Best wildlife experiences near Delhi

For those who stay in Delhi, we all know it too well that the most wildlife experience we will ever get in the city is a stray nilgai or two or rogue pigeons. But there’s no need to fret because when on one hand we have zero wildlife, on the other hand, we are located in such a way that it’s only a matter of a short drive to get to some of the best wildlife parks. We are feeling good about a quick wildlife weekend getaway around Delhi, and have come up with a list of best wildlife experiences to have near Delhi.

Jhalana Leopard Safari Park in Jaipur is home to around 30-35 leopards and is quickly becoming one of the favourite destinations in north India to see leopards in the wild. Leopards are normally shy animals and in other big forests where they will have to compete with other predators for food, they seldom come out and make their presence felt. But not in Jhalana. Here they are the apex predators and they don’t shy away. And that makes for a very good sighting. Jhalana is also home to jackals, nilgai, hyena, jungle cat and many species of raptors.

A mere 16 km from Gurugram, Sultanpur National Park is a great bird watching destination. Sultanpur was established as a bird sanctuary in 1972, and later in 1989 it got the status of a national park. Sultanpur is one of the smallest national parks in India. Come winter season, starting from late October to early March, Sultanpur plays host to a very large number of migratory birds. Our winter visitors come all the way from Russia, Siberia, Eastern Europe, and Afghanistan.

Located at a distance of 195 km from Delhi, Sariska Tiger Reserve in Alwar district in Rajasthan is a great place to see the Bengal tiger. Sariska, spread across an area of 500 sq km, is the best of the Aravallis mountain ranges. Its dense forest is home to the Bengal tigers, leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, Indian jackal, chital, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, four-horned antelope, and wild boar. Private vehicles are not allowed inside the park and the only way to explore the national park is by jeep safaris. Sariska National Park stays closed during the monsoon months of July to September.

From Delhi, the drive to Benog in Mussoorie will take you around six hours. Benog is a part of Rajaji National Park, and is open all year round. The thick forest of Benog is a great home to many high altitude birds. The sanctuary, also often called Vinog Mountain Quail Sanctuary, was established in 1993. There’s no doubt that Benog has a very rich avifauna, but apart from that, Benog is also a very beautiful destination in itself. Views of Chaukhamba and Bandarpunch peaks are stunning.

Located at a distance of 255 km from Delhi, Rajaji is one of the favourite quick getaways. Rajaji is a tiger reserve as well as a national park along the Shivalik mountain ranges, on the foothills of Himalaya. Rajaji is home to the tiger, leopard, Himalayan bear, cheetal, hog deer, barking deer, sambar deer, wild boar, goral, jackal, hyena, civets, yellow-throated marten, sloth bear, pythons, to name a few. The park is also home to around 315 species of birds. The park stays closed during the summer and monsoon months, and will reopen only in November.

Save the best for the last! Jim Corbett National Park is only 261 km away from Delhi and a perfect quick wildlife getaway. What better place for a wildlife experience than in India’s oldest national park? Famous for the Bengal Tiger, Corbett was the first place where Project Tiger was introduced. The national park is one of the best places to see the Indian wild elephants. You will be mesmerised when you see how diverse the geography is at Jim Corbett National Park. From grasslands where grass grows taller than humans, to deep sal forests and riverine habitats, the national park’s diverse geography makes it a perfect place for tigers and elephants to exist, though it gets a little bit difficult for us to spot them in the wild. While the rest of the park gets closed for the summer and monsoon season, Jhirna and Dhela Zones stay open the whole year. Dhikala and Bijrani Zones see the maximum number of visitors when they reopen. For bird watchers, Dhikala Zone is a birding haven.