National Parks and sanctuary in Rajasthan

The national parks in Rajasthan are unique as compared to the other national parks of India, as they largely show the natural diversity found in the desert. One can see a wide variety of birds at the Bharatpur National Park or have the rare opportunity of interacting with tigers at the Ranthambore National Park. Various Wildlife Sanctuaries in Rajasthan and other national parks in wildlife tour calls you for an indulgent travel experience. Imagine yourself perching atop a Camel or taking a bumpy ride in a Jeep safari and coming face to face to a Panther or a wild boar, this is actually what can be expected while travelling to Rajasthan.
With a variation in the land, the place offers a number of regions where you can spot different animals together. Enlisted here are the top national park and wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan –

Ranthambore National Park
The Ranthambore National Park was originally established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Indian Government and was brought under the Project Tiger scheme in 1973. It was declared as a National Park in 1980. The adjacent forests of the sanctuary were declared as the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary and Keladevi Sanctuary. In 1991, the Tiger Reserve was expanded by merging the nearby sanctuaries, and thus the Ranthambore National Park was formed. The Ranthambore National Park is best known for its tiger population. The tigers can be easily spotted in the park. The best time to visit the park is in the months of November and May as the foliage gives way to good sighting opportunities of these majestic animals in their natural habitat. The park is situated on a plateau and is bound by the rivers Chambal and Banas on either side. The majestic Ranthambore Fort is also situated within the limits of the Ranthambore National Park. The national park abounds in wildlife and is home to a large number of species including chitals, sloth bears, hyenas, sambars, wild boars, nilgai, leopards and tigers. The national park is also known for the persistent efforts taken by the authorities to revive the tiger population in the park. In 2005, there were as many as 26 tigers in the sanctuary.

Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur
The Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary is paradise for bird watchers and wildlife photographers. The park is home to over 230 resident species of birds including Bar-headed geese, Brahminy ducks, cranes, peacocks, pelicans and egrets. What used to be the duck hunting reserve for the Maharajas, the sanctuary is now a popular spot for birds from Afghanistan, China and Siberia to migrate to in the winter. Some of the migratory birds found here are the White Wagtail, Black Winged Slit and Common Greenshank.

Sariska National Park, Alwar
Hyenas, wild boar, tigers, jackals, chital, sambhar antelopes and a variety of jungle cats call the Sariska National Park home. At the edge of the park, at Siliserh Lake you can even find a large number of crocodiles.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
The Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is home to the Indian wolf, a species rarely found anywhere else. The sanctuary is nestled around the Kumbhalgarh Fort and attracts hundreds of tourists every year for its beauty and incredible wildlife sightings. You can explore the park on foot or get a little adventurous on their horseback safaris. It is situated in the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. It is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan. It is home to various animal species like nilgai, four-horned antelopes, chinkaras, jungle cats, sambhar, sloth bear and leopards. Various bird species like doves, white breasted kingfisher, bulbuls, golden oriole and grey jungle bowl can be easily spotted here. Tourists can also visit the historic Kumbhalgarh Fort which lies within the sanctuary.

Tal Chappar Sanctuary
Tal Chappar Sanctuary is located in the Churu district of Rajasthan. It’s home to a large variety of birds and is most famously known for its population of blackbucks. The sanctuary is every bird watcher’s paradise. You can find the crested lark, sparrow hawks, green bee-eaters and imperial eagles among many others here.

Kaila Devi Sanctuary
This sanctuary is an extension of the Ranthambore National Park and is home to some of India’s most exquisite wildlife like chinkaras, nilgai, jackals and leopards along with rare birds like sandpipers and kingfishers.

Mount Abu Sanctuary, Mount Abu
It is situated on the hills of Aravalli and houses a large number of wildlife, green vegetation and birds. The greatest attraction here is the igneous rocks with huge cavities in them that sets a sight to delight and sets ground for aspiring photographers. What draws tourists, especially ornithologists is the grey jungle fowl among lions, tigers, leopards, hedgehogs, porcupines, Indian hares, mongoose, pangolin, bears, wild boars, langurs, foxes, hyenas, jackals, small Indian civets, jungle cats, sambhars and about 250 species of humming birds. You have to avail trekking here to visit this sanctuary and ideal time is from April to June and November to February.

National Chambal Sanctuary
The sanctuary is situated on river Chambal, where the borders of three states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh meet. The sanctuary is given over to the conservation of critically endangered species of the red-crowned roof Turtles, Gharials and Ganges river dolphins. The sanctuary is a home to various species which includes Indian Wolf, striped hyena, smooth-coated otter, mugger crocodiles, and others. The main attractions of the sanctuary are Gharials, crocodiles, freshwater dolphins and rare turtles. Visitors here can hire boats to spot and photograph crocodiles, dolphins and turtles in the river Chambray.

Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary
The Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan, is one of the premier natural reserves in the state and is a major tourist attraction. Well-known as a hunting ground for the Maharaja of Bikaner, the Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary has a lake which is being visited by a variety of animals coming from different parts of Rajasthan. Besides this, the lake provides the tourists with a spectacular view.