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Wildlife in Rajasthan

Rajasthan Ranthambhor National Park

Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan

Keoladeo Ghana National Park Rajasthan

Darrah Sanctuary Rajasthan

Sajjangarh Sanctuary Rajasthan

Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary Rajasthan

Desert National Park Rajasthan

Mount Abu Sanctuary Rajasthan

Sita Mata Sanctuary Rajasthan

Ranthambhor National Park

Rajasthan Ranthambore National park- Ranthambhore is most famous for its large tiger population. As tourism in the park increased, so did the population of neighbouring villages and is one of the best places in the country to see these majestic predators in the wild. The tigers can be easily spotted even during the day. A good time to visit between November and May when the nature of the dry deciduous forests makes sightings common. The Park which covers an area of nearly 400 sq. km. and is set between the Aravali and Vindhya ranges. Its deciduous forests were once a part of the magnificent jungles of Central India.

The varied topography of the national park is home to animals like the jackal,mongoose, sloth bear, leopard, and of course, the tiger. Ranthambore has much more to offer you in sightseeing and excursions. Surrounded by the Vindhya and Aravali hill ranges and located very near to the outer fringes of the Thar Desert, this place offers you the best of the desert land as well as plain area near the hills.

About Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary Sharp cliffs of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravallis dominate the landscape of Sariska, whose forests are dry and deciduous. Within the Sariska wildlife sanctuary there are the ruins of medieval temples of Garh-Rajor, belonging to the 10th and 11th centuries.

A 17th century castle on a sharp hilltop at Kankwari, provides a panoramic view of flying Egyptian vultures and eagles. The area was declared a sanctuary in 1955 and became a National Park in 1979.

Major Wildlife Attractions

The Sariska park is home to numerous carnivores including Leopard, Wild Dog, Jungle Cat, Hyena, Jackal, and Tiger. These feed on an abundance of prey species such as Sambar, Chitel, Nilgai, Chausingha, Wild Boar and Langur. Sariska is also well known for its large population of Rhesus Monkeys, which are found in large numbers around Talvriksh.

The avian world is also well represented with a rich and varied birdlife. These include Peafowl, Grey Partridge, Bush Quail, Sand Grouse, Tree Pie, Golden backed Wood Pecker, Crested Serpent Eagle and the Great Indian Horned Owl.

Other Attractions in Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

The Kankwari Fort : Among the historic landmarks located within the Sariska national park, includes the Kankwari For, where, Emperor Aurangzeb once imprisoned his brother, Dara Shikoh.

The Ancient Shiva Temples : Within the area of the Sariska tiger sanctuary, Neelkanth temples, that dates back to the 6th-13th century AD, now in ruins, afford a wonderful sight to the visitors.

The Palace : Sariska was known as the royal reserve of the rulers of Alwar. This palace built by the Maharajas of Alwar, has now been converted into a hotel.

Best Time to Visit Sariska Tiger Reserve Visitors can visit Sariska wildlife sanctuary throughout the tear, still the beast period is during the months of October to June.

How to Get there

Air : Jaipur is the nearest airport from Sariska at a distance 107-kms. Rail : The nearest railway station is at Alwar (37-kms).

Road : Sariska wildlife sanctuary is situated off the Delhi-Alwar-Jaipur Road. Jaipur is located at a distance of 107-kms and Delhi at 200-kms from Sariska. Sariska is well connected with Alwar, which is further directly connected with bus services from Delhi and Jaipur.

General Info / Tips

Jeep Safari : The best way to visit the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary is by jeep and these can be arranged at the Forest Reception Office on Jaipur Road. Booking a `hide', overlooking one of the water holes, can provide an excellent opportunity for wildlife viewing and wildlife photography within the Sariska Sanctuary.

