Are you a hardcore wildlife expedition enthusiast? Whether you are a nature enthusiast or a tourist, the famous tiger reserves in India mentioned in this article will fascinate everyone the same way. Tiger is the national animal of India, and it plays a vital role in representing the cultural and natural heritage of the country. These majestic animals not only fascinate every eye they meet but are also considered a charm to the reserves.
While there are many national parks available all around the country, we curated some of the best Tiger reserves in India that help you assist make the visit to these beauties untamed.
12 Popular Tiger Reserves and National Parks in India:
Tigers have been on the verge of extinction with the tremendous decrease in their numbers. However, several tiger reserves across India have been established to provide a natural habitat for the tigers, making them thrive. Here is a list of some of the best tiger reserves in India that help you experience the beauty of these royal animals in the wild.
1. Kanha Tiger Reserve:
Kanha tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh is considered one of the most famous tiger reserves in India because it looks like Mowgli’s stomping ground and is enormous and picturesque. Kanha Tiger Reserve Forest is the cleanest and best national park in Madhya Pradesh. More than 150 tigers live in the Kanha tiger reserve. It is considered the heart of some of the most delicate tiger habitats, and one of the endangered species you can find only in this park is the Barasingha deer. You can also view various wild animals like Porcupines, Barasingha, Gaur, Muntjak, Hyena, Leopard, Langur, Jungle Cats, Common Palm Civet, Sloth Bear, Nilgai, Indian Pangolin, Flying Squirrel and Wild Pig etc., splendour and natural posture if you go for a safari.
- Nearest City: Mandla.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport to Kanha tiger reserve is Nagpur, Maharashtra. It is connected well to all domestic airports.
- By Road: Buses are available from Jabalpur, Raipur, Bilaspur, and Nagpur daily. You can also hire private taxis, which take five hours from Nagpur and three hours from Jabalpur.
- By Rail: Jabalpur, Gondia, and Nagpur have railway routes connecting various cities to the Kanha tiger reserve.
- Best Time to Visit: November to June.
- Special Attractions: Wildlife safaris, you can enjoy elephant and jeep safaris.
- Khana Tiger Safari Timings: Sunrise to 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to sunset.
2. Bandipur Tiger Reserve:
Are you looking for an ideal location from Bangalore and Mysore? Then, the perfect choice is Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, which was the first tiger reserve in India and was opened in 1973. This tiger reserve has dense forests, making it one of the best tiger reserves in South India, sheltering tigers in their natural habitat. In addition, the relatively large population of tigers makes them easy to spot. Furthermore, elephants, bison, antelopes, and lions breed and wander in their natural habitat, making it a memorable trip that attracts many tourists worldwide.
- Nearest City: Mysore.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport to the Bandipur tiger reserve is Bangalore international airport, and you can reach the national park by hiring taxis.
- By Road: There are KSRTC buses that help you reach this park easily. It is also connected to the national highway, making navigation more manageable with a personal vehicle.
- By Rail: Mysore city is the nearest railway station, and you can take a bus or a taxi to reach the Bandipur national park.
- Best Time to Visit: Between July and September during monsoons. Between March and May during the summer.
- Special Attractions: You can see lots of elephants.
3. Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve:
Yet another tiger reserve in MP, in the Umaria district, is the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve. It is one of the most important tiger reserves in India and 63 tigers at the last count, which is the highest density of tigers in the area. Again, you can book tickets in advance and spot tigers in Tata zone 1. In addition, the reserve hosts 260 species of birds, including Rhesus Monkeys, Sloth Bear, Gray Mongooses, Leopards, Chinkara, Gaur, Dhole, Chausingha, Sambar, White Tiger and Bengal Fox etc., which makes your trip a memorable one.
- Nearest City: Jabalpur.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport is in the Jabalpur district, and you can take a taxi to reach the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve.
- By Road: Madhya Pradesh state buses are available that are connected to all the major cities.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station to the Bandhavgarh tiger reserve is in Umaris, and it is connected to all major cities in India.
- Best Time to Visit: October to June.
- Special Attractions: Plan a trip to the Panpatha Wildlife Sanctuary, Bandhavgarh Fort on the cliff overlooking the Vindhya mountains by hiring a car.
4. Corbett Tiger Reserve:
Located in northern India’s Uttarakhand, Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve has the highest tiger density in India, with 216 tigers. Corbett is one of the important tiger reserves in India. Also, this park is widely known for its large elephant population near the Ramganga river, and it has a dusty atmosphere. However, you can also look at various mammals and a wide variety of terrain in Corbett national park.
- Nearest City: Nainital.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport is Delhi, and you will have to reach the tiger reserve by train or road.
