JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK

Jim Corbett National Park is a must visit for every wildlife lover. Earlier Known as Hailey National Park, Corbett national park is one of the most prestigious and oldest national park in India. It was established in the year 1936 for the protection of endangered Bengal Tiger. The area of this park ranges from Pauri Garhwal District to Nainital district. Named after legendry hunter, tracker, conservator and naturalist Jim Corbett who killed many man eater tigers. Corbett National Park was the first to come under project tiger initiative. The area of total tiger reserve covers 525 square kilometers of Corbett National park and 301 square meters of Sonanadi wildlife sanctuary. The whole area comprises of big , river belts, lakes, and vivid mosaic of habitats – Forests and grasslands, Plain and mountains which supports numerous flora and Fauna in the park. The most famous animals for which the Jim Corbett National park is known for are Bengal Tiger and Asiatic Elephant, but one can also witness around 590 species of birds, which can be categorized as red jungle fowl (ancestor of all domestic fowl) , crested serpent eagle and blossom headed parakeet. If we explore flora, the park also has 488 different species of Plants. Apart from these Corbett national park also recorded 36 species of Dragonflies, 33 species of reptiles and 7 species of amphibians.

While doing a great work in conservation of wildlife the reserve management has also started ecotourism in Corbett national park. Choti Haldwani area, where Jim Corbett National Museum area is also located is doing well in eco and community based tourism. Here local villagers have prepared the home stays and also developed common huts and restaurant to develop tourism and earn livelihood.

Challenges

From time to time the habitat of the reserve faces threats from unauthorized constructions and fast mushrooming of hotels and resorts in the park, apart from these local population also exploits natural resources like grass and trees. The concern authorities in Corbett are trying to overcome this problem with the help of National Green Tribunal.

Weather/Climate in Corbett National park

Weather in Corbett National park is temperate which normally rises above 40 in summers and remains in-between 5 to 30 during winters. During the Monsoon park witnesses the heavy rainfall.

The Safari Zones in Corbett

The Park has been divided into 6 different safari zones, (Dhikala, Bijrani, Jhirna, Dhela, Durgadevi, and Sitabani buffer zone) these zones can be further categorized as buffer or core zones/areas of the park. The various safari zones are listed below:

Dhikala Safari Zone:

Named after Dhikala grassland (largest grassland in Corbett ) Is the most popular zone amount tourist, the zone has an old forest rest house of British era with very limited rooms. The Dhikala Rest house is not very luxury, but staying inside the forest has its own charm. This zone has most number of Bengal Tigers and Asiatic Elephants The whole tourism and safari arrangement inside Dhikala zone is managed by forest department. If you need to stay inside the Dhikala Zone you need to book the rest house very well in advance. Only in Jim Corbett National Park one can stay inside the National park. Once you get the confirmed booking in Dhikala Rest house, you can hire a Jeep with Driver and Guide the explore the jungle, there is no fixed timing for safari inside the Dhikala zone and you can explore the zone as long as prescribed time permits.

Forest Rest House in Dhikala – There are four rest houses situated at Dhikala Zone namely Dhikala Forest rest House, Sultan Forest Rest house, Sarpaduli Forest Rest House and Gairal Forest Rest house. Out of all these Dhikala is the most sought after rest house due to its important location and good facilities, this rest house has the most number of Rooms (28 double rooms in total and a dormitory of 12 beds.) Dhikala FRH has the facility of 24 hour electricity in the rooms.

Forest watchtower near Dhikala Rest Hosue – Forest watchtower in Dhikala zone gives a spectacular view of the Jungle and and entire Ramganga river. You can have the great sightseeing of various animals from here.

Gairal Crocodile Point: As the point is located near Gairal Forest rest hosue, this spot is build over a pool and have number of crocodiles there. These crocodiles has permanent habitat here.

Grasslands (Chaurs) – Grassland in Dhikala which is also known by name chaurs is the prime location here, infact Dhikala zone is famous for its large chaurs where you can see varied species of animals grazing and hunting. Animals like Tiger, Elephants, Dear, Bear, Wild Pigs and many others can be seen here.

