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This Seasons Hidden Gems: Must-Visit Wildlife Parks in India by JourneyMart.com

Give your city habit a kick and trade your concrete jungle for the real deal. Enter a world that is untamed and unexpected – where man is just a distant spectator and animals rule the roost. JourneyMart.com brings you some of the lesser visited parks where the birds and animals roam free and men are mere mortals.

Keoladeo Ghana Park, Rajasthan

Do you regret not being able to get up early enough to hear the beautiful and serene chirping of the birds at the break of dawn? Well, just head to Keoladeo in Rajasthan and witness the melodious symphonies of birds that fly here from all over the place. Formerly a duck hunting reserve of the Maharajas, it has now become one of the largest wintering areas for migratory birds. Watch out for the famous Siberian Crane, Warblers, and Babblers, Red Kite, Cinereous vulture and Sociable Lapwing among others. With lush green lands and lovely lakes, this place is truly a treat for your senses

.Getting there:

Bharatpur Junction station is a stop on many train routes from Delhi and is 5 kms from the park. Bharatpur is 184 kms away from Delhi and one can easily drive there or hire a private taxi to take you there.

Mudumalai National Park

The Mudumalai National Park is a passage to its neighbouring wildlife reserves situated at the crossroads of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in the northwest of the Nilgiris. It harbours a large variety of fauna and an interesting mix of flora with tropical green forests in one corner and dry deciduous in the other. What to expect of your safari at Mudumalai? Well, there’s the regular fare of sambhar, chitals, wild boars, primates and elephants. But keep your eyes wide open, not just for the elusive tiger, but also for the fierce dholes, known to keep the most vicious predators at bay.

Getting there:

Coimbatore is 160 kms from the park. From there, either drive or take a train to Mettupalayam, 46 kms from Mudumalai.

Periyar National Park

Perched high on the Western Ghats in God’s own country Kerala is the picturesque Periyar National Park and tiger reserve, also called Thekkady. The park is widely known for the large herds of Indian elephants which thrive on the Periyar River nestled in the dense forests capping the Cardamom Hills. Once you’re here there are just too many things to do. Capture playful elephants on camera or look for the rare lion tailed macaque and take the Periyar cruise for some gorgeous views of the park aboard a luxury boat. All you need to do is to leave your hassles behind and let Periyar work its magic on you.

Getting there:

Kochi is 200 kms from Periyar and there are regular buses and private taxis that ply on this route.  Madurai is the nearest airport at 140 kms distance and Kottayam 110kms away from Periyar is on major train routes.

Sunderbans

Enshrined in the swamped mangroves at the tip of Bengal is the kingdom of Royal Bengal Tigers known as Sunderbans National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sunderbans are spread over a massive land mass of 4264 sq kms, disappearing towards the south into the sea. The swamps help you locate the striped beasts seen basking in the estuarine mangroves, escaping the scorching heat.  And since you’re there, you may also get to see snakes, crocodiles and fishing cats, all looking forward to preying on tiny marine species.

Sunderbans treasure numerous rarities of flora and fauna making it the finest destination for an unmatched wild adventure. So get here and be a part of this unique experience.

Getting there:

Kolkata’s Dum Dum Airport is 112 kms from Sunderbans and one can take a private taxi from here to reach your destination. The closest railhead 44 kms away, is Port Canning and there are trains that run here from Sealdah station in Kolkata.

Simlipal National Park

Located in Orissa some 320 kms from Bhubaneshwar, Simlipal National Park, is a sanctuary and part of the Project Tiger Reserve. Amidst the waterfalls and dense foliage hide tigers and a number of other species of ‘typically’ Indian wildlife: elephants, deer, leopards, gaur bison, sloth bears, reptiles, langurs, crocodiles and more than 200 species of bird life. The park houses the spectacular 400-metre drop Barehipani waterfall, and the Joranda waterfall, with a shorter drop of 150-metres. Both are so beautiful that one is forced to reflect on nature’s majesty. If you’re lucky you just might spot a tiger wandering about. What you’re more likely to see are elephants, monkeys, deer and birds.

Getting there:

Balasore in Orissa is the nearest railhead some 76 kms away. There are many trains from Kolkata and Bhubaneswar that run on this route.

Pench National Park

The Pench National Park is a green belt of teak forests sprawling over Madhya Pradesh and Nagpur district that inspired Rudyard Kipling to pen down the classic tales of Jungle Book. At present, Mowgli’s fabled playground stretches over 758 sq kms. of enchanting woods and grasslands where the Indian bison or Gaurs are seen basking in the sun at noon. Look carefully and you’ll see a civet high atop the trees, snuggling in the leaves. Folks, if you’ve loved the Jungle Book and always wondered what Mowgli’s home looked like, visit Pench and you’ll witness fiction become reality.

Getting there:

Nagpur is the nearest railhead and airport. From Nagpur take a private taxi to Pench, 92 kms away.

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