Places to See in Delhi

India Gate 
Built as a memorial to commemorate the 70,000 India soldiers killed in World War I, India Gate was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and completed in 1931.
Built from sandstone, the arch also houses the Eternal Flame, a gesture in memory of the Indian soldiers who laid their lives in the 1971 war with Pakistan. 

Rashtrapati BhawanFormely the Viceregal Lodge, the building is the highlight of Lutyen's New Delhi and was completed in 1929 at a cost of 12,53,000 pound sterling. Located in an area of 130 hectares, the palace has 340 rooms.




Red FortSo called because of the red stone with which it is built, the Red Fort is one of the most magnificent palaces in the world. India's history is also closely linked with this fort. It was frorth here ht the British deposed the last Mughal ruler, Bhadur Shah Zafar, marking the end of the three century long Mughal rule. It was also fromits ramparts that the first prime. Minister of India, pandit Jawharlal Nehru, announced to the nation that India was free form colonial rule.

Qutub Minar The origins of Qutab Minar are shrouded in controversy. Some believe it was erected as a tower of victory to signify the beginning of the Muslim rule in India. Others say it served as a minaret to the muezzins to call the faithful to prayer. No one can, however, dispute that the tower is not only one of the finest monuments in India, but also in the world.


Purana Quila The fort is said to be constructed on the historic site of Indraprastha (900BC) by Humayun and Sher Shah. Covering a circuit of about a mile, the walls of the fort have three gates and are surrounded by a mat fed by the river Yamuna.


Jantar MantarAt first sight, the Jantar Mantar appears like a gallery of modern art. It is, however, an observatory. Sawai Jia Singh II of Jaipur (1699-1743), a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court, was dissatisfied by the errors of brass and metal astronomical instruments.


Humayun's Tomb The mughals brought with them a love for gardens, fountains and water. The first mature example of Mughal architecture in India, Humayun's Tomb was built by the emperor's grieving widow, Haji Begum, in 1565 AD.


Jama Masjid Work on the Jama Masjid mosque was begun in 1650 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to complement his palace at the Red Fort. More than 5,000 workers toiled for six years to complete the largest mosque in India. Every Friday, the emperor and his retinue would travel in state from the fort to the mosque to attend the congressional prayers.

Safdarjung's TombRepresenting the last phase of the Mughal style of architecture, Safdarjang's Tomb stands in the centre of an extensive garden.


RajghatThe mortal remains of mahatma Gandhi were cremated on this spot on the west bank of the river Yamuna on the evening of January 31, 1948.


Lakshmi Narayan MandirBuilt in 1938, the temple is an ideal introduction to some of the gods of the India pantheon. The temple contains a large number of idols and visitors can also watch priests performing ritualistic prayers. 

Pench National Park

" The jungle speaks to me because I know how to listen."                                                                       - Rudyard Kipling This is the land that inspired Rudyard Kipling to write that all-time favourite, "The Jungle Book" - walk through Pench and one can imagine Mowgli swinging through the trees and almost hear the roar of Sher Khan. Situated on the border of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Maharashtra, the Pench National Park is as well-known for the abundance of flora and fauna found within the park as the varied species of wildlife. Named after the river that flows nearby, Pench was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1983 and in 1992, Pench was included under the umbrella of "Project Tiger" as the 19th Project Tiger Reserve.

Spread over 758 sq.kms of tropical moist deciduous forest, Pench is one of the most accessible tiger reserves in the country, and just 90 kilometres north of Nagpur. The Reserve is located in the southern part of the Satpura hill range in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts in Madhya Pradesh. The terrain is undulating, with most of the area covered by small hills and mounds. The forest area of Pench National Park is redolent with tropical dry deciduous teak and interspersed with bamboo trees and other species of shrubs. The 'Kullu tree' (a species of gum tree) in Pench is a highlight, and visitors are often mesmerized by its almost white bark and spread out branches that are a startling contrast to the lush greenery around. In addition there are many rare varieties of herbs and grasses in this region -many of them of medicinal use. Fauna-wise, a number of endangered species have made it their habitat including the Indian wild dog, the wild pig, nilgai, chital, muntjac, gaur, the four-horned antelope and of course tigers. The tiger population in pench is one of the hightest - 55, in number. The park is also rich in bird life with over 200 species like barbets, bulbuls, minivets, orioles, wagtails, munias, mynas, waterfowls, and blue kingfishers. The Pench River and water streams that weave through the area, along with nallahs and ravines provide the perfect habitat for the water birds of this region. This is also the hunting ground for crocodiles and turtles.  Access The nearest railhead is Seoni which is only 30 kms away from Pench National Park. Nagpur is only 92 kms and a two-hour drive from Pench. Nagpur is very well connected and one can reach Nagpur either by air or train from Delhi, Mumbai and other places in India. Pench is 190 kms from Jabalpur station. Best time to visit If you want to catch sight of tigers and other wildlife, plan your visit to the park during the summer months, as this is the time the animals come out in search of   waterholes. Winters months maybe may more comfortable, but it is very difficult to view much wildlife during this season. The Pench National Park is open to visitors from early November to end June each year and closed during the rainy season (July- October). Accommodation The Pench Jungle Camp is a good place to stay and provides canvas tents and A/c rooms.The Jungle Camp also offers facilities like billiards room, badminton courts, wildlife research centre and a multi cuisine restaurant. The other accommodation facility is Bagh Van Lodge located just five minutes away from the entrance of the Pench National Park. It has cottage-type accommodation and also has a main dining and lounge area.  For more information contact:  Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. 4th Floor, Gangorti Complex, T.T. Nagar, Bhopal - 462 003.  Tel.: (0755) 277 8383, 277 4343, Fax: (0755) 277 4289, 277 2384

