India is a land of rich heritage, culture and beautiful landscapes. India is blessed with everything – lush forests, majestic mountains and hills, sunny beaches and magnificent rivers. When planning for an ecotourism, India should be on top of your list.
One of the best and the oldest National parks to embark upon would be the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. This place is a Tiger reserve and offers the best Tiger Safari India and also, Elephant Safari, Trekking, Bird watching etc. Jim Corbett is a heaven for nature and animal lovers alike. The spread of fauna and flora is unlike any other place on earth.
About the Jim Corbett National Park
The JIm Corbett National Park is situated in Nainital District of Uttarakhand in Northern India. It is situated close to the Himalayan belt and has lush green forests. The National Park is easily accessible from Delhi. A shuttle can be organised to transport you from the Airport or the Delhi Railway Station to Nainital which is about 5 hours away.
The Jim Corbett National park is most famous for its Tiger Reserve and was the first to join the Tiger Initiative in India around the 1970s – it was a time when the tiger population was dwindling due to over exploitation of forests and poaching of tigers. The Government of India along with various NGOs formed the Tiger Initiative collaborating with various national parks to habilitate as well as protect tigers from the elements.
The Jim Corbett National park was founded by the famous naturalist Jim Corbett after whom this park was named after. There is also a waterfall within the park with the same name.
Things to do in the Jim Corbett National Park
When you plan, make sure you have enough time to visit most of the park and indulge in all the activities the park offers. The National Park sits on a huge 200 sq.miles area with over 2/3rd of the area covered by forests and the rest is marshes and grasslands. The park also has a waterfall and a big lake.
There are plenty of activities to partake in at Jim Corbett’s. The Park organises various tours and safaris that you can opt for:
Tiger Safaris
The park has around 250 tigers as of date and most of which are the Royal Bengal Tigers. It has the biggest tiger safari India. The Park organises jeeps that take people inside the forest range where the tigers reside. There are some strict guidelines to stick to when going for a Tiger Safari which will be discussed with the tourists at the beginning of the trip. Tourists are required to follow them strictly to ensure everyone’s safety.
Leopards can also be spotted as there are some in the deep valleys and sometimes they descend to the jungles to hunt. Apart from these, you can also spot the Black Bears, Langurs, Otters and many species of deers in the jungle.
Elephant Safaris
The forest reserve also has hundreds of elephants and the park offers safaris to watch elephants in their natural habitat walking around in herds. An elephant guide can even help you ride on a well trained elephant in the safe region with strict supervision for the safety of the tourist.
Guided Trekking and Walking
The National park employs skillful guides and trained professionals who can help you trekk through the valley of the Southern Himalayas and the Shivalik Ranges. The guided walk offers you a chance to appreciate the wide variety of flora in the park and spot various species of deers and monkeys along the way. The Trekk goes along the outsides of the park to the Garhwal ranges which has some picturesque hills and beautiful valleys.
Bird Watching
The lake inside the park is famous for migratory birds. The Kalagarh dam is situated near the lake and has an excellent view of waterfowls that come here every year. The JIm Corbett Waterfalls is surrounded by dense jungles and has many beautiful birds and small animals. The silence of the thick forest is only shattered by the noise of the waterfall.
Jungle Resorts
The JIm Corbett park offers various types of accommodations to entertain the tourists. It is one of the few national parks in India where staying through the night is allowed. There are beautiful tree resorts in the buffer area of the jungle which is away from animals, although you may spot a few deers and monkeys. The resort has beautiful 3 to 5 star accommodations that complete your ecotourism experience in style.