National Park. The Park has the highest Tiger population among all National parks in India. Located in the foothills of Uttarakhand Himalayas, Jim Corbett National Park is known as the birthplace of “Project Tiger”. The forest has played an important role in increasing the Tiger population in the country.
To reach Jim Corbett, you need to reach Ramnagar which is well connected via Roads and Railways with nearby big cities like Delhi, Moradabad, Haldwani, and Bareilly.
(Also read: Top 10 largest national parks in India)
Periyar National Park
Periyar National Park is located in the misty mountains of Western Ghats in the state of Kerala. The Western Ghats is one of the very few biological hotspots left in the world. Hence, there is a lot to see and explore in the park for nature lovers.
The National Park covers an area of 350 sq km. It was established in the year 1982. The Western Ghats receive a lot of rain during the monsoon season. The best time to visit the Periyar National park is after the monsoon season from October to March.
Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park was established in 1980. It covers an area of 282 sq km. This forest was once the primary hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur and nearby areas.
Ranthambore National Park is famous all over the world especially because of Machli, the Tigress who lived for 20 years. Machli is popularly known as the “Crocodile killer” as she killed many big crocodiles in her lifetime. Like many National Parks in North India, the best time to visit Ranthambore is from October to Mid March.
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
A UNESCO world heritage site, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks are located in Uttarakhand. The Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park are two different areas, now jointly known.
The parks have a combined area of around 710 sq km. Many endangered species like the Himalayan brown bear, the Asiatic black bear, and the snow leopard find a safe home in the lap of majestic Nanda Devi mountain. The peak stands at a staggering height of 7,816 meters. The area receives heavy snowfall during the winter season and thus remains closed from November to April. The best time to visit is mid-June to mid-September.
Great Himalayan National Park
The Great Himalayan National Park of Himachal Pradesh was established in 1984. It covers an area of 754.4 sq km. Another UNESCO world heritage site on this list, the National park is spread across 4 valleys – Parvati, Tirthan, Sainj, and Jiwa Nal. The park is a popular trekking destination (you need to have a permit) .If you want to experience the essence of the Himalayas from a very close distance, Great Himalayan National Park is the place to go.