When it comes to wildlife tourism, India has lots to offer given the huge biodiversity the country has. However, due to various reasons like widespread publicity and ease of access, etc. most of the tourists, both international and domestic, end up visiting only a few national parks such as Corbett, Ranthambore, Kanha, etc. while a lot many others hardly get a trickle of visitors despite many attractions such as exotic fauna and flora, scenic vistas, and affordability of boarding and lodging. Read on for a glimpse of some very attractive wildlife tourism destinations that most tourists may be missing out on:
Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh
The park that derives its name from the Satpura range of mountains is located in Madhya Pradesh in the district of Hoshangabad. The natural beauty of the park is enhanced due to the dense forests interspersed by deep gorges and narrow ravines. Occupying an area of 524 sq. km. it adjoins the Pachmarhi and Bori Sanctuaries that cover another 900 sq. km. approximately. Tourists can revel in the stunning biodiversity that includes animals besides the famed tiger, such as leopards, sloth bears, wild boars, black bucks, spotted deer, gaur, porcupines, marsh crocodiles, smooth otters, sambhar, langurs, giant squirrels, wild dogs, etc. While tigers can be elusive, the density of the other animals makes for an interesting safari. The forests are largely of sal, teak, tendu, and mahua trees, along with bel, bamboo, grasses, etc.
Gorumara National Park, West Bengal
Located in the Dooars region of West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, Gorumara National Park is one of the smaller national parks but one that has an amazing tourist potential for being home to the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. The area lying in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas is blessed with immense natural beauty and some of the most varied fauna and flora that you can encounter. Situated on the banks of the Murti and Raidak rivers, the park’s vegetation largely comprises riverine grasslands dotted with savannah woodlands. Among the most common trees is the sal while there is also a large presence of teakmkahir, siris, and simul. The sweep of the mountains and meandering rivers makes for an extremely scenic wildlife tour. Besides the rhino, you can get to see the majestic elephant, bison, many types of deer, leopards as well as monkeys, turtles, a variety of snakes, and over 200 species of birds.
Tadoba National Park, Maharashtra
Situated in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, Tadoba National Park is the state’s oldest, but relatively untouched due to the low traffic. It is rated as among the best places for tiger sightings as the park has one of the highest densities of the majestic predator. Apart from the Royal Bengal Tiger, tourists can also spot a wide assortment of deer, wild dogs, wild boar, jungle cats, sloth bears, nilgai, and the leopard, among many others. The Tadoba Lake is a popular spot for the animals to come for a drink, and you can get to spot much of the animal life here, including the deadly marsh crocodiles. Depending upon the season, one can also get to see the huge variety of insects and birds. Visit https://tigersheavenresort.co.in/ to see some great photographs of the magnificent tigers that are the biggest draw.
Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh
Spread over an extremely scenic 754 sq. km., the Great Himalayan National Park is very popular with hikers and trekkers for very obvious geographical reasons. If you are really serious about getting up and close with nature without getting disturbed by the press of tourists, this is place to be. Apart from reveling in the loveliness of Himalayan terrain, tourists can also delight in the huge assortment of flora and a bewitching 375 species of animal and 181 of birdlife. This is one of the few places where you can get to see the snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, goral, musk deer, etc. The birdlife is no less amazing with Himalayan griffon vultures, Golden Eagles, lammergeyers, and the endangered Western Tragopan featuring in the list that also includes over 50 species of migratory birds.
Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal
For tourists visiting the Dooars region of West Bengal, Jaldapara National Park is perhaps the best chance to appreciate the wild beauty of the Himalayan foothills. Located close to the border of Bhutan in the Alipurduar district, the national park is covered with dense growth of lush and tall elephant grass that flourishes due to the heavy rainfall that the region gets. While it is most famous for being home to the One Horned Indian Rhinoceros, tourists can also get to see the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger, a large variety of deer, the elephant, bison, leopards, besides boars and wild pigs among others. The large number of bird species, including migratory birds, never ceases to amaze.
