Places to see on your Holiday

Special Interests: Safari

SARISKA WILDLIFE RESERVE - RAJASTHAN - INDIA

Sariska wild- life Sanctuary is located 37kms away from Alwar in Rajasthan. It covers an area of 765.80sq-kms. Surrounded by the sharp cliffs of the Aravallis, Sariska is a wild - life lovers paradise.

The Sariska Park is an abode to numerous wild animals including leopard, wild dog, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, and tiger. These feed on an abundance of prey species such as sambar, chitel, nilgai, chausingha, wild boar and langur. Sariska is also well known for its large population of rhesus monkeys, which are found in large numbers around Talvriksh, besides these animals there are also a large variety of birds for bird watchers.

Other Attractions in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

The Kankwari Fort

The Ancient Shiva Temples

The Palace

Best Way to Reach Sariska

The Sariska Park lies at the Delhi- Alwar- Jaipur highway, about 100kms from Jaipur and 200kms from Delhi. The nearest town to Sariska is Alwar. The best way to reach Sariska is to hire a vehicle from Delhi, Jaipur or Alwar.

Alwar is well connected by the rail system and there are many local operators who will be willing to take you to the reserve. It would be advisable to check with a couple of operators before agreeing on a price.

Best time to visit Sariska

The best time to visit Sariska is around January or February, which is in winter, though hot months April to June are good as you can see animals at the water- holes. During the monsoon and the breeding period certain jungle tracks are closed.

PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY- KERALA - INDIA

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is near the scenic town Kumily which is famous for its exotic spices. The park has about 40 tigers, 20 leopards, 900 elephants and 280 gaur. You can also see Lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri langur, the Malabar giant squirrel, porcupine, wild dog, sloth bear, jungle cat, sambar, palm civet, wild boar and jackal. Approximately 180 species of birds are said to have been spotted in the National Park- grey herons, kingfishers, egrets, darters, coots, fish-owls, grackles and cormorants.

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is near the scenic town Kumily which is famous for its exotic spices. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 777sqkms of cardamom hill ranges in the Idduki District. Situated at the border of the states of Kerela and Tamil Nadu it is well- connected to the cities.

Boat cruises on the lake are the best way to explore the park. There are boat services, which will take you around the lake. You can also indulge in trekking and elephant rides in the sanctuary.

As per the forest officials the park has about 40 tigers, 20 leopards, 900 elephants and 280 gaur. You can also see Lion-tailed macaque, the Nilgiri langur, the Malabar giant squirrel, porcupine, wild dog, sloth bear, jungle cat, sambar, palm civet, wild boar and jackal. Approximately 180 species of birds are said to have been spotted in the National Park- grey herons, kingfishers, egrets, darters, coots, fish-owls, grackles and cormorants. To get a better view of the animals carry your binoculars with you. The main attraction of the sanctuary is the Indian Hornbill

Best Time to Visit

The ideal time to visit Periyar National Park, is between the months of February and May. During this time of the year, the animals of the forest come to the lake for water as the water holes in the forest dry up.

How to reach there

The closest airport to Periyar is in Madurai, Tamilnadu which is 145kms away. The nearest railway station is at Kottayam which is 114kms away.

KANHA NATIONAL PARK - INDIA

Located in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park boasts of sprawling area of over 1, 940sq-kms. It is so rich in wild- life that you get to see- the major attraction of Kanha, i.e., the tigers, but besides the tigers you can also see variety of birds, antelopes, black buck, grazers, porcupine, gray langurs, mongoose, hyena, jungle cat, leopard.

Kanha National Park

Enjoy the natural beauty and experience the pleasures of Indian wild- life at Kanha National Park. Located in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park boasts of sprawling area of over 1, 940sq-kms. The entire area is breathtakingly beautiful, with surpan river, steep rocky mountains and other flora and fauna to enhance its beauty. The main feature of this region is the horse-shoe- shape valley.

Sometimes even in a wild- life sanctuary it is difficult to spot the wild animals, yet Kanha National Park is so rich in wild- life that you get to see- the major attraction of Kanha, i.e., the tigers, but besides the tigers you can also see variety of birds, antelopes, black buck, grazers, porcupine, gray langurs, mongoose, hyena, jungle cat, leopard.

The major attractions of Kanha National Park are:

Elephant Safari- The most fascinating way of enjoying the pleasures of nature is on the elephant safari. View the most gripping sites and familiarize yourself with the sounds of the wilderness atop an elephant.

Kanha Museum: The Museum at the Kanha National Park shows the tribal culture of Madhya Pradesh and also shows the features and activities of the park.

How to Reach Kanha Wild- life Sanctuary

You can take any of the three means to reach Kanha Sanctuary, i.e. by air, car or train. The nearest airport to Kanha is at Nagpur, which is 266km away from the wild- life sanctuary. Kanha National Park is connected by road with Jabalpur 175-kms, Khajuraho 445-kms, Nagpur 266-kms, Mukki 25-kms, Raipur 219-kms. Within the park: Koshi - Kanha (9-kms), Kishi - Katia (4-kms), Kishi - Mukki (32-kms). There are regular back and forth bus services available from Jabalpur to Kanha. Also The Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) operates a Jeep Service for visitors to go around in the park.

Best Time to Visit Kanha National Park

The best time to visit Kanha is between November- March. The climate is cool and pleasant at this time of the year. During the monsoon the park is closed to the visitors. April to June is very hot, but if you are a big fan of wild- animals then this is the best time as you can see many animals at the park's water- holes.

GIR NATIONAL SAFARI PARK - GUJARAT

Gir Wild-life Sanctuary is located in Junagadh- Gujarat. It has a huge terrain of 1412.13 sq-kms. Here you can see about 300 Asiatic Lions

Gir Wild-life Sanctuary is located in Junagadh- Gujarat. It has a huge terrain of 1412.13sq-kms. Here you can see about 300 Asiatic Lions, which are slightly smaller than African Lions. Other animals of the Gir national park are sambar, deer, chital, spotted deer, nilgai, antelope, chowsingha, four-horned antelope, chinkara, gazelle, wild boar, langur, monkey, jackal, and hyena and numerous birds like paradise flycatcher, bonneli's, eagle, crested serpent eagle, woodpeckers, flamingo etc.

Gir is also a heaven for reptiles like marsh crocodiles, lizards, pythons and a number of other types of snakes. There is an interesting breeding farm for crocodiles at Sasan, which also provides the specimens that are relocated into the water reservoirs inside Gir.

The Gir Wild- Life Sanctuary is surrounded by thick forest- with Acacia and Banyan trees. Wild fruits like- Jamun, Karanj, Ber, Tendu, Semul, Umro, Vad, Kalam, Charal, Sirus and Amli are found here. The trees are mostly broad leaved and evergreen, which gives the area a cool shelter and the moisture content.

Jeep Safari: There is no better way of enjoying the beauty of these huge cats, except in a jeep. While driving around in the jeep you can see the most amazing natural world.

Best Time to Visit Gir Forest

Gir wild- life sanctuary is open to the visitors throughout the year, but the best time to visit the sanctuary is between the months of November to June.

How to Reach Gir

Gir wild- life sanctuary is very well connected to air, train and road transport. The nearest airport is 90kms away at Keshod via Veraval. The nearest rail connection is from Ahmedabad which is 395kms away and you can easily catch a state transport bus or hire a car from any of these cities- Ahmedabad, Junagadh and Veraval.

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