Keoladeo National Park is situated in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. It is also known as Bharatpur bird sanctuary. Keoladeo National Park /wildlife Sanctuary is famous as bird's paradise, with over 380 resident and migrant species of birds, including the Common, Demoiselle and the rare Siberian Cranes. The Keoladeo Ghana National Park is also an excellent place to spot mammals like Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Striped Hyaena, Sambar, Fishing Cat, Nilgai, Blackbuck and wild Boar. In 1981, Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary was given the status of National Park. The name Keoladeo has been derived from a nearby ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva.
Attractions in Keoladeo Ghana National Park
The main attractions for tourists visiting the Keoladeo Ghana Park are the migratory birds, which come from as far away as Siberia and Central Asia to spend their winters in Bharatpur, before returning back to their breeding grounds. Some of the migratory birds that visit Keoladeo /Bharatpur bird sanctuary include several species of Cranes, Hawks, Pelicans, Geese, Shanks, Ducks, Eagles, Warblers, Stints, Wagtails, Buntings, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Larks, Pipits etc. Besides the migratory and resident birds, other tourist attractions in Keoladeo Ghana bird sanctuary include the Bharatpur government Museum, Lohagarh Fort and Deeg Palace.
Park Trips
To move around in the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, there are well-defined forest trails, which you can cover on foot or on a bicycle. You can also hire a rickshaw and explore the bird sanctuary at ease. The best time to visit the Park is either early morning or in the evening.
How to Reach Keoladeo Ghana National Park
By Air
The Delhi airport is about 5-6 hours from the Bharatpur bird sanctuary.
By Rail/ Train
Bharatpur is connected with regular train services with all the major cities of India such as Delhi, Jaipur, Agra and Mumbai. The Bharatpur railway station is 6 Kms from the bird sanctuary.
By Road
An excellent network of road services connects Bharatpur to all the major cities of Rajasthan and neighboring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (55-kms), Delhi (176-kms) and Jaipur (176-kms).


The Darrah sanctuary is spread over an area of 250 sq. kms and is strategically. Rajasthan Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary is located about 50 Km. from Kota. Here there are spotted deers, Wild boars, Bears ,Sambhars , Leopards , Panthers and Antelopes.The sanctuary is sometimes closed during the monsoon (usually from early july to mid -september ).
There is Jhairapatan, which is renowned for the ruins of the Sun temple which was built way back in the 10th century. A plethora of ancient temples, most of them built between the 7th - 8th centuries are located along the banks of Chandrabhaga river.
Visiting the haunting Darrah sanctuary is a very rewarding experience as it provides not only the wild side of Rajasthan but also its rich past. One has to bear in mind that the sanctuary is out of bounds to visitors from July till September
Entry Requirements
You need to get permission to visit from the local forest ranger or contact the district forest office in Kota. The foreign tourist visiting to Darrah wildlife sanctuary need to pay an entry fee of Rs 100 per person and local visitors Rs. 20 per person

Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary is situated 5km in the West of Udaipur, the lake city, which surrounds the Sajjangarh Palace overlooking Udaipur City. From the Sajjangarh Palace, one can have a magnificent view of lakes of Udaipur and Aravalli hill ranges. The view of Sunrise and Sunset attracts every visitor atop of Bansdara hill.
In the Sajjangarh Wildlife sanctuary, a Safari Park was created and wild animals like Chital, Sambar, Wild Boar, and Blue Bull were reintroduced. Animals like Panther, Hyena, Hare and Jackal has reappeared apart from variety of reptiles and birds. The wall extended further and now the entire hillock has been fenced, improving the vegetal cover of the sanctuary area.
In the Hills, at a short distance on the North-West of Sajjangarh, there is an artificial lake named Jiyan Sagar, popularly known as "Bari Lake" or "Tiger Lake". The lake was constructed by Maharana Raj Singhji, the ex-ruler of Mewar, in 1664 AD and was named after Jana Devi, the mother of the Maharana. The lake has an area of 1.25 square miles with a storage capacity of 400 million cubic feet of water..
With a lush green cover to boast of, the Sajjangarh Sanctuary offers excellent opportunities for safaris, treks and nature walks. The Bansdara Hill situated within the park offers stunning views of the sun setting and rising over the horizon.

