India Travel

Getting to and from Corbett National Park at Uttaranchal

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Rajaji National Park and around east of Haridwar at Uttaranchal

Around 830 square kilometres of the Himalayan foothills immediately east of Haridwar are taken up by RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK (mid-Nov to mid-June; Rs100 for three days, Rs50 each additional day, plus Rs20 per vehicle, Rs500 with video camera), which belongs to the same forest belt as Corbett National Park, 180km east. Although not geared for tourism to the same extent as Corbett, the park is absolutely beautiful, with a similar range of wildlife -most notably elephants, but also antelope, leopard and even a rare species of anteater - although no tigers. There are eight entry gates into the national park

Corbett National Park at Ramnagar northeast in Delhi and southwest of Nainital in Uttaranchal

Corbett National Park, based at Ramnagar. 250km northeast of Delhi and 63km southwest of Nainital, is one of India's premier wildlife reserves. Established in 1936 by Jim Corbett among others, as the Hailey National Park, India's first, and later renamed in his honour, it is one of Himalayan India's hist expanses of wilderness. Almost the entire 521-square-kilometre park, spread over the foothills of Kumaon, is sheltered by a buffer zone of mixed deciduous and giant sal forests, which provide impenetrable cover for wildlife. Most of the Core Area of 330 square kilometres at its heart remains out of hounds, and

Nainital north of Delhi at Uttaranchal

The dramatic crater lake of Nainital (tal means lake), set in a mountain hollow at an altitude of 1938rn, 277km north of Delhi, gives its name to the largest and most important town in Kumaon. Discovered for Europeans in 1841 by Mr Barron, a wealthy sugar merchant, NAINITAL swiftly became a popular escape from the summer heat of the lowlands, and continues to be one of India's main hill stations. Throughout the year, and especially between March and July, hordes of tourists and honeymooners pack the Mall, the promenade that links Mallital (head of the lake), the older colonial part of

Shaivite temple of Kumaon in Uttaranchal

The Shaivite temples of Kumaon, such as Jageshwar. Bhageshwar and Baijnath, do not attract the same fervour as their equivalents in Garhwal. Instead they remain frozen in time, undisturbed by the throngs from the plains. In fact, the Kumaon's comparative unholincss is probably an advantage as there is much less tourist traffic, so villages are largely unspoilt and trekking routes unfiltered. Hill towns like Almora, Ranikhet and Kausani have a charm of their own, with views towards the snows, while in Corbett National Park, southeast of the resort of Nainital, vast jungles continue to protect tiger and huge herds

Palamau (Betla) National Park

In a remote and lawless corner of the state, 170km west of Ranchi, the beautiful forests of the PALAMAU NATIONAL PARK (also known as Betla), cover around 1000 square kilometres of hilly terrain rising south towards Madhya Pradesh. Part of the Project Tiger scheme (see Contexts, p. 1532). Palamau has been hard hit by drought, and even optimistic estimates of its tiger population stand at a mere sixty.Tiger sightings, more common in the hot season, are proudly announced on a noticeboard at the park offices. Like many national parks, Palamau consists of a buffer zone, open to visitors, surrounding a core

Practicalities of Nainital in Uttaranchal

Two main highways approach Nainital from opposite ends; one arrives at Mallital from Ranmagar and Corbett National Park, the other, which brings in most of the traffic, comes in at Tallital in the south. Buses and taxis from Tallital travel with great frequency to the closest railhead at Kathgodam near Haklwani, 40km south. The nearest airport, at Pantnagar, 72km south, is rarely used and best reached by taxi. ParvatTours and Tourist Information Centre,Tallital (05942/35656), run by KMVN, organizes tours, car rental and books accommodation at all KMVN lodges. Cars can also be rented from agencies along the Mall, such as Hina

Dehra Dun north of Delhi in Uttaranchal

The newly crowned capital of Uttaranchal. DEHRA DUN, 255km north of Delhi, tends to be seen simply as a staging post on the way to the hill station of Mussoorie, 34km north, and the Garhwal interior. Pleasantly located at just below 700m, as the Himalayan foothills begin their dramatic rise, Dehra Dun never gets too hot in summer, and snows only rarely in winter. With its vast open spaces and colonies such as the Cantonment, this popular retirement spot is renowned for its elite public schools and prestigious institutions. Although occupied in turn by Sikhs, Moghuls, and Gurkhas, it is

Gir National Park in Gujarat

The Asiatic lion which, thanks to hunting, forest-cutting and poaching, has been extinct in the rest of India since the 1880s, now survives in the wild in just 1150 square kilometres of the gently undulating Gir Forest. Gir National Park (mid-Oct or Nov to mid-June daily 7-11 am & 3-5.30pm), entered from Sasan Gir. 60km southeast of Junagadh and 45km northeast of Veraval, holds almost three hundred Asiatic lions in its 260 square kilometres. They share the land with Maldhari cattle-breeders, whose main source of income is buffalo milk. Many families have been relocated outside the sanctuary, but those who

Uttaranchal Northest of Delhi

Northeast of Delhi, bordering Nepal and Tibet, the mountains of Garwhal and Kumaon rise from the fertile sub-Himalayan plains. Together they form the new state of UTTARANCHAL, also M known as Uttarkhand, which was recently shorn free from lowland Uttar Pradesh after years of agitation. The region has its own distinct languages and cultures, and successive deep river valleys shelter fascinating micro-civilizations, where Hinduism meets animism and the Buddhist influence is never too far away. The area is progressively opening up to visitors, with the slow demilitarization of the Tibetan border regions to the north. Although not as

