Are you looking for that ultimate wildlife experience? Take a jungle safari at some of the best national parks in India next summer after the current travel restrictions are lifted and it is safe for us to travel once again.
Best time to visit National parks in India
The best time for an exciting and exhilarating wildlife tour in most national parks in India is from October to June. Taking a jungle safari during the summer months of March, April, May and June have a big advantage: you can spot wildlife easily, as most of the animals visit the water holes in the jungles to quench their thirst.
These national parks remain closed over the monsoon season as the monsoon in India brings heavy downpours and it is not safe for travelers.
9 best national parks in India to visit in 2021:
1. Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
Ranthambore National Park is located to the district of Sawai Madhopur and it one of the best national parks to consider while planning your wildlife holidays in India. Ranthambore is popular not just for its rich wildlife, but also the historical structures in the area. The ruins of Raj Bagh and Ranthambore Fort are some of the most important places in the area. There are several lakes in the area where chances of tiger spotting are high; one of these lakes is the Rajbagh Talao.
Fauna: Striped hyenas, nilgai, Indian gerbils, Indian porcupines, common palm civets, herons, sandpipers, small Indian mongoose, woodpeckers, Indian gray hornbills and Asian palm swift.
Flora: babul trees, jamun trees, date palms, banyan trees and more.
Zones in the park: 10
2. Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
Corbett National Park was once declared as the ‘first national park of India’ and is home to an incredibly rich flora and fauna. A large part of Corbett national park is covered with grasslands. However, what makes a Corbett wildlife expedition special is the fact that you can stay in the middle of the forest at Dhikala Forest Lodge.
Fauna: Royal Bengal tiger, Asiatic elephant, sambar, jackal, kingfisher, etc
Flora: Sal forest, various flowers like bali, mahua, kusum and vast grasslands.
Zones in the park: 6
3. Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Kanha National Park, one of the best national parks in India receives a huge number of visitors during summers due to its impressive population of Royal Bengal Tigers. Kanha is also considered to be one of the best-administered parks in Asia.
Fauna:Royal Bengal tiger, panther, Indian bison, python, jackal, wild dog, Indian Krait, Indian Garden Lizard and over 350 avian species.
Flora: Various types of trees such as palash, sal, mahua, bamboo and more.
Zones in the park: 4
4. Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Although Kanha National Park was the inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling’s book ‘The Jungle Book’ but it was the Pench National Park that was mentioned in the book. You can see your favorite jungle book characters while you are here be it Sher Khan (Royal Bengal Tiger), Kaa (Python), or Bagheera (Panther). Pench was declared as a Tiger Reserve in 1992 for its large population of tigers.
Fauna: Jungle cat, Royal Bengal tiger, gaur, leopard, four-horned antelope, lesser whistling teal and Blue Kingfisher and many more.
Flora: Trees like mahua, salai, saja, dhaora, etc.
Zones in the park: 7
5. Bandipur National Park, Karnataka
If you are hoping to see the mighty elephants during your Jungle safari, then Bandipur National Park in Karnataka is the one for you! This national park is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is the largest protected area in the region. The road that passes through the jungle affords the greatest opportunities of spotting animals like deer, peacocks, bison and elephants.
Fauna: Bison, antelopes, rock pythons, squirrels, gray langurs, crested serpent eagles, brown fish owls, kingfishers, etc.
Flora:Trees like Indian Kino Tree, clumping bamboo, satinwood, golden shower tree are common in the region.
Zones in the park: 1
6. Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Panna National Park famous for its lush wildlife and scenic beauty with waterfalls, boating site and a gharial sanctuary. It is home to one of the highest waterfalls in India and is surrounded by various tourist attractions like Pandav Falls, Ken Gharial Sanctuary and Raneh Falls.
Fauna: Royal Bengal tiger, sloth, chital, sambar, wolf, caracal, leopard, etc.
Flora: Trees like Mahua, Amla, Kullu, Tendu, Achar and more.
Zones in the park: Core zone and Buffer zone.
7. Periyar National Park, Kerala
There are many things that you can do in Kerala and if you are looking for wildlife adventure travel, Periyar National Park is the place for you. You can go camping, enjoy boating, take a tiger safari or embark on a trekking trail at the Periyar National Park. It is one of the oldest tiger reserves in India and was once home to white tigers.
Fauna: Royal Bengal Tiger, Asian elephant, Nilgiri tahr, Indian bison, barking deer, etc.
Flora: Over 1965 flowering plants, 171 species of grasses and 143 species of orchids.
Zones in the park: Core zone can be visited by a boat and Buffer zone 9, can be visited by jeep.
8. Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the most popular national parks in India located in the Umaria district in Madhya Pradesh. Declared as a national park in 1968, Bandhavgarh National Park is flourished with large biodiversity and is known for having a high density of tiger population in India. The park has the largest breeding population of leopards and various deer species.
Fauna: White tigers, Bengal tigers, leopards, Nilgai, Wild Boar, Common Teals, Red Jungle Fowl, White Breasted Kingfisher and more.
Flora: Various species of flowering plants, high grasslands, neem trees, karel, etc.
Zones in the park: Core zone and Buffer zone
9. Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal
India’s most popular tiger zone and the world’s largest mangrove forests make up the Sundarbans National park. The Sundarbans ecosystem is a unique natural wonder in Asia. The Sunderbans is a tiger and biosphere reserve that is located in the Sunderbans delta in West Bengal. The park is named after the Sundari trees found in the area.
Fauna: Royal Bengal tigers, leopard, ridley sea turtles, wild boars, jungle cats, flying fox and more.
Flora: Mangrove forests
Zones in the park: Core zone and buffer zones.
So, all you adventure lovers out there… what are you waiting for? Choose from Jeep safaris, boat safaris, canter safaris, elephant safaris, etc. for the perfect wildlife expedition after the lockdown ends.