Thursday, January 7, 2010

India Wildlife Parks

The wildlife National parks in India spread across the country offer a fascinating diversity of terrain, flora and fauna. India has preserved vast tracts of forests and habitats in its 80 National Parks and 441 Wildlife Sanctuaries. Each National park are famous for its Wildlife Population.

Indian National Parks:

Depending on the area and terrain National Parks provide ample opportunities to the visitors to have a close encounters with the wilds. But what is so exquisite about the Indian National Parks is the variance that they are equipped with. Whether it comes to the flora, avifauna, and aquafauna, or witnessing various wild forms in their natural surroundings on an elephant or inside a jeep, wild ventures in are simply amazing!

Some of the best jewels of Indian wilderness include the Great Himalayan National Park, Dachigam National Park near Srinagar, Corbett National Park in Uttar Pradesh, which is also a famous tiger reserve, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, and Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal. Worth visiting in the east indian part in "The Land of Rhino" Assam is Kaziranga.

The Kanha National Park, 160 Km south of Jabalpur. In Karnataka near Kabini Lake is the Nagarhole National Park. So next time you travel to India, take a refuge in the quietude along with the wildlife and watch the exuberance of thebountiful nature in India.

The variour kind of Indian National Parks are :

Ranthambore National Park : Ranthambore National Park is positioned at the convergence of the Vindhyan plateau and Aravali hill, in the Eastern region of Rajasthan. Two rivers, namely Banas in the North and Chambal in the South, flow through this National Park. You can also find six artificial lakes and quite a few perennial streams passing through the Ranthambore National Park. In the year of 1955, this Park got declared as a game sanctuary. However, its status of a national park came in the year of 1980. The year 1972 marks the commencement of Project Tiger. It was at this point of time when this park was conferred the status of a tiger reserve in the country.

Bandhavgarh National Park : Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the wild life sanctuaries in the Indian state Madhya Pradesh. The national park is situated at 197 km away north-east of Jabalpur.

Kaziranga National Park : Kaziranga National Park in Assam has to be the most beautiful and attractive place you can choose to visit in north-eastern India. An UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kaziranga's 470 sq kms of lush green flood plains is home to some of the most fascinating wildlife in Asia.

Kanha National Park: Most of the answers will be ambiguous because everyone wants to see a tiger. Then where can one spot a tiger? Well, even if there are circuses and zoo's all over India, there's some kind of a thrill you experiences when all of a sudden you came across a tiger roaming freely in the wilderness of its natural habitat: the fields and forests of India.

Sariska National Park : Sariska Tiger Reserve is well nestled in the Aravali Hills covering 800 sq km area divided into the grasslands, dry deciduous forests, sheer cliffs and rocky landscape.

Corbett National Park: Located in the foothills of the Himalayas is the majestic Corbett National Park. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, it is famous for its wild population of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants..

Topography Of The Park: The topography of the park is such that it has deep valleys, steep hill slopes and dense forests. The altitude of the park varies from 200 m to 927 m and the temperature ranges between 16-37 degree Celsius. The best time to visit the park is between November and June.

Books On Bandhavgarh National Park: Among the other incredible stories he related in his "Book of Marvels", he spoke of a wondrous land filled with curious animals, like elephants, rhinos and the great striped cats. That land was India. The man was Marco Polo.

Nagarhole National Park : Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka shares its boundaries with the famous Bandipur National Park in Karanataka, which together form a part of the Mudumalai Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and the Wayanad Reserve in Kerala. About 643 kms in area.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

India the land of the majestic tiger and the graceful elephant, the magnificent peacock and the gigantic rhinoceros, offers natural habitat to the wild animals in its Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks is indeed, a delight for the nature lover.

India Wildlife Sanctuaries:

Wandering about in a wildlife sanctuary and witnessing the wildlife therein can be quite an adventurous experience. Whether it is done while riding on an elephant's back, or from a watch tower or from a boat, the thrill that one can have while spotting herds of wild elephants, deer and predators catching their preys in their natural habitat is much more exciting than watching a wildlife documentary on television.

