Location:
UttaranchalDistance: Approximately 300 km from Delhi
Established In: 1936
Best Time to Visit: Mid-November to Mid-June
Main Attractions: Tigers, Elephants, Chital, Mugger Crocodile, etc.
Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most popular protected areas of India. Located in the state of Uttaranchal, at the foothills of Himalayas, the national park has its inception dating back to the year 1936. During that time, Jim Corbett used to be known as Hailey National Park. Then, with the independence of India, its name was changed to Ramganga National Park. Jim Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary, the name by which we know this protected area today, was given to it only in the year 1956.
With the launching of the Project Tiger, Jim Corbett National Park became one of the first areas to be declared as a Tiger Reserve. It was in the 1973 that it was given the status of a tiger reserve. One of the main reasons for this was that the national park supports a wide variety of vegetation. Jim Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary is sprawled over an area of 1200 sq km, out of which 520.82 sq km has been earmarked as the core area. The best to visit the sanctuary and explore its rich wildlife is mid-November to mid-June.
Flora
As said before, Jim Corbett National Park boasts of a very and wide variety of wildlife. Its topography is made up of transitory swampy depressions, hilly areas, highlands and canyons. 110 tree species, 51 species of shrubs, and more than 33 species of bamboo and grass make up its vegetation. On the upper reaches, one can find bakli, chir, gurail and bamboo trees, while the lower reaches are made up of Sal trees. As for the middle reaches, there is abundance of shisham and khair trees.
Wildlife
Without a doubt, the most popular wildlife attraction of Jim Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary is the Royal Bengal Tiger. However, you can also get to see Elephants, Deer, Leopards, Jungle Cats, Fishing Cats, Wild Dogs, Himalayan Palm Civets, Indian Gray Mongoose, Common Otters, Black-naped Hare, Porcupines and Langur Rhesus Monkeys within its premises. If you are looking for Sloth Bears, the lower regions are your best bet. For Himalayan Black Bears, you should move over to the upper regions.
Bird and Reptiles
Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve is home to a wide variety of birds also. One can find as many as 580 bird species residing in the park. Some of the most popular species of birds found here are Parakeets, Flycatchers, Babblers, Cuckoos, Robins, Bulbuls, Indian Pied Hornbills, Great Pied Hornbills, Warblers, Finches, etc. Migratory bids also find the sanctuary a much favored destination. Last, but not the least, you can hope to spot Gharials and Mugger Crocodiles, along the shore of Ramganga River in the park.
Accommodation
Since Jim Corbett National Park is amongst the most visited protected areas of India, the government has made sure that there are a lot of accommodation options for the tourists. Government-run as well as privately-owned hotels, lodges, rest houses and log huts are easily available for the visitors in and around the national park.
Corbett Hotels: Manu Maharani Resort, The Corbett Hideaway