National Parks & Tiger Reserves in India

Wildlife in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Key wildlife experiences in Bandhavgarh Bengal tigers, leopards, barking deer, jungle cat, striped hyena

Our favourite properties in Bandhavgarh Bandhav Vilas, Tree House Hideaway, Kings Lodge, Mahua Kothi Lodge, Monsoon Forest

Once a hunting reserve of the royal family of Rewa, the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve sprawls over a 450-sq-km area with varying terrain of undulating hills and open meadows to forests and steep ridges. In the Vindhya hills of Umaria distract, the reserve is most well-known for offering the best chance of glimpsing the Royal Bengal Tigers, the most numerous tiger species in Asia, over any other national park in India. Over the years, Bandhavgarh has had great increase in tiger species, resulting in increased popularity for its tiger tours. However, despite being the biggest wild cats alive, India’s national animal was listed as endangered in 2006.

As the most vegetative part of Umari district, containing sal forests and savannahs, the reserve accommodates more than 22 mammal species, and 250 bird species. This includes the largest breeding population of leopards, and an assortment of deer species. The medium-sized Bengal fox, with its elongated muzzle and bushy tail, also resides in the reserve, along with the feisty striped hyena and leaf-eating langur monkeys. You may spot wild elephants, sambar deer, or bears at one of the 12 natural water holes throughout the area. The reserve is rich in famous floral species, ranging from mango trees to dhaora and amla, known for its edible fruits.

Contact us to include Bandhvagarh Tiger Reserve as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Kanha Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Key wildlife experiences in Kanha Tigers, barasingha, hyena, gaur, chital, sambar deer, langur

Our favourite properties in Kanha Flame of the Forest, Banjaar Tola Lodge, Singinawa Jungle Lodge

The Kanha Tiger Reserve, situated in the Madhya Pradesh central-highland area of India, is a stunning natural area encompassing 1945 sq km of dense forests, scenic mountains and crystal-clear streams. Preserved as a ‘reserve forest’ as early as 1879, and later upgrading to ‘national park’ status in 1955, the beauty of the natural landscape and wealth of wildlife inspired Rudyard Kipling’s ‘The Jungle Book’. Overlooking the luxurious landscape of meadows, streams and forest areas is ‘Bomm Dader’ or Sunset Point – the most scenic area of the park.

The reserve has one of the largest populations of Indian tigers across the country, and is also home to the Royal Bengal Tiger. Regarded as the ‘spirit of Indian jungle’, these superior creatures have evolved physical power over thousands of years, withstanding wide temperature ranges and remaining at the top of the biological pyramid. The park is also home to many bird, reptile and mammal species, including the sexually dimorphic spotted deer, the parachute-like flying squirrels, and the vulnerable sloth bear. You will also encounter the gaur within the park, also known as the Indian bison. These strong and massively built wild cattle move in herds led by cows. However, the ‘jewel’ of the park is the three tined ‘Barasingha’, the most inspiring conservation success in the world. Also known as swamp deer, these endangered creatures feed on the park’s rich grass-land areas. Beyond fauna, Kanha is also rich in flora, with 850 species of floral plants. The upper slopes contain the spectacular bija and dhaora tree species, the middle slopes grow bamboo aplenty, while an abundance of sal stand tall in the lower slopes.

Contact us to include Kanha Tiger Reserve as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan)

Key wildlife experiences in Ranthambore Royal Bengal tigers, sambar deer, jackals and mongoose

Our favourite properties in Ranthambore Aman-i-Khas, Sher Bagh, Khem Vilas, Vanya Vilas, Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve is one of the biggest and most renowned national parks in Northern India. The Ranthambore National Park is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, approximately 130km from Jaipur. Considered as one of the famous and former hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur, today the Ranthambore National Park terrain is a major wildlife tourist spot that has attracted many wildlife photographers and enthusiasts.

Spreading over an area of 1,334-sq-km, Ranthambore is surrounded by the Mansingh Sanctuary and Kaila Devi Sanctuary. The park is famous for accommodating the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers, which are easily spotted around Ranthambore’s dry barren lands, hunting and caring for their young. These endangered carnivores are one of the biggest wild cats alive, with stripes unique to each individual in the same way as human fingerprints.

Beyond its famous tiger reserve, Ranthambore National Park is also rich in numerous species of wild flora and fauna. From the monogamous striped hyena, slender Sambar deer, to the snub nosed marsh crocodile, wildlife is scattered aplenty within Ranthambore’s vast spaces, lined by 300 species of dry, deciduous vegetation. The most abundant tree in the park is the dhok.

Contact us to include Ranthambore Tiger Reserve as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Kaziranga National Park (Assam)

Key wildlife experiences in Kaziranga World’s largest population of Indian one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants, rare hoolock gibbon, diverse birdlife & Brahmaputra cruise

Our favourite properties in Kaziranga Diphlu River Lodge, Infinity Resort, Wild Grass Resort, Jupuri Ghar

Formed in 1908 and declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985, Kaziranga National Park is located partly in Golaghat District and partly in the Nagaon District of Assam, covering an area of 430-sq-km. It lies in the flood plains of the Brahmaputra where annual flooding and burning has maintained the grasslands predominant in the west. The park is most acclaimed for being home to two-thirds of the world’s population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros, at over 2200. Centuries ago, these vulnerable creatures ranged across the north Indian plains in the wetlands of rivers Indus, Ganga, and Brahmaputra. Today, they are exclusive to pockets of Assam and in Nepal. Furthermore, the park boasts a high density of tigers, and was thus declared a tiger reserve in 2006. Though rarely sighted, their presence is observable from their marked tracks and kills.

Kaziranga is home to are a range of wildlife, harbouring around 15 species of India’s threatened mammals. This includes the most dense populations of Royal Bengal tigers, who are at the top of the food chain in the wild, Indian elephants threatened by habitat loss and degradation, and Gangetic dolphins, also referred to as the ‘blind dolphin’ due to its lack of a lens. Kaziranga also holds an extraordinary bird population, ranging from the vibrant Asian emerald cuckoo to the blue-breasted quail. This vast expanse of grass, marshland and forests is a fantastic destination for those wishing to encounter India’s extraordinary wildlife.

Contact us to include Kaziranga National Park as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Satpura National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Key wildlife experiences in Satpura Leopards, sloth bears, Indian gaur (bison), canoe ride on Denwa River, walking safari, options to do mobile camping

Our favourite properties in Satpura Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, Forsyth Lodge, Denwa Backwater Escape

Established in 1981, Satpura National Park is rightly believed to be one of India’s best-kept secrets. Admire the rugged scenery of deep valleys, sandstone peaks, narrow gorges, waterfalls and sal forest in this vast reservoir. As an untouched highland eco-system, the park is primarily of uneven altitude ranges, with the highest peak being the sunrise destination of Mount Dhoopgarh at 4500ft high.

Satpura is the only park of its kind in Central India that offers walking safaris, giving you a ‘one-of-a-kind’ opportunity to explore tiger country on foot amidst over 1300 species of plants. Nonetheless, unique to Satpura are also chances to enjoy jeep or boat safaris, as well the astounding elephant safari. Titled ‘Satpura Under Canvas’, this park also offers a rare opportunity to spend the night in the wilderness, mobile camping in open wooden patch or next to the Denwa River when the bed recedes.

As you journey into this region's incredible biodiversity, notice teak trees, bamboo and medicinal plants, as well as a wide variety of animals. Look out for India’s most famous mammals, including leopards, hoards of Indian gaur, and the fuzzy sloth bear, as well as an abundance of bird and reptile species, including peafowl and crocodiles. Watch as Indian wild dogs interact in large clans, sambar deers feed on a variety of vegetation, and Malabar giant squirrels travel from tree to tree. Satpura’s peaceful jungles, riddled with fascinating flora and fauna, are well worth exploring.

Contact us to include Satpura National Park as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

Key wildlife experiences in Corbett Royal Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, sloth bears, rich birdlife

Our favourite properties in Corbett Jim's Jungle Retreat, Paatlidun Safari Lodge, Aahana Resort, Lebua Corbett

Journey to the state of Uttarakhand for the opportunity to visit Corbett National Park, one of India’s oldest and most prestigious national parks, where the Tiger Project was established in 1973. As part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve, made up of vast grasslands, rolling hills, marshy lakes and winding rivers, the park is home to a high number of Royal Bengal tigers. India’s majestic national animal is known for its ruthless appetite for prey (including wild boars, deer and antelope) and mighty roar. Unfortunately, these ferocious creatures are threatened by poaching, loss and fragmentation of habitat.