Jeep Safari in Dhikala – Unlike other safari zones in Corbett, Jeep safari is only allowed to tourists who stay inside the Dhikala Rest house; however one can enjoy the Canter safari which is arranged for the Day visitors after paying the required fee.

Elephant Safari in Dhikala – Like Jeep Safari elephant safari is also not allowed fro day visitors, you need to book the Dhikala Rest house to enjoy the Elephant safari in the zone. Once you get a confirmed booking you can take an elephant from the Elephant camp. Please note that only limited number of elephants is available in Dhikala zone, so you need to make the booking as soon as you get rest house booking confirmation.

Booking Procedure for Dhikala Zone

You need to provide your Name; Age Gender along with valid Government issued ID proofs like Adhaar card, Pan Card, Passport or Driving license).
You need to pay the confirmatory amount to concern officials to initiate the booking process
As Dhikala zone is most sought after tourism zone in India. Availability of Rooms or Dormitory can only be confirmed 90 days prior to the actual date of arrival.

Bijrani Safari Zone:

Bijrani safari zone is one of the most popular safari zone in corbett, After Dhikala Zone, Bijrani safari Zone is considered best and have the best chances of sighting a tiger. The zone has plenty of grass fields known as (Chaurs), flowing river water and dense saal forests. Along with Bengal Tiger and leopard one has the chances of spotting several other type of animals like black bears, wild elephant and many type of deer and antelopes like shambhar, chital and hog dear. If you are a bird lover you can see many different species of birds in this zone. One can enter Bijrani zone from Aamdanda gate which is located 1 km away from Ramnagar city.

Entry-You have to take entry permit for the safari in Bijrani zone which you need to show to forest officials during the entry. It is advisable to book your safari well in advance as there are heavy rush of the tourists for safari and only limited number of jeeps are allowed in each gate. Booking is done on the basis of first come first get and Maximum 6 adults are allowed in one jeep with 2 kids below 12 years apart from Driver and Guide.

Jhirna Safari Zone:

Developed in 1994, for the extension of Tiger Reserve, and one of the popular zone in corbett, this safari zone is comparatively new. The villagers were shifted to other places for the development of this zone. Jhirna safari zone is located 16 kms from Ramnagar. Along with Dhela Zone, only Jhirna zone is open round the year for tourists, hence there are much more footfalls round the year. Other zones in Corbett remain closed during the monsoon season. Jhirna zone offers beautiful landscape and lot of wild animals like sloth bear and Bengal Tiger. Due to large grasslands (Chaur/laldang chaur) one can see elephants, deer, nilgai and chitals.

Safari in Jhirna zone – In order to book safari in Jhirna zone you need to take safari permit from the forest officials. Once your safari is confirmed you need to hire a Guide and chauffer driven jeep. It is advisable to book your safari well in advance as there are heavy rush of the tourists for safari and only limited number of jeeps are allowed in each gate. Booking is done on the basis of first come first get and Maximum 6 adults are allowed in one jeep with 2 kids below 12 years apart from Driver and Guide.

Note: Advance booking in Jhirna zone is not allowed in Mansoon season, as there is always a chance of cancellation due to heavy rain, so one can obtain day permits for the safaris on current basis.

Jhirna Forest Rest House – Jhirna forest rest house permits the night stay at rest house, The rest house is located deep inside the forest and the good part is that day safari visitors can also stay here and refresh before exiting the safari gate.

Durgadevi Safari zone:

Durgadevi safari zone is located in the north eastern corner on the Corbett National park, The Zone has the best landscape in the park, if you love bird watching, Durgadevi zone is for you, as the it is the home of variety of birds. Every year many bird loving enthusiasts from different parts of the world visits the zone. The zone has Ramganga river and mandal river. The clean flowing river water of Ramganga is the home of lovely Mahasheer fish. Many time of the year you can witness sports fishing at Ramnganga River. Apart form different birds Durgadevi zone is also home to wild animals like barking deer, spotted dear, shambhar deer and Rhesus Deer, if you are lucky enough you may spot Bengal tiger or Asiatic lion too. The zone is open for visitors from 15 October to 15 June every year. It is advisable to book the safaris well in advance as there is heavy rush in the Season time and weekends too.

