Top 5 National Parks of India

According to the Indian Ministry of Environment & Forests, a national park is "[a]n area, whether within a sanctuary or not, [that] can be notified by the state government to be constituted as a National Park, by reason of its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, or zoological association or importance, needed to for the purpose of protecting & propagating or developing wildlife therein or its environment. (Source: Wikipedia) There are at present 166 authorized national parks in India.

Gear up for Wildlife Holidays in India through a visit to the top National parks of India. Adventure gets really big when it comes to wildlife safari in India making up for an opportunity for the adrenaline junkies to have a tryst with the wild. The National Parks in India are habitat of innumerable species and an abundant flora and fauna are found there. Due to the diverse topography and climate of the region, the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are situated all over the country. Though one can never get all of it in one go but following National Parks must be explored whenever there’s an opportunity to explore the region.

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Situated at a distance of 158 kms from Jaipur in the Northern state of Rajasthan, the Ranthambore National Park is one of the favored places to witness the Royal Bengal Tigers in the Northern region. One of the prominent wildlife tourist spots, the Ranthambore National Park is also favored place of wildlife photographers who are keen to capture the royal predators in their lens.

Best time to visit: October to May

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

Established in 1936, Jim Corbett is India’s first National Park and is home to a variety of flora and fauna. The Park is a visual treat with green grasslands, dense vegetation and small rivulets. In all, the park covers an area of over 500 sq km housing several wild species and animals which can be explored by a thrilling jeep safari through the dense jungle.

Best season to visit: November to June

Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal

The Sundarbans National Park is home to the Royal Bengal Tigers and has been declared as the UNESCO world heritage site; thus making it an important tourist attraction of the country.  Housing the largest mangrove forests, Sundarbans are situated on the Ganges Delta surrounded by rivers like Hoogly and river Raimangal. Though tiger sightings are quite rare but a visit to this National Park is definitely a thrilling adventure.

Best season to visit: December to February, the park remains open from September to March

Gir National Park, Gujarat

Located in the state of Gujarat, Gir National Park is famous for being natural habitat of the mighty Asiatic Lions. A wildlife safari to Gir is an exciting one as witnessing the ferocious animal traversing freely and in his natural routine is once is lifetime experience. Besides Lions, the place is also home to a varied number of bird species which even increases when migratory birds flock to this place to make it their temporary abode.

Best season to visit: December to March

Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Another national park in the north which has been accorded the status of world heritage site is the Kaziranga National Park. Situated in the Golaghat and Nagaon district of Assam, this national park is known for its population of one-horned rhinoceros. This national park is one of the diverse national parks of the country housing several species of animals like Elephants, Tigers, Wild Buffalo and swamp Deer. A safari through the park also lets you witness the local migratory birds.

Best season to visit: November to April