Bandhavgarh National Park in Eastern Madhya Pradesh

With Kanha becoming ever more popular, Madhya Pradesh's second national park at BANDHAVGARH, tucked away in the hilly northeast of the state, is receiving increasing attention from tourists. The draw is that the park has the highest relative density of tigers of any of India's reserves, shelters a collection of fascinating ruins, and offers the chance of trekking through the jungle on elephant-back. It's a long haul to Bandhavgarh from either Jabalpur (195km) or Khajuraho (237km), but worth it - not only to track tigers and deer but also, as all the accommodation is close to the park gates, to

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

National Philatelic Museum in Central New Delhi

To locate the National Philatelic Museum, at Dak Bhavan, Post Office Sansad Marg (Mon-Fn 9.30am-l2.30pm & 2.30-4.30pm; free), go to the entrance by the car park at the back of the post office on Sansad Marg and report to reception, where you will be given a pass to go up to the first floor and view the extensive collection of rare stamps. These include first-day covers and special cancellations from the pre- and post-Independence eras. A booth in the main post office sells special commemorative stamps to liven up your letters.

Bindevasani and forest trails northest of Chila at Uttaranchal

Along the Kimsar road, which penetrates the deep sal forests northeast of Chila, visitors have a reasonable chance of glimpsing wild elephant. Elephant herds migrate here seasonally from as far away as Corbett, and can sometimes be seen in the forests behind Swarg Ashram in Rishikesh. The tiny hamlet of BINDEVASANI, 14km northeast of Chila and linked to both' Chila and Haridwar by regular buses, stands at the foot of steep hills. Besides a small dhammshala and a teashop, there's little here to detain travellers, but it's possible to camp in the covered forecourt of the small cliff top Durga

Panna National Park at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh

The vast PANNA NATIONAL PARK (Nov-June; Rs100 including obligatory guide, vehicle extra), known for its large cats (including tiger), deer and antelope (nilgai), lies a short way east of Khajuraho, spreading across a landscape of rocky hills and ravines covered mostly by scrubby deciduous forest. Access is easier than in some of India s better-known sanctuaries - you can even go in on foot if you take along an armed guide. It's best visited in winter, as the entire area gets extremely hot during summer - though there is a better chance then of seeing tigers as they emerge in

Wandoor and the Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park in The Andaman Islands

Much the most popular excursion from Port Blair is the boat ride from Wandoor. 30km southwest, to one or other of the fifteen islets comprising the Mahatma Gandhi National Marine Park. Although set up purely for tourists, the trip is worth doing, gaining you access to one of the richest coral reefs in the region. Boats depart from Wandoor at 10am (daily except Mon; Rs90-125. plus RslO entry permit to the park); you can get there on A&N Tourism's tour (Rs75) or by local bus, but it is more fun to rent a moped and ride down to meet the

Park practicalities: Madia at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh

The village of MAD LA, 24km southeast of Khajuraho near bridge across the picturesque River Ken, is the most convenient point of access to the park, and has the nearest accommodation. Giles' Tree House, booked through the Raja Cafe in Khajuraho, is a fairly professional operation and serves meais (order all food at least 4hr before leaving Khajuraho). You can sleep on the beautiful opal platform of the branches or camp by the riverbank below. Car hire (alsorom Raja Cafe) for the roundabout trip to the Tree House is Rs500. Madias more upmarket Ken River Lodge consists of comfortable modern mud

Bharatpur and Keoladeo National Park of Jaipur in Rajasthan

The walled town of BHARATPUR is just a stone's throw from the border with Uttar Pradesh, 150km east of Jaipur, and a mere 18km from Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's deserted capital. Though it may not hold any especially distinguished attractions, it's fun to explore by bike or on foot, with traditional markets, mosques, temples and a massive fort encircled by a wide and murky moat. However, the real reason to come here is to visit India's most famous bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo National Park, just a short way south of the town. Even if you're not particularly interested in ornithology, this

Haridwar northeast of Delhi

At Haridwar - the Gates (dwar) of God (Han) - 214km northeast of Delhi, the River Ganges emerges from its final rapids past the Siwalik Hills to start the long siow journey across northern India to the Bay of Bengal. Stretching for roughly 3km along a narrow strip of land between the craggy wooded hills to the west and the river to the east, Haridwar is especially revered by Hindus, for whom the Har-ki-Pairi ghat (literally the "Footstep of God") marks the exact spot whore the river leaves the mountains. As you look north along the vast Doon Valley, the

By bus in Delhi

Delhi is at the centre of an extensive bus network covering much of north India's neighbouring states. Buses can often be quicker than trams, but the long-distance ones especially tend to be uncomfortable. On long-distance routes there's usually a choice between ramshackle state-run buses and smart soft-seated coaches run by tourist offices, hotels and private agents. Use these as much as you can — outside the main cities, all buses are state-run. The vast majority of state-run buses depart from the Inter-state Bus Terminal near Kashmiri Gate in Old Delhi, which has a cafe and left-luggage counter. However, services for some

Keoladeo National Park Practicalities East of Jaipur in Rajasthan

Cycle rickshaws are the main form of transport within the city, but fares for he long haul in and out of town soon mount up, and it makes sense to rent a bicycle, either from your hotel (around Rs35/day) or the shop on NH-11 outside the Spoonbill Restaurant. If you need to change money, head for the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur. Binarayan Gate (Mon-Fn 10am-2pm, Sat 10am—noon). Bharatpur's bus stand is in the west of town near Anah Gate, just off NH-11. If you're arriving from Fatehpur Sikri, get off well before, when the bus stops at the crossroads