- By Road: There are several buses and taxis available that take you to the tiger reserve.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station to the reserve is Ramnagar and is connected to all railroads to Delhi.
- Best Time to Visit: November to June.
- Special Attractions: You can watch the wildlife from the enormous grasslands and watchtowers.
Read: Different Types of Tigers
5. Dudhwa Tiger Reserve:
Dudhwa tiger reserve in UP stretches across the Bahraich and Lakhimpur districts. It is defined by the Mohana river and shares its northeast boundary with Nepal. The Dudhwa Tiger reserve is home to an estimated 106 to 118 tigers and was brought under the purview of “Project Tiger” in 1987. You can enjoy the view and the wildlife of this reserve in a jeep safari hosted every year from November to June.
- Nearest City: Lucknow.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport is Lucknow, and you can reach the national park by train or bus.
- By Road: There are several buses and taxis available from Lucknow that take you to the Tiger reserve.
- By Rail: The nearest railhead is Dudhwa, Palia, and Mailani, connected to many other major cities.
- Best Time to Visit: December to April.
- Special Attractions: You can observe the best sal tree forests in the world in the Dudhwa
6. Tadoba Tiger Reserve:
Tadoba is one of the oldest Maharashtra tiger reserves, created in 1955. The boundaries of the deep valley extended in meadows and lakes in the plain land area in the densely forested hills make for a picturesque spot. Along with a booming population of tigers, it also houses sloths and leopards, 200 species of birds. The cliffs, caves, and talus act as natural shelters for many wild animals.
- Nearest City: Chandrapur.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport in Nagpur is 140km away from the Tadoba national park. You can hire taxis to reach the park.
- By Road: The nearest cities to the Tadoba national park are Chimur and Chandrapur. All the major cities are connected by road to this national park.
- By Rail: The nearest railhead from this national park is Chandraaapur railway station which is well connected to all major cities.
- Best Time to Visit: February to June.
- Special Attractions: You can get a glimpse of the central Indian jungles.
7. Nagarhole Tiger Reserve:
Nagarhole tiger reserve is located in the Mysore district of Karnataka, is officially called Rajiv Gandhi National Park, and is home to around 48 royal tigers and an exciting variety of flora and fauna. The adjoining Bandipur national park, Madumalao national park, and Wayanad national park form the largest protected area in southern India. The pristine Kabini river Nagarhole national park and tiger reserve have three major predators co-existing in high densities: Tiger, Leopard, and Wild dog. It also has the largest concentration of herbivores in Asia and is home to the world’s largest congregation of Asiatic elephants. Moreover, it is a perfect spot for hiking and river rafting since waterfalls and rivers surround it.
- Nearest City: Mysore.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: Mysore is the nearest railway station, and you can get cabs to reach the tiger reserve.
- By Road: KSRTC provides buses that take you 30km away from the national park, and then you can take a cab to reach the park.
- Best Time to Visit: October to April.
- Special Attractions: You can view different floral vegetation and enjoy river rafting, and hiking.
8. Pench Tiger Reserve:
Pench Tiger Reserve or Pench National Park, also called the Mouwgli sanctuary, had inspired Rudyard Kipling’s famous writing Jungle Book. Pench is a popular wildlife sanctuary in India for tigers located on the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, the 1000km stretch of dense forest is home to many species of flora and fauna. The Pench tiger reserve boasts 25 tigers, and you can spot them on the river banks of the Pench river.
- Nearest City: Nagpur, Jabalpur.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar international airport in Nagpur and Jabalpurrr airport are the nearest to the Pench national park.
- By Road: Seoni is the part of Madhya Pradesh that provides multiple ways to reach the Pench national park.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station to the Pench national park is the Seoni railway station.
- Best Time to Visit: Between January to May. The reserve is closed in July, August, and September months.
- Special Attractions: Trekking on the hills.
9. Mudumalai Tiger Reserve:
Located in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu, the Mudumalai tiger reserve plays an important role by forming part of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve, at the tri-junction of three states, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, spreading over 321sq.km. It forms a large conservation landscape for flagship species such as Tiger and Asian elephant because it has a common boundary with Wyanad wildlife sanctuary on the West, Bandipur tiger reserve on the north, Nilgiris North division on the south and east, Gudalur forest division on the southwest.
- Nearest City: Ooty.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airport to the Mudumalai tiger reserve is Coimbatore, and it has flights available to all major cities.
- By Road: There are several buses and taxis available to all major cities from Ooty.
- By Rail: The nearest railway station is Ooty, and it has regular connectivity to all major cities.
- Best Time to Visit: October to May.