Lohachaur Forest Rest House in Durga Devi zone – You can book Lohachaur forest house in Durga devi zone after completing due formalities with forest department. One needs his id proof along with the booking amount to book the rest house.

Flora in Durgadevi zone – Vegetations such as Oak, kanju, chir, pine, amla jamun can be found in different part of the zone.

Dhela Safari zone:

On Tuesday 11, 2014 Dhela Safari zone became the 5^th core zone for safari. The forest authorities has gifted the zone to all wildlife lovers who come to Corbett with the expectation of seeing Bengal tiger in its natural habitat, the zone is intended to offer more chances of Tiger Sightseeing. The zone is near Jhirna safari zone is spread in an area of around 1173 hectares. The distance of Dhela zone is 20kms from Ramnagar city. There are plenty of leopards, deer, monkeys, antelopes, and tiger in Dhela zone as per forest officials. However Tiger sightseeing is still not regular as per data collected in last 1 year. On an average 180 tourists visit the zone every day in two shifts. There is also one forest rest house in Dhela zone which can be booked after submitting your id proofs and paying the required booking amount to concern forest department.

Laldhang Grassland in Dhela Zone – Laldhang grassland in Dhela zone is famous for wild pigs.

Distance: Durgadevi safari zone is the farthest zone as Durgadevi entry Gate is on a distance of 28kms from main city of Ramnagar, therefore you need to leave your hotel bit early to reach the gate on time. Please note that no jeeps are allowed in any gate of the Corbett after the allotted entry time.

Sitabani safari Zone in Corbett:

It is also known as Sitabani LandscapeAs per mythology Devi Sita (wife of Lord Rama) spent some time of her exile in Sitabani, hence the place is called Sitabani (Sita’s van). Sitabani Forest zone also known as Landscape of Corbett is one of the beautiful tourist zone for nature walk and exploring the jungle around. Although it is not the part of Tiger Reserve but at time many wild animals can be seen in this zone too. Tourists often visit this zone for bird watching and angling (Fishing); there is also an old Shiva temple in the zone which is visited by many tourists. Archeological department of India (ASI) takes care of this place. Sitabani zone remains open round the year and there is no fix limit of vehicles permitted like other zone of corbett. There is wide variety of flaura and faunna in the zone as more than 650 species of trees and shrubs can be seen here. There is no forest rest house in Sitabani.

Different Forest Rest Houses inside Corbett:

Dhikala – Dhikala Forest Rest House, Gairal Forest Rest House, Sultan Forest Rest House, Sarpduli Forest Rest House

Bijrani – Malani Forest Rest House, Bijrani Forest Rest House

Jhirna – Jhirna Forest Rest House, Dhela Forest Rest House

Sonanadi – Rathuwadhab Forest Rest House, Halduparao Forest Rest House, Rathuwadhab Forest Rest House.

Safari Timings for winters in Jim Corbett National Park

For Morning Safari entry is allowed at 7AM and you have to Exit by 10 AM
For Evening Safari entry is allowed at 2PM and you have to Exit at 5.30 PM

Safari Timings for summers in Jim Corbett National Park

For Morning Safari entry is allowed at 6AM and you have to Exit by 9.30 AM
For Evening safari entry is allowed at 3 PM and you have to Exit by 6.30 PM

We arrange complete tours of Jim Corbett and book safaris for all the zones mentioned here. If you want any information regarding any safari zone in Jim Corbett or book any safari in (Bijrani Zone, Dhela Zone, Jhirna Zone, Durgadevi Zone, Sitabani Buffer zone) Please feel to contact us. We also have hotels nd our own fleet of transport in Corbett. The safari price we give is inclusive of Entry fee, Guide fee, Permit charges and jeeps.

Various Gates in Corbett

Kalagarh Gate – Kalagarh Gate is the Single entry point for Jhirna and Dhela range

Vatanvasa Gate – To enter Sonanadi range you have to go though Vatanvasa Gate.

Durgadevi Gate – This is the entry point for Durgadevi Safari zone

Amanda Gate – Amanda Gate is main entry point to visit Bijrani zone.