Plenty of other native species reside in Corbett, including the endemic fish eating crocodile and the smallest grey wolf, the Asiatic golden jackal. You are also likely to spot an Asian elephant, gharial, hog deer, sambar and sloth bear. There are approximately 600 species of birdlife in Corbett, from the great pied hornbill, important to many tribal cultures and rituals, and the scavenging white-backed vulture, which move in flocks and breed in trees. Also residing in Corbett are 488 different plant species. More than 75% of the park’s area is made up of sal forests, with flowering kachnar and dhak also widely visible.

Contact us to include Corbett National Park as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Tadoba Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Key wildlife experiences in Tadoba Tigers, sloth bears, jackals, leopards, sambar deer, rich birdlife at Tadoba Lake

Our favourite propertiesin Tadoba Svasvara Jungle Lodge, Tiger Trails Jungle Lodge, Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge

Maharashtra’s oldest and largest national park, ‘The real land of tiger’, Tadoba Tiger Reserve is the second largest of India’s 41 ‘Project Tiger’ reserves. The park is named after tribal God, Taru, believed to have been a village chief killed in an encounter with a tiger. Today, the park includes a shrine dedicated to Taru. Conservation and protection efforts within this region has led to a rapid increase in its tiger population, meaning that visitors have a high chance of seeing this majestic endangered cat.

The park has recently received increases in tourist attention due to its rich and diverse ecosystem that is home to various exotic wildlife species. As well as its great population of endangered Royal Bengal tigers, regarded as belonging to the world’s ‘charismatic megafauna’ due to being the biggest wild cats alive, Tadoba is home to Indian leopards, dhole (also known as Indian wild dogs), and fuzzy sloth bears. Over on Tadoba Lake, you will find the marsh crocodile, most likely camouflaged in murky waters waiting to attack their prey. For fans of flora, Tadoba’s dry deciduous forest provides plenty of vegetation. With teak being the predominant tree, spread over the reserve are varied species of shrubs, herbs and grasses.

Contact us to include Tadoba Tiger Reserve as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Gir National Park (Gujarat)

Key wildlife experiences in Gir Only place in the world to see Asiatic lions in the wild, home to the chousingha, the only 4-horned antelope in the world

Our favourite properties in Gir Fern Gir Forest Resort, Gir Birding Lodge, Gateway Hotel Gir Forest (Taj)

Situated in Gujarat, Gir National Park, approximately 1412-sq-km of deciduous forest interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen flora, acacia, scrub jungle, grasslands and rocky hills, is renowned for being the home of the Asiatic lion. Outside of Africa, Gir is the only place in the world where lions roam freely in the wild. With protection came an increase in the number of lions found in the park, and numbers jumped from 20 to 523 between 1913 and 2015. In 2017, the Asiatic Lion Census revealed further increase to 650 wild individuals. These magnificent creatures have a lifespan of around 18-20 years, surviving on diets of deer, antelope, boar or cattle.

Gir Forest is also home to the chousingha, the world’s only four-horned antelope. Listed as vulnerable, chousinghas are threatened by loss of natural habitat due to agricultural expansion, as well as trophy hunting. Beyond these, Gir also accommodates for Asiatic wild ass, striped hyenas and Gir foxes, as well as 2 deer species including the sambar, the largest Indian deer.

The Indian Bird Conservation Network declared Gir National Park an important area, housing 200 different bird species including white-backed and long-billed vultures, and the pygmy woodpecker. Also keep an eye out for more than 40 species of reptiles and amphibians near Kamleshwar, a large reservoir where you may spot a Marsh crocodile or snakes.

Contact us to include Gir National Park as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Key wildlife experiences in Pench Tigers, dhole (wild dog), chital, sambar, wild boar and jackals

Our favourite properties in Pench Baghvan Lodge, Jamtara Wilderness Camp, Pench Tree Lodge

The Pench Tiger Reserve in the Seoni District of Madhya Pradesh, India is a haven for a wide range of wildlife species. Most notable are the namesake tigers, ranging from the Collarwali Tigress, famous amongst photographers for her friendliness towards humans, to her sister the Baghinnalawali female, who was first seen in 2006.

