India Travel

Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa

Related Properties from Gurgaon

East of Jaipur in Rajasthan

The fertile area east of Jaipur, interspersed with the forested slopes of the Aravalli Hills, holds an inviting mixture of historic towns and wildlife sanctuaries. The fortified town of Alwar to the northeast, fought over for centuries before its incorporation into Rajasthan in 1949, served as refuge for the exiled Pandava brothers of the Mahabhamta during their thirteenth year of hiding, before Krishna helped them in the fierce battle against their cousins, the Kauravas, chronicled in the Bhagavad Gita. Not far from Alwar, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its tigers, while further east are the former princely capitals of Deeg

Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary in North Bengal

Apart from Darjeeling and the hills, most of North Bengal is well off the beaten track; few travellers venture off the Darjeeling-Sikkim-Nepal road. Probably the best reason to do so is to visit the small Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, roughly 124km east of Siliguri. The sanctuary was established in 1943 to help protect wildlife against the encroachment of tea cultivation. Consisting of tracts of tali elephant grass on the banks of the River Torsa, and set against the backdrop of forested foothills, it now shelters around fifty highly endangered greater one-horned rhinoceroses, wild elephants, sambar and hog deer. jaldapara is open from

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Tamil Nadu

Set 1140m up in the Nilgin hills, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most accessible in the south, covering 322 square kilometres of deciduous forest, split by the main road from Ooty (64km) to Mysore (97km) Unfortunately, the park has been closed to visitors for the past couple of seasons amid fears that the sandalwood smuggler, Veerapan, may abduct tourists or Forest Department wardens. You can, however, still stop here en route to or from Mysore to sample the peace and fresh air of the Nilgiri forest after the bus parties of day-trippers from Ooty have all gone home Coming

Around Tezpur in the Northeast

Tezpur is an ideal base for a trip to the small, rarely visited wildlife sanctuary of Orang, 65km away. The Eco Camp at Potosali - a joint venture between the Forestry and Wildlife departments and the Assam Anglers - lies a few kilometres before the Arunachal border checkpoint on the Bhoroli river. They can arrange fishing trips to pit your wits and strength against the mighty niahseer, as well as jungle treks, rafting and visits to local villages. Accommodation is in double-bed tents with thatched covers and a four-bed dorm. Fishing trips can be booked through the Assam Angling Association

Practicalities of Kumbalgarh north of Udaipur in Rajasthan

Taxis regularly run tourists out to Kumbalgarh and Ranakpur in a day-trip from Udaipur, but it's best to take your time and travel at a more leisurely pace, staying for a night or two in one of the hotels that lie within walking distance of the fort. A couple of express buses leave Udaipur's RSRTC stand in the morning (3hr 30min). Competent motorcyclists may also consider riding out here on a rented bike, which would allow you to explore this particularly scenic stretch of road in more depth. Ranakpur lies a long, winding journey away on a route served by

Practicalities of Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Central Tamil Nadu

Until the Forest Department relax restrictions on trekking in the remote woodland areas around Mudumalai, you can only reach the park by road.The fastest and most spectacular route, via Sighur Ghat, is not negotiable by large vehicles, but private minibuses and a regular Cheran Transport bus service run to Masinagudi (Ihr) from Ooty. Travelling on the longer, less steep route via Gudalur, standard buses to Mysore and Bangalore from Ooty take 2hr 30min to reach Theppakkadu. which is connected to Masinagudi, 8km away, by bus and Jeep. You can also walk this route, but should beware of animals, especially wild

Ponmudi and Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala

In the tea-growing region of the Cardamom (or Ponmudi) hills, about 60km northeast of Thiruvananthapuram and 77km from Kovalam. at an altitude of 1066m, is the hill station of PONMUDI. It is not a town, or even a village, but merely some accommodation along a ridge, commanding breathtaking views out across the range as far as the sea. The main reason anyone comes up here is that it serves as the only practical base for visits to the 53 square kilometres of forest set aside as Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, which protects elephants, sambar, lion-tailed macaques, leopard, and assorted birds. Although Peppara

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala

One of the largest and most visited wildlife reserves in India, the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary occupies 777 square kilometres of the Cardamom hills region of the Western Ghats. The majority of its many visitors come in the hope of seeing tigers and leopards - and most leave disappointed, as the few that remain very wisely keep their distance, and there's only a slight chance of 3 glimpse even at the height of the dry season (April/May). However, there are plenty of other animals: elephant, sambar, wild pig, Malabar flying squirrel, r. stripe-necked mongoose and over 260 species of birds including Nilgiri wood

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary Getting to Periyar in kerala

The pothole-filled road that winds through the undulating hills up to Kumily from Ernakulam and Kottayam makes for a very long, slow drive, but it gives wonderful views across the Ghats. The route is dotted with grand churches among the trees, and numerous jazzy roadside shrines to St Francis, St George or the Virgin Mary - a charming Keralan blend of ancient and modern. Once you've climbed through the rubber-tree forests into Idukki District, the mountains get truly spectacular, and the wide-floored valleys are carpeted with lush tea and cardamom plantations. Travellers heading for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary have first

Practicalities to Vedanthangal in Tamil Nadu

Getting to Vedanthangal can present a few problems. The nearest town is Maduranthakam, 8km east, on NH-45 between Chengalpattu and Tindivanam. Head here to wait for the hourly buses to the sanctuary, or catch one of the four daily services from Chengalpattu.Taxis make the journey from Maduranthakam for Rs200-250, but cannot be booked from Vedanthangal. Vcdanthangal's only accommodation is the two-roomed forest lodge near the bus stand, school and chai stall. Rooms, spacious and comfortable with attached bath, have to be booked through the Wildlife Warden, 50, 4th Main Candhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - if you turn up on spec, it

The wildlife sanctuaries in the Northeast

Most of Assam's magnificent wildlife sanctuaries are in the Brahmaputra Valley, where the large tracts of grasslands on the flood plains are home to the Indian one-horned rhino, and a host of other animals, sightings of which are almost guaranteed. The most famous park, Kaziranga, is renowned for its elephant grass and rhino, but also incorporates some forest areas. Close to the Bhutanese border, Manas is also populated with rhinos and elephants, and is Assam's sole tiger project.

