Nestled in the enchanting foothills of the majestic Himalayas, the Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary is regarded as the most picturesque and one of finest national parks of India. Developed and nurtured by Late Jim Corbett, the legendary hunter-naturalist turned author and photographer in 1936, Corbett is the first national park and also the first tiger reserve of India. Known for its spectacular natural beauty and an amazing variety of flora and fauna, the Corbett Wildlife Sanctuary covers an area of 520.8 sq km, consisting of lush forests, rolling grasslands, lively rivers and ravines, and a series of ridges running parallel to the flat valleys. In fact, its varied topography and rich and diverse flora and fauna, makes Corbett perhaps the most visited national park in India.
The favorable climatic conditions in the region support the growth of rich and varied vegetation. The Corbett National Park has over 110 varieties of trees, 51 species of shrubs and over 33 kinds of bamboos. In turn, the rich vegetation in the park supports a wide variety of wildlife and birds. According to a 2-year long survey conducted by a team of wildlife specialists, the wildlife in Corbett comprises of over 50 mammal, 580 bird, and 25 reptile species. Corbett has the highest density of tigers (approximately one every 5 sq km) and its prey including hog deer, sambar, chital, barking deer and wild boar, promising better opportunities to track them in their own natural habitat. Besides majestic tigers, Corbett also shelters leopards, elephants, sloth bears, jungle cats, Himalayan black bears, dholes (wild dog), Himalayan palm civet, Indian gray mongoose, flying foxes, wild boars and fish-eating crocodiles to name a few. Among most prominent birds found in the Corbett include the water birds, pheasants, jungle fowl Indian hornbill, cormorants, darters, gray herons, egrets, storks, wagtails, parrots, mynas and many more. Corbett National Park is also known for its exciting elephant and jeep safaris. There are many watchtowers in the park at Dhikala, Phulai and Jhirna, providing excellent platforms for game viewing.
General Information
Best Time to Visit: November to June.
Nearest Town: Ramnagar (51 Km).
How to Reach
By Air: Pantnagar (110 Km) is the nearest airport from Corbett, but Delhi and Lucknow are the major airports.
By Rail: Ramnagar is the nearest railhead from Corbett. A number of trains connect Ramnagar to cities of Delhi, Lucknow and Moradabad.
By Road: Ramnagar, the nearest town from Corbett, is well linked by road to major cities of North India including Delhi, Lucknow, Agra, Nainital and Moradabad.
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