Named after the Pench River, which winds its way through the park from north to south, the tiger reserve is a haven for an abundance of plant and animal species beyond just that of the tiger. There are more than 1200 plant species identified, including some of the rarest and most endangered places of ethno-botanical importance. It also boasts numerous fish species, as well as 285 species of bird. This includes the colourful Indian pitta, the white-eyed buzzard and the endangered white scavenger and king vulture. Beyond tigers, other key predators of Pench include the ferocious leopards, Indian wild dogs and wild Indian cats. Numerous herds of ‘Gour’ or wild bison, deer, sloth bears and an enormous range of butterflies and fish can also be found.

The vast expanse of open canopy, forests, shrubs and grassy patches has the highest density of herbivores in India, at 90.3 animals per sq-km. If you’re seeking to immerse yourself with the exotic wildlife of India, Pench Tiger Reserve can provide beautiful scenes and a seemingly never-ending list of interesting flora and exciting fauna.

Contact us to include Pench Tiger Reserve as part of your India safari holiday.

Wildlife in Manas National Park (Assam)

Key wildlife experiences in Manas National ParkRich birdlife, golden capped langur, one-horned rhino, elephants, buffalo,

Our favourite properties in ManasMusa Jungle Retreat, Bansbari Lodge

Situated in the northeastern state of Assam, Manas National Park is one of India's most important biodiversity hotspots and a world heritage site. Covering an area of almost 50,000 hectares, it spans the Manas river and is bounded to the north by the forests of Bhutan. Manas' scenic beauty includes a range of forested hills, alluvial grasslands and tropical evergreen forests. Manas National Park provides critical and viable habitats for rare and endangered species, including tiger, clouded leopard, greater one-horned rhino, swamp deer, pygmy hog and Bengal florican. Due to the sheer size of the area and thick vegetation, sightings of big mammals is very difficult compared to some other Indian national parks and tiger reserves. However, Manas is a paradise for birders playing home to over 500 species of bird, including hornbills, drongos, sunbirds, fishing eagles, bulbuls and more. Manas has exceptional importance within the Indian subcontinent’s protected areas, as one of the most significant remaining natural areas in the region, where sizeable populations of a large number of threatened species continue to survive.

Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

Key wildlife experiences in Sundarbans National ParkBoat cruises through mangroves, diverse birdlife, Royal Bengal tigers, spotted deer, Gangetic dolphins, monitor lizards, snakes

Our favourite property in SundarbansSundarban Tiger Camp

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sundarbans is a National Park, a Tiger Reserve and a Biosphere Reserve, the Sundarbans is considered to be one of the largest mangrove forests in the world covering an approximate area of 16,000 sqkm. It is situated in the Bay of Bengal and is split between West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh. It is a hotspot for Royal Bengal tigers, boasting one of the highest Bengal tiger populations in India. However, due to the nature of the environment, thick vegetation and the fact that one can only explore certain parts of the Sundarbans on foot, sightings of tigers are limited. According to the last census there were believed to be 248 tigers spread across the Sundarbans. The tigers have a bad reputation of being 'man-eating tigers' because of tigers coming face-to-face with humans when straying into villages or villagers straying into its territory. The local honey collectors often have to go deep into the forest to collect honey from hives.

The name 'Sundarbans' literally means 'beautiful forest', and the reserve is very scenic, intersected by a series of waterways, tidal islands and mudflats, and boasting a diverse range of endemic plant species. There is also a watch tower which offers panoramic views of the area. The Sundarbans makes for an excellent and convenient extension from Kolkata (3 hours drive). The tours of the mangroves are done by boat which makes for a relaxing experience. There are a number of villages in this area and a village walk is a nice way of seeing some of the rural life in the region.

Check out our tours with these unique experiences below

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Big Cats of India

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Big Six of India

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National Parks & Tiger Reserves in India

Wildlife in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Wildlife in Kanha Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Wildlife in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (Rajasthan)

Wildlife in Kaziranga National Park (Assam)

Wildlife in Satpura National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Wildlife in Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

Wildlife in Tadoba Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Wildlife in Gir National Park (Gujarat)

Wildlife in Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

Wildlife in Manas National Park (Assam)

Sundarbans National Park (West Bengal)

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Big Cats of India

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