Dhangadi Gate – Dhangadi Gate is the entry point for Dhikala zone.

Various Rivers in Corbett

Kosi River – Kosi River in Corbett is located in main area of Dhikuli, where most of the hotels and Resorts in Corbett are located. It orignates from Dharpani Dhar, and merged in Ramnganga river on Tarai Regions of Uttarpradesh.

Ramganga River – A tributary of River Ganga, Ramganga river is the largest amount all the water bodies of Corbett National Park, water from Palain, Mandal and Sonanadi rivers also drops in it before it reaches Farrukhabad in Uttarpradesh.

Sonanadi river – Named after Sonanadi wildlife centray, Sonanadi river is one of the tributary of Ramganga river, It flows from North western direction and merges with Ramnanga River.

Palani River – Palani river or Palain river as called by locals, it is one of the important tributary of Ramganga River. It enters the Corbett National Park from the northern side.

Best Time to Visit- Jim Corbett National Park

The months of November through June are the perfect time to visit Corbett. It is during this time (from November 15 to June 15) the excellent climate is most pleasant and good hotels and accommodations are easy to find. Above all the new zone, Dhela will remain open all throughout the year for the tourist. Jeep Safari in Corbett National Park.

Sightseeing Places in Corbett National Park

Garjia Devi Temple – Dedicated to Maa Parvati, Garjia Devi temple is one of the most sought after place in Corbett, The temple is located on a tall his just beside the famous Kosi river in Corbett and is very scenic. At the time of Karthik Poornima a large fare is conducted here. One has to climb around 100 stares to have a sight of Goddess Parwati. The distance of Temple from Ramnagar city is around 8 kms.

Corbett Waterfall – Also known as Corbett fall is one of the main attractions of Corbett Naional Park. This 60 ft tall waterfall is very scenic and visited by thousands of tourists in every season. It is located on a distance of 25kms from Ramnagar city. You have to submit an entry fee of Rs 50/- per person to enter the waterfall, also there is Rs 100/- parking chrges for the Vehicle. After some accidents in previous years now, the fall is covered by a iron net, so you can’t enter beyond a certain boundary.

Corbett Museum – Located at a distance of around 27 kms from Ramnagar city in Kaladhungi the museum has all the memories of legendary hunter Jim Corbett, It has various photographs, belongings and much needed information about Jim Corbett’s life. As the museum is in Heritage Bunglow of Jim Corbett. One you visit the heritage museum you get to feel the adventures life of Jim Corbett and his encounter with various Man eaters of Kumoan. The museum also offers you details of various species of animals located in Corbett National park. Nearb by the Heritage Bunglow lies the grave of his two dogs. Don’t forest to visit Choti Hadwani Village tourism and see Old Gun of Jim Corbett which he gifted to one of the family there. The Museum also has a heritage shop where you can buy various thing related to Jim Corbett and Corbett Park .The Corbett Museum is open round but remain close on Holi.
Timing for Jim Corbett Museum – 7AM to 6 PM.
Entry Fee – Rs 10 Per Person

Dhangadi Gate – Dhangadi gate is located at a distance of 20kms from Ramnagar city. This is the major entry point while going to Dhikala range.

Dhangadi Museum – Near Dhangadi Gate lies the Dhangadi Museum, It is an old museum and tells about life of Jim Corbett, The Entry fee for Museum is Rs 10 Person and it remains open from 6.30 AM to 5.30 PM.

Kalagarh Dam— Also known by the name Ramganga Dam as it is built on Ramganga River. The dam is home to many migratory birds who visits the place during winter season. Kalagarh dam provides electricity to the Corbett National park. Tourists can visit the dam easily as it is situated 6 kms from Kalagarh Village

Kalagarh Tiger Reserve – Located near a offbeat hill station Lansdowne, It is northern region of Corbett National Park. This is the most recently opened gate and visited by many tourists round by year by Garhwal range of Uttarakhand.

Sunrise Point Corbett – Located near Bhuwankhal Village, Sunrise point is the highest point in Corbett, Don’t forget to visit famous and oldest Bunglow built by the Britiesh here.

JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK