Corbett National park in the north Indian state of Uttaranchal has been a haunt for tourists and wildlife lovers for a long time. Corbett National Park was the first to be authourised as a Project Tiger Reserve in 1973. Situated at a distance of 260 kms from Delhi and 128 kms from Nainital, the Corbett National Park is best known for its big cat population, especially the tigers.

Travelling is permitted in selected areas of Corbett Tiger Reserve and National Park, so that people has the opportunity to see its beautiful landscape and the diverse wildlife living here. In recent years the number of people coming here has increased dramatically. Presently, every season more than 70,000 visitors come to the park from India and abroad.


Sightseeing at Corbett National Park -
The Flora : Covering over 520 sq km with a core area of 330 sq km, the Corbett National Park boasts of mixed deciduous and sal forests and stretches of savannah grasslands, sheltering numerous carnivores and herbivores.

The Fauna : Corbett is home to several animals and birds. There are around 50 tigers in Corbett, apart from other wildlife like leopards, several lesser cats, the wild dog, porcupines, jackals, civets, sloth bear, black bear, wild boar and a few hundred elephants. You will find antelope, chital, hog deer and sambar graze through the grasslands of corbett. The Rhesus monkey and common langur are ubiquitous, while the long-snouted gharial, marsh crocodile, cobras and pythons can be seen on the mud banks of the Ramganga. The Ramganga reservoir, in the main Dhikala camp region of the park, houses over 600 species of birds, which includes the pied kingfisher, crested serpent eagle, fishing eagle and Himalayan grey headed fishing eagle. The river is also a favourite catch for anglers.

The Avifauna : About 150 species of birds are also found here and include the migratory birds that arrive in winter like the steppe eagle and various water birds. Peacock, Paradise fly catchers, Jungle Fowl, Golden and Black headed Orioles, Yellow Ioras, Red-vented Bulbuls, Blue Jays, Purple Sunbirds, Green Barbets and Mynahs can be seen here frequently.

Other Attractions : Leopard sighting is even rarer than that of the tiger, and these spotted cats confine themselves to the higher reaches of the Park. Other feline species found in the Park are leopard cats, jungle cats, the rare fishing cat, and Caracalla, to name a few. Sloth bears, wild boars, monkeys, dholes (wild dogs), jackals and ghorals (mountain goats) also inhabit the Park.

The aquatic reptile population in the Park consists of mugger (Crocodylus palustris) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) crocodiles, while Indian rock pythons, Russells vipers, cobras, king cobras and common kraits are some of the snakes found in the Park. Bird life includes parakeets, flycatchers, babblers, cuckoos, robins, bulbuls, Indian and Great Pied hornbills, warblers and finches, to name a few.

Park Trips : Elephant rides and jeep rides can be arranged once in Corbett National Park; private vehicles and jeeps are also allowed. Elephant rides are the recommended way to see the animals. The organised jungle trips are accompanied by a guide.

Best Season to Visit : 15th November to 15th June.


Reaching Corbett National Park-
By Air : The nearest airport is Delhi, 300 kms away.
By Rail : The nearest station is Ramnager, 21 kms away. Ramnagar is by overnight train from Delhi.
By Road : Corbett is located 300 kms from Delhi.