The Unassuming Town Of Dhrangadhra in Gujarat

The unassuming town of DHRANGADHRA, over 100km northeast of Rajkot, has little to detain visitors, but is the starting point for a visit to the wild ass sanctuary in the flat saline wilderness of the Little Rann of Kutch. The wild ass is distinguished from a common ass by the dark brown stripe down its back; you'll almost certainly see herds of them, dainty and small but very fast when they sprint over the dusty mud flats. Permission to visit the sanctuary should be sought from the Sanctuary Superintendent in Dhrangadhra; Jeeps can be rented for Rs400 for a maximum

Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh

Widely considered the greatest of India's wildlife reserves, KANHA NATIONAL PARK encompasses nearly 2000 square kilometres of deciduous forest, savanna grassland, hills and gently meandering rivers - home to literally hundreds of species of animals and birds, including a stable population of tigers. Despite the arduous overland haul to the park, few travellers are disappointed by its beauty, particularly poignant at dawn, though many feel hard done by when it comes to tiger-spottmg: you will need several forays into the park to ensure a chance of at least one good sighting. Central portions of the Kanha Valley were designated as a

Kaziranga in the Northeast

Covering an area of 430 square kilometres on the southern bank of the Brahmaputra, Kaziranga National Park, 217km east of Guwahati, occupies the vast valley floor against a backdrop of the forest-covered Karbi Anglong hills. Rivulets and bhih (shallow lakes), and the semi-evergreen forested "Highlands", just out of reach of the Brahmaputra's annual floods, blend into marshes and flood plains covered with tall elephant grass. Rhinos, deer and herds of wild buffalo graze nonchalantly close to the park entrance at Kohora. The rich bird life includes egrets, herons, storks, fish-eating eagles and a grey pelican colony. Few tracks penetrate this

Simlipal National Park in Orissa

West of Baripada, the landscape suddenly changes from open fields to th thickly wooded slopes and ridges of the Eastern Ghats. At more than 1000m Khairbhuru, the peak visible from the outskirts of town, is the highest in th region and one of the last true wildernesses in eastern india. The mixed deciduous forests, perennial streams and glades of savannah grasslands draped aroun its flanks have allowed for an uncommonly rich diversity of flora and fauna. In 1979 the whole area (2750 square kilometres) around the mountain we declared a wildlife sanctuary - primarily in an attempt to revive its dwindling

Tiruchanur Padmavati temple

Between Tirupati and Tirumala Hill, the Tiruchanur Padmavati temple is another popular pilgrimage halt. A gold vimana tower with lions at each corner surmounts the sanctuary, which contains a black stone image of goddess Lakshmi with one silver eye. At the front step, water sprays to wash the feet of the devotees. A Rs 20 ticket allows you to jump the queue to enter the sanctuary. If you'd like to donate a sari to the goddess, you may do so, upon payment of Rs. 1200 . Cameras are prohibited.

Nanda Devi Sanctuary northeastern Garhwal and Kumaon at Uttaranchal

The majestic twin peaks of Nanda Devi - at 7816m, the highest complete mountain in India - dominate a large swathe of northeastern Garhwal and Kumaon. The eponymous goddess is the most important deity for all who live in her shadow, a fertility symbol also said to represent Durga, the virulent form of Shakti. Surrounded by an apparently impenetrable ring of mountains, the fastness ot Nanda Devi was long considered inviolable; when mountaineers Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman finally traced a way through, along the difficult Rishi Gorge, m 1934, it was seen as a defilement of sacred ground. A

North Bengal in North Bengal

North Bengal, where the Himalayas soar from the flat alluvial plains towards Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, holds some magnificent mountain panoramas, and also some of India's best hill stations. Most visitors pass as quickly as possible through Siliguri en route to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and the small state of Sikkim. For anyone with a bit of time on their hands, the Jaldapara Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the one-horned rhino, bison and wild boar, east of Siliguri near the Bhutanese border, makes a worthwhile detour. Besides the occasional strike, few travellers will notice, but today the region is wracked by political turmoil, with

Velavadar Black Buck Sanctuary in Gujarat

Outside the tiny village of VELAVADAR, 65km north of Bhavnagar, the Black Buck Sanctuary (mid-Oct to mid-July) shelters the highest concentration of this Indian antelope anywhere. Although the area was only officially declared a sanctuary in 1969. rhe buck were always protected by the Bishnoi tribe (see pp.193 and 226). You can see the elegant black-and-white males strutting, chasing and jousting with their magnificent curved horns to define and defend their territories, each accompanied by a group of light-coloured females. It is also possible to walk in the park and watch wolves, now rare in India, visiting the water holes. There

Kodikkarai (Point Calimere) in Central Tamil Nadu

On a small knob of land jutting out into the sea, 65km south of Nagapattinam and 80km southeast of Thanjavur, Kodikkarai Bird Sanctuary plays host to around 250 species in a 17-square-kilometre area of tidal swampland, known as "the great swamp", and dry evergreen forest. On the way to the sanctuary, you pass through- 50,000 acres of salt marshes around Vedaranyam, the nearest town, 11km north. Vast salt fields, traditionally the mainstay of the local economy, .line the road, the salt drying in thatched mounds. During the Independence struggle this was an important site for demonstrations in sympathy with Gandhi's