- Special Attractions: It offers colourful migratory birds and a fantastic avian population.
10. Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve:
The Satyamangalam Tiger Reserve is located at the joining of the Eastern and Western ghats in Tamilnadu, India. The location of this reserver makes it possess a diversified flora and fauna. It is home to about 54 tigers and was declared a tiger reserve in 2013. Sandalwood trees are a common sight in this reserve, and it boasts deciduous forests combined with thorn, tropical and riparian forest lands for vegetation. You can find elephants, gaur, blackbuck, four-horned antelope, leopard, hyena, and wild dog sightings apart from tigers. The 27 hair-pin bends in the Sathyamangalam-Dhimbum ghat road make the drive exhilarating.
- Nearest City: Coimbatore.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: The nearest airports from the tiger reserve are Coimbatore, Mysore, and Bangalore.
- By Road: The nearest railway stations from the tiger reserve are Chamrajnagar, Erode, and Coimbatore.
- By Rail: There is a network of roadways that provide transportation to the Sathyamangalam tiger reserve.
- Best Time to Visit: October to January.
- Special Attractions: You can observe different flora and fauna in this wildlife reserve.
11. Kaziranga Tiger Reserve:
Locates in Kanchanjuri Assam, Kaziranga National park is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO. Kaziranga tiger reserve has not only tigers but also an immense bird population. You can see Indian Rhinos, Asiatic elephants, Royal Bengal tigers, Water buffalo, and Swamp deer- big five mammals making the Kaziranga one of the rare National parks of India. Although there are approximately 86 tigers, spotting them is challenging because of the tall elephant grass. Kaziranga also has more than 1000 elephants and is a famous abode of 70% of the world’s water buffaloes.
- Nearest City: Tezpur, Guwahati.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: Guwahati international airport and Jorhat airport are the nearest airports to the Kaziranga tiger reserve.
- By Road: The Kaziranga park’s main gate is in a small Kohora town, and it is connected to the NH37, connecting to all major cities.
- By Rail: Furkating is one of the nearest railway stations to Kaziranga park and is connected to many major city railway stations.
- Best Time to Visit: November to April.
- Special Attractions: You can enjoy the beautiful landscape, and you might have a chance to see a single-horn rhino.
12. Sundarban Tiger Reserve:
The initial nine tiger reserves constituted at the inception of Project Tiger in 1973 have the Sunderban Tiger Reserve as one of them. The Sunderban tiger reserve in West Bengal provides beautiful estuaries, roaring rivers, and Royal Bengal tigers creating a natural circle. It is the most extensive mangrove forest in the world, with a 400 tiger population. It gives you the rawest and most authentic wildlife experiences where the spirit of the landscape and animals come together. You can spot leopards, chital, fishing cats, and many more apart from tigers.
- Nearest City: Kolkata.
- How to Reach:
- By Air: Netaji Subhash international airport at Dumdum, Kolkata, is the nearest airport to the Sunderban national park.
- By Road: There is a well-laid interface of roadways from Kolkata to Sunderbans.
- By Rail: Canning is the nearest railway station link, and there are several local trains throughout the day from Kolkata.
- Best Time to Visit: September to March.
- Special Attractions: You get to see endangered species like the saltwater crocodile, Olive ridley turtle, and Ganges river dolphin.
If you are a tiger buff and planning a trip to a tiger reserve, we hope that the information provided in this article about the best Tiger reserves in India has helped you make a choice. So, without further ado, plan a trip and enjoy observing these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. Don’t forget to share the information with your friends, and do let us know if it was helpful!
Disclaimer: The information we provided in this article is based on mere research, and the website is not responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the information.
Read: The Best Indian Bird Sanctuaries to Spot Birds
FAQ:
1. Which is the largest tiger reserve in India?
Ans: The largest tiger reserve in India is the Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger reserve. This reserve spreads across Kurnool district, Prakasham district, Guntur district, Nalgonda district, and Mahbubnagar district.
2. Which state has the highest number of tigers?
Ans: In the age group of 1.5 years, Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tigers (526), out of which 408 are big ones.
3. What are the other states that have a significant tiger population?
Ans: Other states that have significant tiger populations are:
- Uttarakhand – 442 tigers.
- Karnataka – 524 tigers.
- Tamilnadu – 229 tigers.
- Maharashtra – 190 tigers.
- Kerala – 136 tigers.
- Uttar Pradesh – 117 tigers.
4. Which is the newly added Tiger Reserve?
Ans: Guru Ghasidas National Park and Tamor Pingla Wildlife Sanctuary is India’s 53rd Tiger Reserve located in Chhattisgarh. This is the 4th Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh.
