Top 25 Wildlife Sanctuaries in India

This game reserve was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1940. It is situated at the crossroads of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka and is in the northwest of the Nilgiris. This sanctuary is home to a large variety of fauna and flora including tropical green forests and dry deciduous forests.

You can expect to see tigers here apart from animals like elephants, wild boar, sambar, chital, and primates. The dholes, a dangerous animal that is feared in the jungles can also be seen here and people keep an eye out for it.

This wildlife sanctuary is well connected by the National Highway. All buses that come from Mysore to Ooty stop at the Reception Centre at Theppakadu. It can also be approached by road from Mysore 91 km away. The nearest railway station is Ooty (67 kms) and Mysore. ( 90 km) It can also be reached from Coimbatore and Bengaluru.

Periyar National Park is located in Kerala, also known as ‘God’s own country’. It is one of the most famous national parks of southern India and was established in 1950, covering an area of 925 square km. Surrounded by abundant and lush greenery, this wildlife sanctuary is home to a wide range of flora and fauna and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1982.

Situated in the Idukki district, in the hills of the Western Ghats, the Periyar National Park is blessed with verdant greenery all around, which enables several breeds of animals and birds to live in their natural habitat.

The tiger, nilgiri tahrs and nilgiri langurs can be seen roaming in the wilderness in these parts. The main animals found here are elephants, tigers, nilgiri tahrs, nilgiri langurs, etc. you can also set your eyes on the, jungle cats, dhole, and the carmine mongoose. You will get to see several monkeys perched on top of trees and this is the abode of the famous species called the Macaque which has a long tail like the lion.

What’s more, the beautiful Periyar Lake and the Mullaperiyar Dam in the vicinity are amazing water bodies for wildlife to thrive here. The river Pamba also flows through this wildlife sanctuary, making it a lush landscape and a treasure trove of flora and fauna all year around.

You can find over 300 species of birds here. The migratory birds that flock to these parts include the, Kingfisher, Hornbill, Darters, and storks. A wide variety of creepy reptiles like the King Cobra and the Python can also be found slithering in these parts. You will also find orchids, rosewood, teak wood, bamboo, eucalyptus and several ferns flourishing here.

The nearest airport is Kochi – (200 kms) and Madurai in Tamil Nadu – (140 kms.) The nearest railway station in Periyar national park. Taxis and buses are available from Ernakulam, Madurai and Kottayam which is 114 kms away.

Located in Uttaranchal, it is arguably the most well-known wildlife sanctuary of India and the most oft visited. Established in 1936 as the first national park in Asia it lies in the two districts of Nainital and Pauri in the hilly state of Uttaranchal.

Named after the well-known writer Jim Corbett, whose close encounters with wildlife and many adventures has made him a celebrity. As the oldest park in Asia, and also the country’s finest tiger reserve, this world renowned park is also a rich treasure trove of history and culture and has a tradition of conservation.

You will find some of the most diverse wildlife that you will see anywhere in Asia in these parts. This is due to the immense variety of landscapes that include wet and dry plains, mountainous terrains, forests and grasslands, which lends itself well to a multitude of plant and animal species, that thrive in the natural vegetation and verdant greenery.

Of all the wildlife found here, the most vibrant of all is the Bengal tiger and the Asiatic Elephant as well as the 600 species of avifauna making it one of the wildlife sanctuaries in these parts.

The closest international airport is New Delhi and by road it is 300 kms from Delhi and 400 km from Lucknow. The nearest railway station is Ramnagar which is 9 kms away.

One of the biggest national wildlife sanctuaries in India, it is located about 130 kms away from the city of Jaipur between the north and central India. It lies on a sprawling 400 acres of land in the of south-eastern Rajasthan, and was once the hunting grounds of the royal family . Today this prestigious wildlife sanctuary has grown in great strides to take pride of place as a tourist attraction.

Thanks to its rich and diverse flora and fauna it supports many rare breeds and species of wildlife and is an important example of the Project Tiger conservation efforts. There are steep crags and a large number of lakes and hills, and on the top of one of the hills is the Ranthambore fort.

The terrain here consists of impregnable forests and vast areas of bushland, and the forests are dry with deciduous vegetation. The Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Malik Talao are some of the lakes here, where the tigers come for water and shelter. It is easy to spot tigers here during the day and they are often seen lazing around in these parts, and hunting the Sambar around the lakes here.

The other species of wildlife seen here are tigers, striped hyenas, sloth bears, nilgai, macaques, jackals, caracals, sloth bears, rufous tailed hare, Chital, Long Eared Hedgehogs, Common Palm Civets, Common Yellow Bats, Five striped Palm Squirrels, Indian False Vampires and many more!

By air the closest airport is Jaipur and by rail the Sawai Madhopur which is just 10 kms from the sanctuary is on the main line between Delhi and Mumbai. There is also a direct rail link between Sawai Madhopur and Jaipur.It is also connected by road from all the main cities of Rajasthan.

This bird sanctuary in Rajasthan was formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. This beautiful national park is home to over 400 species of migratory birds that flock here in winter. Just 175 kms from New Delhi, this national park is on the Agra - Jaipur road and is a 3 hour drive from the capital and has been declared a world heritage site.

Since most of the bird species flock here in winter, the best time to visit this park would be in the winter months from November to February. This bird sanctuary is 28.7 sq km in size and comprises mixed wetland, woodland, grass and scrub land. Only 175 kms from New Delhi, Bharatpur is on the Agra - Jaipur road and a pleasant 3 hour drive from the capital.

This bird sanctuary is truly beautiful with its paved walkways and guides in cycle -rickshaws. Easy cycle tracks and free access to birds makes this a true paradise for bird lovers. Bird watching tours provide tourists an opportunity to catch a glimpse of 150 different species of birds. However the winter flock of the migrating Siberian crane is now considered an extinct species.

