WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKS - North India

WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES AND NATIONAL PARKS - North India

Dachigam Wildlife Sanctuary (Kashmir). Broad valley; mountain slopes; rare hangul deer, black and brown bear, leopard; heronry. Airport: Srinagar 22km. Railhead: Jammu Tawi 311km. Season: June - July. Accommodation: Srinagar: Houseboats on Dal and Nagin Lakes.

Govind Sagar Bird Sanctuary (Himachal Pradesh). Bird Sanctuary with crane, duck, goose, teal. Airport: Chandigarh 135km. Railhead: Nangal 13km. Accommodation: available at Bhakra.

Corbett National Park (Uttar Pradesh). Himalayan foothills near Dhikala; Sal forest and plains; tiger, elephant; leopard and rich bird life. Excellent fishing in Ramganga river. Airport: Pantnagar 115 km. Railhead: Ramnagar 51km. Season: November-May. Accommodation: Within the Park.

Dudhwa National Park: (Uttar Pradesh). Nepal border; tiger, sloth bear and panther. Airport: Lucknow 251km. Railhead: Dudhwa 4kms. Season: November-May. Accommodation: Within the Park. November - May. Accommodation: Within the Park: Sawai Madhopur.

Flower Valley National Park (Uttar Pradesh). When in bloom this "roof garden" at 3,500 metres is a glorious blaze of colour. Location: Badrinath 44km. Railhead: Rishikesh 280km. Season: June-July.

Sariska National Park (Rajasthan). About 200km from Delhi. Forest and open plains: sambar (largest Indian deer), cheetal (spotted deer), nilgai (Indian antelope), blackbuck, leopard, tiger; good night viewing. Airport: Jaipur 160km. Railhead: Alwar 35km (bus connections). Season: February-June. Accommodation: Within the Park.

Ranthambhor (Sawai Madhopur- Rajasthan). Hill forest, plains and lakes; simbar, chinkara (Indian gazelle), tiger, sloth bear, crocodiles and migratory water birds. Location: Railhead: Sawai Madhopur 11km. Airport: Jaipur 162km.

Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh). Situated in the Vindhya Mountains, this park has a wide variety of wildlife including panther, sambar and gaur. Airport: Jabalpur 166km. Railhead: Umaria 34km. Accommodation: Forest Lodge in the park.

Bharatpur National Park (Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary) (Rajasthan). India's most outstanding bird sanctuary; many indigenous water birds; huge migration from Siberia and China; crane, geese, stork, heron, snake bird, etc. Airport: Agra 52km Railhead: Bharatpur 5km. Road: Jaipur 176km, Delhi 177km. Season: September - February. Accommodation: Within the Sanctuary.

Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh). Sal forest and grassland; only home of barasingha (swamp deer), tiger, cheetal, gaur (Indian bison), monkey. Airport: Nagpur 270km. Railhead: Jabalpur 170km. Season: November - March. Accommodation: Within the Park; Kanha and Kisli.

Shivpuri National Park (Madhya Pradesh). Open forest and lake; chinkara, chowsingha (four-horned antelope), nilgai, tiger, leopard, water birds. Airport: Gwalior 120km. Railhead: Jhansi 95km. Season: February-May. Accommodation: Forest Rest House, Motel.