Corbett National Park

---

Location
Located in Kumaon district of Uttaranchal, 86 Km from Nainital.

Major Wildlife Species
Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Indian Stag, Spotted Deers.

Best Time to Visit
November 15 to June 15, as sanctuary remains closed for remaining year.

A Glance on Corbett National Park
Spanning in an area of 520 sq Km, with a core area of 330 sq Km, the Corbett National park is a perfect habitat of Tigers, Leopards and Deers. The park was established as National park in 1936, and was named after the governor of United Province, Sir Malcolm Hailey. In 1952, it was renamed to Ramganga National Park, before getting its final name, Corbett National Park in 1957, after famous author and hunter, Sir Jim Corbett. The park was established as a tiger reserve and came under Project-tiger, in 1973. The land of sanctuary was connected with the great hunter, Sir Jim Corbett. He shot many man-eaters here, to protect the people living in adjoining areas. But he also chose not to shoot any animal, just for fun. In a way, he acted a conservationist for humans as well as animals. The park is a part of the 1200 sq km stretch of forest.

Attractions in the Park
Tiger Sighting
Tiger sighting in Corbett National Park has become quite difficult, due to various reasons. The tigers in Corbett stay confined to a small territory. Though one can hear alarms calls from monkeys and other smaller animals, but most of them are fruitless. The park was earlier (un)famous for its man-eaters. But there are no man eaters left today. Tigers can be seen in the core area of the park, which is highly protected, and must be accompanied by a guide.

Wildlife Attractions
Tigers are the main attractions of this sanctuary. Apart from tigers, leopards and elephants forms the major attractions. There are more than 50 species of mammals in the park. Leopards are mostly found in the hilly areas of the park. Some nocturnal cats found here are the Leopard Cat, Jungle Cat and Fishing Cat. Sloth Bear is found in the lower regions of the park while the Himalayan Black Bear is seen in the higher hills only. Some of the smaller residents of the park are Himalayan Palm Civet, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otter, Blacknaped Hare and Porcupine. Along the Ramganga River shores, one can spot the long-snouted, fish-eating Gharial Crocodile and the ‘Mugger’ Crocodile. Also seen on the rocky hillsides is the Ghoral or Goat Antelopes. The Langur and Rhesus Monkeys are well distributed through out the park and warning the whole Jungle with alarm calls when they see either a Tiger or Leopard from tree-top perches.

Avian Attractions
The sanctuary supports more than 600 species of birds, which includes the graylag, bareheaded goose, duck, grepe, snipe, sandpiper, gull and wagtail. The residents include darters, cormorants, egrets, herons, the black-necked stork and the spur winged lapwings. There are many migratory birds, arriving here in winters.

Reptiles Attractions
The aquatic reptile population in the park consists of mugger (Crocodylus palustris) and gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) crocodiles, while Indian rock pythons, Russell’s vipers, cobras, king cobras and common kraits are some of the snakes found in the Park.

The Park Trip
Corbett can be explored on a jeep safari or a elephant safari. Both these options are good enough to reach the interiors of sanctuary. Jeep safari may be liked by those who prefer speed, while elephant safari is prefered by those who want to spend a quality time in the arms of nature. Entry permissions are to be required before entering the park, from forest department at Ramnagar district.

How to Reach
The nearest railhead is at Ramnagar, 50 Km from the main park campsite at Dhikala. Convenient trains connect to Delhi, Lucknow and Moradabad. One can taxis to reach Corbett, from the major towns of Uttaranchal and nearby states. The park is 86 Km from Nainital, 297 Km from Delhi, 103 Km from Ranikhet and 300 Km from Lucknow.

Where to stay
A range of tourist accommodation is available at Corbett's main campsite in Dhikala. There are Forest Rest houses at Khinanauli, Sarpduli, Gairal, Sultan, Bijrani and Jhirna. Accommodation is also available in private lodges and resorts outside the Park.