Introduction:

Corbett National Park situated in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the newly created state of Uttarakhand. Corbett National Park is one of India's most beautiful wildlife areas with a healthy and sizeable tiger population of around, making this park as the last and the most important bastion in India. Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India named after the hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett who played a key role in its establishment. It is situated in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The park acts as a protected area for the endangered Bengal tiger of India, the secure survival of which is the main objective of Project Tiger, an Indian wildlife protection initiative. The present area of the Corbett national park is 1318.54 sq. km. including 520 sq. km. of core area of and 797.72 sq. km. of buffer area. The virgin forest and jungle are home to numerous other species of fauna. The rich biodiversity of the park is a perfect place for bird enthusiasts; the area is considered one of the best bird-watching areas in India, with some 600 species having been sighted in the park. The different habitat types of Corbett Park i.e. mountains, Sal forests, chaurs (grasslands), khair & sissoo forests, and rivers have their distinct assemblage of plants. The Ramganga River forms the most prominent hydrological resource, supplemented by tributaries, most prominent of which are the Sona nadi, Mandal and Palain rivers. The river Kosi runs proximate to the Park and is also a significant water resource for nearby areas. Wildlife is dependent on rivers; more so in the dry season, for they provide drinking waters and also forms home to several key aquatic species.

Photo Credit: Arindam Bhattacharya

Flora and Fauna at Corbett National Park:

The Corbett National Park is very rich in wildlife, the major wildlife found in Corbett park Tiger, leopard, elephant, spotted deer, sambar, nilgai, hog deer, barking deer, sloth bear, wild boar, ghural, langur and rhesus monkey. Also more than 600 species and subspecies of birds are found, the major birds are Peacock, pheasant, pigeon, owl, hornbill, barbet, lark, myna, magpie, minivet, patridge, thrush, tit, nuthatch, wagtail, sunbird, bunting, oriole, kingfisher, drongo, dove, woodpecker, duck, teal, eagle, stork, cormorant, falcon, bulbul, flycatcher, redstart and gull. Corbett National Park is no less when it comes to aqua fauna and reptiles. The most found reptiles are Indian marsh crocodile or mugger, gharial, king cobra, common krait, cobra, Russels viper, python and monitor lizard. The popular fishes found here are golden masheer and Goonch Catfish amongst others.

Destination Facts:

Location: Uttarkhand, In District Nainital
Altitude: 400 to 1200mts
Area: 1,318.54 Sq. Km.
Temperature: (Summer 40 °C ) & (Winter 4 to 24°C)
Languages spoken: Hindi

Getting there:

By Airport: Nearest airport is Patanagar airport in Uttarakhand and alternatively Delhi is the most important and prominent airport for Both Domestic and International flights.
By Railway: Ramnagar is the nearest railway station
Main Bus Station or Road: Jim Corbett is well connected by major towns of the state, it's a comfortable 5 hours drive from Delhi.

Distance of a few Major Towns from Corbett:
Haldwani- 58km, Nainital-66km, Bhimtal-162km, Ranikhet-179km, Delhi – 235kms

Places of Tourist interest:

Ramganga Reservoir :
It is the main Dhikala camp area of the park, has over 600 species of birds, including the pied kingfisher, crested serpent eagle, fishing eagle and Himalayan grey headed fishing eagle.

Main Entry Gates of Jim Corbett National Park:

Jhirna Gate:
This area is full of natural beauty and specially known for its wild bear.

Durga Devi Gate:
This zone is a hilly area and is situated along the banks of Ramganga River. Besides looking at wildlife one can also get to see the popular Mahasheer fish in the river waters.

Sitabani Gate:
It's a famous zone for bird watching. Scenic view of this part of the forest calls many tourists again and again.

Bijrani Gate:
Bijrani is a beautiful spot and is known for its vast grass lands, deep forest, stormy drains and wild life. To visit this area, permission is granted by the Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve. Maximum 30 vehicles are allowed to travel into Bijrani during morning and same number of vehicles is allowed in the evening hours.

Dhangari Gate:
Dhikala is the biggest forest zone in the Corbett national park and you enter this zone via Dhangari gate

Best time to visit:
October to Mid-June is the best time to visit the destination.