Sariska National Park

The picturesque Siliserh Lake lies along the edge of the Sariska Tiger Reserve and a charming hunting lodge overlooking it, is a marvellous place for visitors to stay. The dry deciduous forests of the ancient Aravalli range are excellent tiger country and Sariska was once of the royal reserve of the rulers of Alwar. Declared a sanctuary in 1955, it became a Tiger Reserve in 1979 under project Tiger. Herds of sambar, chital, nilgai and sounders of wild boar - the prey population for predators like the tiger and leopard, roam the 765.80 sq. km. Reserve. Other carnivores include the hyena, jungle cat, and caracal. Interestingly enough, the dhole or wild dog has been sighted in the Park only in the last few years. The park has hides carefully located near the water holes. These afford fine opportunities for viewing and photographing wildlife.

Splendid ruins scattered in the vicinity of Sariska give it an added interest. The Neelkanth temples (6th-13th century AD) are just 32 km. From the Park and the historic Kankwari Fort inside the Reserve, is where the Emperor Aurangzeb once imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh. A splendid palace complex built in 1902, with a 'French' pavilion and swimming pool, is now a hotel.

General Information :

• Best time to Visit - October to June » Accommodation - Tiger Den, Hotel Lake Palace, Sariska Palace Hotel, Forest Rest Houses
• Nearest town - Alwar (21 Km)
• How to get there ? Rail - Alwar (21Km), Air - Jaipur (108 Km)

Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park - Earlier, the hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Jaipur, the Park at Ranthambore was once the scene of royal hunting parties. Today, it is famous for its tigers and is one of the best places in the country to see these majestic predators in the wild. The tigers can be spotted quite often even during the day, at their normal pursuits - hunting and taking care of their young. With the strict measures that have been taken for their conservation, they seem quite accustomed to human activity and are not disturbed by it. A good time to visit is between November and April when the nature of the dry deciduous forest makes sightings common.

Ranthambore has large numbers of Sambar, chital and nilgai. Sounders of boar and an occasional gazelle - the chinkara can be seen, as also the Indian hare, mongoose and monitor lizards. The lakes and pools at the Park are where the deer congregate and where it is easiest to see the animals. Among the other local fauna are the leopard, hyena, jackal, jungle cats, sloth bear and marsh crocodile. Jacanas, painted stork, black stork, and white necked stork are seen along the water bodies. Peafowl are found in abundance and other birds include Bonelli's eagle, crested serpent eagle, the great Indian horned owl, quail, partridge, spur fowl and the paradise flycatcher.

The Park which covers an area of 392 sq. km is set between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges. Its deciduous forests were once a part of the magnificent jungles of Central India. The terrain is rugged and there are rocky ridges, hills and open valleys with lakes and pools.

Ranthambore's royal past manifests itself in the picturesque ruins that dot the Park. There are lake palaces, chhatris, old fortifications and a majestic thousand year old fort on a height overlooking the park. The forest rest house at the foot of the Ranthambore fort is located in the lovely Jogi Mahal. It overlooks a tank -the pretty Padam Talao, afloat with water lilies.

General Information :

• Best time to Visit - October to June
• Migrants - October - February
• Accommodation - Maharaja Lodge, Forest Rest Houses, Jogi Mahal, Hotel Kamadhenu, Jhoomer Baori Forest Lodge.
• Nearest town - Swai Madhopur (11 Km)
• How to get there ? Swai Madhopur (11Km), Air - Jaipur(145 Km)

Desert Sanctuary

The desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar desert and its diverse fauna. Sand dunes form around 20% of the Park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact salt lake bottoms, intermedial areas and fixed dunes which are quite suitable for the chinkara to move at high speed. The blackbuck is another common antelope of this region. Its other notable inhabitants are the desert fox, Bengal fox, wolf and desert cat. Sudashri forest post is the ideal place for observing the wildlife of Desert National Park and is the most suitable in the entire 3162 sq km of this park for watching and photographing the activities of the animals from behind cover.

Birdlife in this sandy habitat is vivid and spectacular. Birds such as the sandgrouse, partridges, bee-eaters, larks and shrikes are commonly seen. Demoiselle crane and houbara arrive in the winter. The birds of prey seen here are tawny and steppe eagles, long legged and honey buzzards, falcons and kestrels. But the most outstanding of the avifauna is the great Indian bustard. This tall, heavy bird is an epitome of confidence and grace. It is common to see five or six bustards near Sudashri water hole.

This park is also very rich in reptiles. Spiny tail lizard, monitor lizard, saw sealed viper, Russel's viper, Sind krait, toad agama and sandfish are found in large numbers.

18 kms. From Jaisalmer is the Akal Woods Fossils Park which is about 180 million years of age. Sea shells and massive fossiled tree trunks in this park record the geological history of the desert.

General Information :

• Best time to Visit - Throughout the year
• Accommodation - RTDC's Moomal Tourist Bunglow, RTDC's Tourist Bunglow at Sam.
• How to get there ? Jaisalmer is the nearest town (40 kms). Nearest air, road and railhead is Jaisalmer.

Keoladeo National Park

Just 176 kms from Delhi is a very special wilderness - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the finest water-bird sanctuaries in the world. The 28.73 sq km lake and wetland was artificially created by the Maharaja of Bharatpur in the 19th century. By building small dykes and dams and diverting water from an irrigation canal, he converted this low lying area into a fine wild fowl shooting preserve. In a few years, the new wetland surrounded by marginal forests was able to support thousands of water-birds.

Commonly referred to as Bharatpur, the Park is a delight for bird watchers. Over 300 species of birds are found here and raised paths, camouflaged by babul trees and undergrowth make viewing easy. A quiet ride by boat in the early hours of the morning is also an unforgettable experience. There are mixed heronries on the half submerged babul trees and the cacophony is unbelievable as painted storks, open bills, spoon bills, egrets, cormorants, white ibis and multitudes of others, tend their young. Jacanas with their iridescent colours and elegant tail feathers and purple moorhen can be seen delicately treading over the floating vegetation. While harriers and fishing eagles circle overhead in search of prey, the pied kingfisher hovers dramatically over the water in a flurry of wings. There are varieties of storks and cranes and the local sarus crane is elegant in a livery of grey and red.

Every year Bharatpur waits with bated breath for the arrival of the Siberian cranes. There are only two wintering places for this rare species one in Iran and other in Bharatpur. These beautiful birds with their distinctive red beaks and facial patches, fly over 6400 km from their summer retreats in Siberia.

The forest around the lake at Bharatpur harbours the sambar, chital, nilgai, jackal, hyena, fox, mongoose and porcupine. Occasionally, a fishing cat can be seen scooping its prey from waters edge. Pythons are also commonly seen sunning themselves along the edge of the paths or at Python point.

General Information :

• Best time to Visit - Throughout the year
• Breeding season - August - October
• Migrants - October - February
• Accommodation - Forest Lodge, Saras Tourist Bungalow, Forest Rest House
• Nearest town - Bharatpur (2 Km)
• How to get there ? Rail - Bharatpur (2Km) Air - Agra ( 50 Km)