This wild life sanctuary in the South-west of Saurashtra Peninsula in Junagadh District of Gujarat is the only wildlife sanctuary in India that has Asiatic lions. It comprises 1412 sq. km of deciduous forest and steep rocky hills. Many perennial and seasonal rivers flow in these parts, providing relief for the animals here and these large water bodies are specially good for crocodiles and birds.

This region is collectively called the Gir protected area and is spread over 130,000 hectares. This park houses at least 300 lions and also includes other animals like the chital, the nilgai, the leopards, chinkara, four- horned antelope and the wild boar, as well as a wide variety of birds and reptiles. There are also crocodile rearing farms in the vicinity.

For those who would like to visit this famed wildlife sanctuary in India, the best time would be between the months of December and June.

Visitors to the Gir National park will have to get their entry permits from the Sinh Sadan Forest Lodge Office. You can travel by both road and rail and the SasanGir Railway Station is very close to the wild life sanctuary.

If you are travelling by road you can reach here from Ahmedabad (408 km). Rajkot (160 kms), Junagadh (55 Kms) or Diu (110 km). The nearest railway station is Sasan (160 Km). The nearest airport is in Rajkot (160 Km). The sanctuary is open from 16th October to 15th June every year.e Sinh Sadan Forest Lodge Office.

This is one of the most beautiful and well maintained wildlife sanctuaries in India. Located in Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park was established in the year 1955. This wildlife sanctuary also forms the heart of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger.

This park came into the limelight due to the unwavering efforts to save the rare and fast disappearing Barasingha or the Swamp Deer. One of the highlights of the Kanha National Park, is Bamni Dadar or the Sunset Point, from where you can see the happy sight of cattle grazing in verdant greenery.

The rare beauty, sal and bamboo forests , ravines and many meadows of this wildlife sanctuary of India, inspired the well-known writer Rudyard Kipling’s novel called the Jungle Book. Today there are stringent conservation programs that protect the park’s fauna and flora, and this has made the Kanha national park one of the best and most well maintained in Asia. Here you can spot a wide variety of wildlife and avian species.

Apart from that, you can also catch a glimpse of tigers here. You will also see the panther, sambar, black buck, gaur and jackal in these parts. Among the reptiles you can spot the Indian Cobra, the Python, the Russell’s Viper and the Indian Monitor amongst others.

There is also a large number of fish here. You will get a glimpse of about 300 species of birds here like the Blossom Headed Parakeet, Pond heron, common teal, woodpeckers and pigeons to name just a few.

Nagpur (266-kms) is the nearest airport and is connected by various domestic airline services from Mumbai. If you are travelling by train then Jabalpur at 169-kms is the convenient rail head to visit Kanha. It is also connected by road with Jabalpur 175-kms, Khajuraho 445-kms, Nagpur 266-kms, Mukki 25-kms, Raipur 219-kms. There are bus services available from Jabalpur to Kanha.

If you want to see the One-horned Indian Rhinoceros, then you should visit the Kaziranga National Park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of Assam. Situated between the two districts of Nagaon and Golaghat, this truly beautiful wildlife sanctuary in India is home to this amazing animal that breeds here in abundance.

The park works tirelessly to conserve this rare species and it’s no wonder that it was declared as a national park in 1974. With a total area of 430 sq km, along the Brahmaputra river, you will also find many rare breeds of birds here. The Kaziranga also has the highest density of tigers that are protected here and was declared a Tiger Reserve in 2006.

The landscape in this wildlife park has tall elephant grass and marshlands and shallow pools that provide plenty of water for the inmates. The best time to visit the park would be during the months of November and April. However, the park remains closed during the months of June to September. Elephant rides and jeep safaris are also conducted here.

The Flora here includes three main types of vegetation , which are alluvial inundated grasslands, tropical wet evergreen forests and tropical semi-evergreen forests. This area is also the largest floodplain grassland of its kind, in the whole of the country. These grasslands have tall grasses and reeds that are also known as elephant grass and the shorter variety that is called ‘beels’.

This is one of the few wildlife sanctuaries in India that offers an amazing insight into some of nature’s finest creations. The nearest airport is Rowriah (Jorhat). If you are travelling by road, Kaziranga is 217 kms, from Guwahati and 96 kms from Jorhat . You can take a flight to Jorhat or can go by car and bus to Kaziranga from Guwahati. The nearest rail head is Furkating.

The Sunderbans in West Bengal forms the largest delta at the intersection of Ganges, Meghna and Brahmaputra rivers.This large and magnificent jungle is spread between two countries, Bangladesh and India. Sunderban wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of 4264 kms and is the habitat of the royal Bengal tiger.

More than two-thirds of this sanctuary is in Bangladesh and the rest of it is located in West Bengal. The entire region is densely covered with mangrove forests and is the ideal place for Bengal tigers.

The Sundarbans is declared a World Heritage Site. It offers comfortable accommodation, angling opportunities in the Gomor river and safari tours in the farther end of Sunderbans. The unmatched flora and fauna of the Sunderbans attract serious wildlife watchers who will not find such rare species in other wildlife sanctuaries in India.

Sundarbans is about 110 kms from Kolkata . The nearest airport is the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata (112 kms). It takes around 3 hours of road journey and 2 hours of boat ride to reach Sundarbans from here.

There are local trains to Canning from Sealdah (South) at regular intervals and takes about 1 and ½ hours. You can also go by Road from Kolkata. Namkhana (105 km), Sonakhali (100 km), Raidighi (76 km), Canning (64 km), and Najat (92 km), are located near Sundarbans.