Such as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary known as largest bird sanctuary in Asia, which is much more famous as a refuge of migratory birds like barons, ibis, pelicans and painted storks that make it their temporary home during the winter months. Two splendid protected habitats situated in the Himalayan foothills are the Corbett National Park and The Dudhwa National Park that provide an unforgettable wildlife experience. The most pleasant time to visit any wildlife sanctuary in India, with the exception of Dachigam is the months between October and March. However, the chances of spotting wildlife are better from March to June when the weather is hot.

The variour kind of India Wildlife Sanctuaries are :

Gir Wildlife Sanctuary : The Gir National Park is located in the south-western parts of the Saurashtra Peninsula and is a home to about 300 Asiatic Lions. The Gir park is surrounded by three unique and unusual reserves, the Nalsarovar Lake and Sanctuary; the Rann of Kutch and the Flamingo Islands which houses the flamingo birds and a charm to the place.

Panna Wildlife Sanctuary: Panna National Park situated in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh at a distance of around 57 km from Khajuraho. The region, which is famous for its diamonds, is also home to some of the best wildlife species in India and is one of the better Tiger Reserves in Panna National Park,Panna National Park Madhya Pradesh,Panna National Park Tour,Wildlife in Panna Park the country.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: The calm and peaceful Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is reputed as the largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka. Nestling some very rare animal and birds is an unspoilt, untouched and unexplored treasure of wildlife that is sure to leave you spellbound.

Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary: Wild Ass Wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Gujarat. The place is a featureless expanse of flat land in addition to the sea bed and dotted with islands known as “Baits”. The entire Little Rann of Kutch is known as “Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary”.

Sasangir Wildlife Sanctuary: Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is counted among the finest wildlife sanctuaries of India.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary: Established in 1973, the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is contiguous to the protected area network of Nagarhole and Bandipur of Karnataka on the north-east and Mudimalai of Tamilnadu on the south-east.

Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary: Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala covering a very small area only 55 sq.km located in western slopes of Western Ghats. Established in 1984 and lies in the most northern part of Kerala.

Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary: This National Park in Kerala offers a scintillating sight of rare wild animals. The area has quite a few hill tribes here like Malayars, Kadas, and Muthuvaas.

Sanjay Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary: This gives rise to a wide array of flora at the Park, ranging from teak, mangrove scrub.

Rajasthan Wildlife Package

Tour Duration: 12 Nights / 13 Days
Places Covered: Delhi - Udaipur - Jaipur - Ranthambhore - Bharatpur - Agra - Jabalpur - Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi

Day 01: Delhi
Company representatives will receive you on arrival at the international airport in Delhi late in the night or midnight. Transfer to your hotel. Relax. Overnight will be at Hotel in Delhi.

Day 02: Delhi - Udaipur
Breakfast will be at the hotel. Transfer to airport for flight to Udaipur. Reach and check in at hotel. Overnight will be Stay Hotel in Udaipur.

Day 03: Udaipur
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Relax in the evening. Overnight will be Stay Hotel in Udaipur.

Day 04: Udaipur - Jaipur
Breakfast will be at hotel. After breakfast drive to beautiful Pink City - Jaipur. Lunch will be at Kishangarh Phool Mahal Palace. Reach and check in at hotel. Overnight will be Stay at Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 05: Jaipur
Breakfast will be served at the hotel. Proceed for excursion to Amber Fort in the outskirts of Jaipur. Elephant ride ascent to the fort. Explore the city markets. Overnight will be Stay at Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 06: Jaipur - Ranthambhore
Breakfast will be at hotel. Transfer to SAWAI MADHOPUR. Evening free at the resort and you can relax or watch some slides on the tiger. Overnight will be at resort.

Day 07: Ranthambhore
A full day game viewing inside the jungle. Overnight at the resort.

Day 08: Ranthambhore - Bharatpur
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed to Bharatpur. Return to the lodge in the evening and relax. Overnight will be at Bharatpur.

Day 09: Bharatpur - Agra
Early morning RICKSHAW RIDE at the Bird Park. Breakfast at hotel. Proceed to Agra. Reach Agra and then proceed to visit Taj. Enjoy battery van ride to the Taj. Take train to Jabalpur in the evening. Overnight would be on board the train.

Day 10: Jabalpur - Kanha
Reach Jabalpur and you would be transferred to Kanha. Reach before lunch and proceed for an afternoon GAME DRIVE to view TIGERS. Overnight at the Kanha Resort.