Foreign visitors to the Sajjangarh Sanctuary have to pay an entry fee of Rs 80 per person while Indian citizens pay Rs 10 per person

Rajasthan Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary- Kumbhalgarh is just 90 kms. from Jodhpur on the Udaipur - Pali - Jodhpur road. This jungle adjoins the historical Kumbalgarh Fort and used to shield the fort from invaders. Now it protects the rare species of animals, struggling for their survival. Situated in the lush green region of Udaipur, Kumbalgarh is Wolf-a rare sight the only sanctuary of Rajasthan, where activities of the rarely found wolf can be seen. More than forty wolves inhabit the Joba area of the sanctuary. During summer, when water becomes scarce, pack of wolves roaming around water holes is a common sight.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary is a major attraction for the tourists coming to Udaipur. This Sanctuary falls under the Rajsamand district of Rajasthan. Kumbhalgarh Park lies at a distance of 65 kms from Udaipur on Udaipur - Pali - Jodhpur road. If you are a wild-life lover, this is a perfect place for you to visit. Sprawled in an area of 578 sq km, Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary encircles the massive fort of Kumbhalgarh. This wildlife park has imbibed its name from the same fort

Rajasthan Desert National Park- The Desert National Park is an excellent example of the ecosystem of the Thar desert and its diverse fauna. Sand dunes form around 25% of the park. The major landform consists of craggy rocks and compact salt lake bottoms intermediate areas and fixed dunes.
The black buck is another common antelope of this region. Its other notable inhabitants are the desert fox,, wolf and desert cat. Bird life in this sandy habitat is vivid and spectacular. Birds such as the sandgrouse, partridges, bee-eaters larks and shrikes are commonly seen. Demoiselle crane and houbara arrive in the winter.
Quenching Thirst
Handsome Black Bucks The birds of prey seen here are tawny and steppe eagles long legged and honey buzzards, falcons and kestrels. But the most outstanding of the fauna is the great Indian bustard. This tall heavy bird is an epitome of confidence and grace. It is common to see five or six bustards near
Sudarshi water hole.18 kms. from Jaisalmer is the Akal Wood Fossils Park which is about 180 million years age. Sea shells and massive fossilized tree trunks in this park record the geological history of the desert.

Mount Abu Sanctuary Rajasthan located in Mount Abu was declared as a protected area in the year 1960 and ever since then this sanctuary which is spread over the gorgeous Aravalli range of mountains has been attracting not only domestic tourists but also tourists from overseas. Mount Abu is Rajasthan's only hill station and in the days of yore it used to be the summer retreat of Rajasthan's royalty.
Rajasthan Tourism department in recent times have been making rapid strides as far as Eco-Tourism is concerned. It was being increasingly felt that the desert destinations of Rajasthan like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur etc. .. were oversold in the international tourist market. In a bid to diversify its tourism game plan, the Mount Abu sanctuary together with Mount Abu have been strategically highlighted as an irresistible Eco-Tourism circuit and needless to say, the response has been tremendous.
Mount Abu Sanctuary Rajasthan is between the Himalayas and the Nilgiri mountain ranges, the highest place (about 1700 MSL) is Mt. Abu is not only a sanctuary but also a fascinating hill station of Rajasthan. It is a living example of an inextricable mix of religion and tourism. The sanctuary spread over 290 kms is dominated by subtropical evergreen forests known for its cool refreshing air, fully charged with the jasmine.
Thirsty Wolf The kacchar, Kaionda, mango, champa, roses, khajur, phaludra and jasmine blossoming on the granite rocks during March & April are a breathe taking sight. This sanctuary is so filled with the activities of birds that it is a sort of pilgrimage for bird lovers.
It is unique in the sense that more than 300 species of birds are found here, but the speciality of the Abu sanctuary is the grey jungle fowl. The leopard sloth bear, wild boar, sambar, chinkara and langur are the other inhabitants here.

Rajasthan Sita Mata Sanctuary- Situated in the Chittaurgarh region of Rajasthan, SitaMata wildlife sanctuary is 108 km from Udaipur. The area covered by this sanctuary is 425 sq km.
Spread near the Aravali mountain foothills, it is the only forest region that has teak trees of building quality. The forest having bamboo and dry deciduous vegetation is home to animals like leopard, hyena, jackal, fox, jungle cat, porcupine, spotted deer, wild bear, four - horned antelope and Nilgai. Its most famous inhabitant however is the Flying Squirrel. Arampura Forest Guest House is the place to lodge while visiting the sanctuary. It is also an excellent vantage point to see the Flying Squirrel.
The best time to see the squirrel is during February March when the trees shed their leaves, otherwise the sanctuary can be visited around the year except during monsoons