Day 11: Kanha
A full day game viewing inside the jungle. Overnight at the resort.

Day 12: Kanha - Jabalpur - Delhi
Proceed for the morning Game Drive into the forest. Proceed to Jabalpur and board train for overnight journey to Delhi. Overnight will be on train.

Day 13: Delhi
Arrive in the morning. Check in at hotel and freshen up. Proceed for a full day tour of Old & New Delhi. Transfer to airport for connecting flight home.

Wildlife at Rajasthan

Rajasthan is home to many unique and beautiful species of wildlife. The National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Rajasthan India are an exotic destination to visit, on Rajasthan Wildlife Tours. See the impressive Indian Tiger at Ranthambore National Park or Leopard, Rhino, Indian Horse, Peacocks and other exotic creatures on Rajasthan Wildlife Tours. A Rajasthan Wildlife Safari tour is sure to be an unforgettable experience. Wildlife India Travel offers tours to the wildlife sanctuaries and National Parks in Rajasthan.

Some of the popular Rajasthan Wildlife Tours are:

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary : Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary and this great waterfowl habitat is one of the finest in the world and was created by a maharaja.

Ranthambore National Park : Ranthambore National Park is situated in Eastern Rajasthan at the confluence of the Aravali hill ranges and the Vindhyan plateau. Two rivers flow through the Ranthambore National Park - the Chambal River in the South and the Banas River in the North. Six man-made lakes and many perennial streams pass through the entire national park. In 1955.

Sariska Tiger Reserve : Sariska wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Project White Bengal Tiger. The Sanctuary extends over an area of 800 sq. kms, and has a wide spectrum and rich population of wildlife.

Gir National Park : Gir National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary comprises 1412 sq km of deciduous forest interspersed with semi-evergreen and evergreen Indian Crane, Deer, Elephant, Indian Lion and Indian Birds.

Desert National Sanctuary : The Desert National Park is located at a distance of 40kms. from Jaisalmer and exemplifies the unusual ecological biodiversity of the renowned Thar desert.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park : Keoladeo National Park, situated in the state of Rajasthan in India is a former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary : Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the most rugged of the Aravali in Pali City, Rajsamand Lake and Udaipur City districts of Rajasthan.

Wildlife Tour Travel Package

Tour Duration: 08 Days / 07 Nights
Destinations Covered : Delhi - Agra - Fatehpur Sikri - Jaipur - Udaipur

Day 01: Arrival Delhi

You will be received by our representative at the airport, who will take you to the hotel. You will be accorded a traditional welcome. Overnight at hotel in Delhi.

Day 02: Delhi

After breakfast, head on a guided tour of New Delhi. Some of the monuments you visit on your sightseeing tour include Bahai Temple (Lotus Temple), Humayun`s Tomb, the Delhi Qutab Minar, Connaught Place and India Gate. In the afternoon proceed on a sightseeing tour of Old Delhi, St. James Church, Sultan Ghari Tomb, William Fraser Bungalow, Amusement Theme Parks In Delhi, Rajghat, Parks And Gardens In Delhi, St. Stephens Church, Jama Masjid, Red Fort,Bahai Temple in Delhi and other memorials. Overnight Stay At Hotel in Delhi.

Day 03: Delhi - Agra

After breakfast Transfer to Agra. In the afternoon tour the massive Agra Fort, which was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar. The fort houses various beautiful palaces and mansions that you can visit on your tour of Agra Fort. In the evening visit Taj Mahal and watch the wonder monument change color as the sun sets. Overnight at hotel in Agra.

Day 04: Agra -Fatehpur Sikri -Jaipur

After breakfast proceed to the Pink CityJaipur. En-route visit Fatehpur Sikri, the capital city of Akbar, the Mughal emperor. The city has some palatial buildings, a mosque and the shrine of saint Salim Chisti. Upon arrival in Jaipur, check in at hotel. Overnight Stay at Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 05: Jaipur

This is the day to take in the architectural beauty of the Pink City of Rajasthan. You visit Amber Fort, Albert Hall, City Palace, Jaipur Safari, Statue Circle, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and other important places on your sightseeing tour of Jaipur. Jaipur is rich with ancient monuments, which were built centuries ago. Overnight Stay at Hotel in Jaipur.

Day 06: Jaipur-Udaipur

Udaipur After breakfast transfer to Udaipur Maharana Pratap Airport to catch a flight to Udaipur. Upon arrival check in at hotel. The city was founded by Maharana Udai Singh about four centuries ago. On your tour you visit many important tourist places in Udaipur, which include the Jagdish Temples In Udaipur, the City Palace Museum, Kumbhalgarh Fort, Lake Palace Udaipur, Jag Mandir Palace, and Lake Pichola. Overnight Stay At Hotel in Udaipur.

Day 07: Udaipur-Delhi

The day is at leisure. Take independent walks in the bustling bazaars of Udaipur. You can also visit Shilpgram, the crafts village to shop for some exquisite handicraft items. Afterwards transfer to airport to catch a flight to Delhi.

Day 08: Delhi

Upon arrival check in at hotel. Refresh and relax. Later transfer to airport to catch a flight back home. Tour ends.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Silent Valley National Park

Area: 89 sq km
Altitude: 658 - 2,383 metre above sea level
Rainfall: 1624.3 mm
Maximum Temperature: 39°C
Minimum Temperature: 20.4°C
Languages: Malayalam, English
Best Time to Visit: September to March
STD Code: 04924 (Mannarghat)

Silent Valley National Park:

Set up in the year1984, this park is located in the district of Palghat, spread over an area of 89.52 sq.km along the Kunthi river valley. Located 40 km from Mannarkkad, Silent valley is extremely fragile, a unique preserve of tropical evergreen rain forests, totally undisturbed, lying above the equator and the forest strip which causes the summer rains during June- July in Kerala. The local name for the park is Sairandhrivanam (the forest in the valley) which is also the last representative of tropical evergreen forests in India. The park which is remote has difficult terrain and is surrounded with Attappadi Reserve Forests in the east, and vested forests of the Palghat and Nilambur divisions in the west and south. In the North, the park is an extension of the Nilgiri Forests. The park which has never had human habitation is in the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

The fauna here includes around 100 species of butterflies, 400 species of moths, Ceylon Frogmouth, Great Indian Hornbill, the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, the giant Malabar squirrel, Nilgiri langur, the lion-tailed Macaque, elephant, tiger, leopard, wild bear, nilgai, sambar, pit viper etc. The parks best known primates, the Nilgiri Langur and Lion- tailed macaque are both listed in IUCN's Red List of Threatened Animals. A valuable reserve of rare plants and herbs including around 966 flowering and over 100 orchids plants are found along with the wide range of animals and birds. This park consist of 10 sq.kms of evergreen forests, 15 sq.kms of semi evergreen forests and 40 sq.kms of leaf shedding forests with a large variety of trees. There are very old trees in the park including a huge hollow tree which can hide at least 12 people in it.

Trekking:
Visitors are allowed only up to Sairandhiri, the dam site 23km from Mukkali. There after trekkers need special permission from the Conservator of Forests; Northern Region; Palakkad, to venture on to one of the several trekking routes. The terrain is rough and one has to be vary of the leeches. The 7km trek from Sairandhiri to Poochappara 1376m above sea level takes around two hours.

Accommodation:

There is a Forest Department Rest House at Mukkali, headquarters of the forest Department nearly 23km from the park. (Ph: 0492-453225). There is a 40 bed dormitory (Rs.50 per bed), 3 bedrooms and a two room hut. There are private hotels in Amballoor.

Wildlife in Kerala

Just like green pastures, beaches and backwaters, Kerala is also a wilderness beauty. There are numerous wildlife reserves situated within the state, but the major part is that even if they are wild reserves they present a unique travel experience to every visitor who visit them.

One of the major reasons of a varied wildlife is the breathtakingly beautifully hill range of the Nilgiris. So if you ever get bored of exploring the wilds, there's always an option of touring the hill resorts and destinations as well as tea estates of Kerala. More of all while exploring the wilds you can always go for a trek or a hike towards the tea estate regions that usually surround the hill stations of Kerala.

Kerela's wildlife sanctuaries, are home to some of the highly endangered species of flora and fauna. The main wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala include Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary and Thekkady Bird Sanctuary. The well maintained wildlife sanctuaries and national parks of Kerala are teeming with exotic wildlife.

Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary :

Access :Nearest Airport - Coimbatore and Cochin.
Nearest Railway Station - Pollachi (60 Km) And Aluva (200 Kms).

Area : Total - 90.422 Sq.Km.

Climate :Rainfall - 100 Mm. Unlike Other Regions In Kerala, Chinnar Gets Only 48 Days Of Rain ( Northeast Monsoon : October - November) Annually.

Located in the rain shadow region of the western ghats, the sanctary occupies the forested region on either side of the Marayoor - Udumalped road. This is the second habitat of the endangered giant grizzled squirrel of india. The location of sanctuary offers the unique advantage of watching its fascinating wildlife at close quarters from the road without venturing deep into the jungle. The Marayoor sandal forest and the beautiful Thoovanam waterfalls are located here.

Vegetation :Forest Types - Thorny Scrub Forest With Xerophytic Species. Dry Deciduous Forests, High Sholas And Wetlands.

Wildlife Population :Mammals - Elephant, Gaur, Spotted Deer, Panther, Sambar, The Endangered Giant Grizzled Squirrel, Hanuman Langur, Rabbit Etc

Eravikulam National Park :

Access : Nearest Airport - Cochin (155 Kms)
Nearest Railway Station - Aluva (114 Kms) From Munnar.

Area :Total - 97 Sq.Km. Core: 350 Sq.Km. Periyar Lake 26 Sq. Km, Forest Cover : 360 Sq.K.M.

Climate :This is one of the wettest regions of the world. Rainfall : 4500 mm. Frost is common in the winter months - december to february. 15 Km North Of Munnar. Established In 1975 To Protect The Nilgiri Tahr, The Eravikulam Sanctuary Was Declared A National Park In 1978 Considering Its Ecological, Faunal, Floral, Geomorphological And Zoological Significance. The Park Is Breathtakingly Beautiful And Comparable To The Alpine Ranges. This Land Of The Neelakurinji Is 7 Km From The Rajamalai Hills.

Vegetation :Forest Types - Rolling Grasslands and on a Higher Level, Shola Forest.

Wildlife Population :Mammals - Tigers , Panther, Wild Dog, Civet Cats, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Langur, Wild Boar, Nilgiri Tahr etc

Idukki Wildlife Sanctuary :

Access :Nearest Airport - Madurai (143 Kms)
Nearest Railway Station - Kumarakom (114 Kms).
Nearest Town - Kumily (4km), the entry point to the Reserve is Thekkady, Which is Accessible by Good Roads from Madurai, Cochin & Thiruvananthapuram.

Area :Total - 77 Sq.Km.

Climate :Monsoon : June - November
Rainfall : 2200 Mm. 40 kms from Thodupuzha town. Spread over the Thodupuzha and Udumpanchola taluks of Idukki district, the sanctuary was formed in 1976. The Idukki arch dam, the first major hydroelectric project in Kerala, is situated here. The 33 sq.km scenic lake around the santruary - the Idukki reservoir - is formed by the three dams Cheruthoni, Idukki and Kulamavu.

Vegetation :Tropical Dense Evergreen Forest : White Pine, Kuntherekka Pine, Punnappa, Bhadraksham, Palai, Vediplavu, Maravuri, Vayana Etc.

Wildlife Population : Reptiles - Elephant, Deer , Bear, Leopard Tiger, Wild Pig Etc.
Mammals - Cobra, Viper, Python, Rat Snake, Etc.
Reptiles - Hornbill, Kingfisher, Woodpecker.

Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary :

Located on the banks of the vembanad lake, the kumarakom bird sanctuary, an ornithologist's paradise, is a favourite haunt of migratory birds like the siberian stork, egret, darter, heron and teal. Other common varieties like the woodpecker, skylark, crane, water hen and parrots can also be spotted here. A cruise along the vembabad lake is the best way to experience the sanctuary. Pathiramanal, an enchanting island on the lake, can be accessed by boat from here.

Best Time :Between June And August. (Migratory Birds : November - February)

Pathiramanal :This 10 acre island on the backwaters is home to may rare varieties of migratory birds from different parts of the world.