Parambikulam Sanctuary

Lying adjacent to the Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, the 285 sq km stretch of forest known as the Parambikulam Sanctuary is one of Kerala’s premier wildlife reserves. Parambikulam lies in the Annamalai Hills, south of the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats. The area’s hilly and rocky, drained by several rivers, including the Parambikulam, the Sholayar and the Thekkedy.  Thickly forested with stands of bamboo, sandalwood, rosewood and teak, the sanctuary has some marshy land and scattered patches of grassland. Parambikulam was once home to some of south India’s finest stands of teak; most of these, however, have now been replaced by teak plantations.

Little remains of the original teak forests, other than the famous Kannimari teak tree, the largest in Asia. The tree is about 5 km from Thunakadavu, and is one of Parambikulam’s prime attractions.

Parambikulam’s animal species include many of India’s most prominent mammals: tigers, leopards, wild dogs, sloth bears, elephants, wild boar, barking deer, spotted deer, langurs and macaques. Parambikulam is also home to Kerala’s largest population of gaur. Besides these, civet, chevrotain, pangolin, crocodile, jungle cat, porcupine and some 140 species of birds are found in the sanctuary. Although the larger cats are few and far between, gaur, monkeys and deer are fairly common in the sanctuary.

Entry Requirements 
Visitors are allowed into Parambikulam only between 7 am and 6 pm; no vehicles can leave the park after 6.30 pm. The entry fee is a paltry Re 0.50; for light vehicles an entry fee of Rs 5 is payable, for heavy vehicles, it’s Rs 10.

Permits are issued by the Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) at Thiruvananthpuram (Tel: 62217), the Field Director, Project Tiger at Kottayam, and the Divisional Forest Officer at Parambikulam.

Access
The town closest to Parambikulam is Pollachi, in Tamilnadu; it is about 48 km from Thunakadavu, and there are two daily buses, at 10 am and 5 pm, from the town to the sanctuary. Pollachi is also the nearest railhead and has train connections to Coimbatore and Palakkad. Both Coimbatore (88 km from Parambikulam) and Palakkad (97 km from the sanctuary) are important railway junctions, with a number of trains coming in from even as far as Delhi. Coimbatore, in addition, has a domestic airport served by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways. Important towns in Kerala- such as Kochi, Thrissur, Nenmarra and Kollangodu- are connected by road to Parambikulam.

Touring the sanctuary is possible by boat or jeep; both can be hired from the park authorities. Alternatively, you can climb one of Parambikulam’s two watch towers for a bit of wildlife-watching. One tower is at Anappadi (8 km from Thunakadavu) and the other’s at Zungam, 5 km from Thunakadavu.

Best time to visit
Parambikulam is open throughout the year, but is best avoided during the monsoon. Between June and August, the monsoon rains lash Parambikulam, making hillsides unstable and causing slush, mosquitoes, drippy roofs and other nuisances.

Accommodation 
Visitors to Parambikulam can stay for a sum of about Rs 200 per night at the forest resthouses at Thunakadavu (the headquarters of the sanctuary), Thellikal and Elathode. 

Another option is the interesting tree house at Thunakadavu; rooms here cost about Rs 300-600 per night. If you’re visiting neighbouring Annamalai, you could stay in the Top Slip area, the headquarters of Annamalai; the place is about half an hour’s drive from Thunakadavu and offers a number of accommodation options.

Accommodation can be reserved through the Range Officer, Thunakadavu. Rooms at the Thunakadavu PWD Resthouse and the Tamilnadu Government Inspection Bungalow can be booked through the Junior Engineer, Tamilnadu PWD, Parambikulam.

The nearby towns of Coimbatore and Palakkad, by virtue of their size and importance, offer a much wider range of accommodation, and are a good base for visitors to Parambikulam. Rooms in either of the two towns usually cost between a couple of hundred rupees for basic amenities to around a thousand or slightly more for fancier accommodation.

Further information about Parambikulam can be obtained from the Wildlife Warden at Thunakadavu or the Divisional Forest Officer, Teak Plantation Division, Thunakadavu Post, Parambikulam, Palakkad District, Kerala.

Nagarhole National Park

Welcome to one of the best places in the world to find the tawny, black-striped Royal Bengal Tiger, elusive and stealthy, noble and regal: Nagarhole. Karnataka's Nagarhole National Park (officially known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park) is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India's largest stretch of protected forest, an area which includes, besides Nagarhole, the neighbouring sanctuaries of Bandipur, Mudumalai and Wynaad. Established in 1955 as a wildlife sanctuary, Nagarhole was designated a national park twenty years later. The park today stretches in a series of gentle hills and valleys, over an expanse of 640 sq km, north of the river Kabini. The park is centred around a perennial water reservoir formed in 1974, when the Kabini River was dammed.

Nagarhole's vegetation is refreshingly different from Bandipur's dry scrub- moist deciduous forests, including bamboo, teak, eucalyptus and cassia, cover much of the sanctuary, providing a refuge for a wide range of animals and birds. Nagarhole has all the resident wildlife of the Nilgiri hills: Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri langur, bison, leopard, Asian elephant, wild boar, deer, dhole (wild dog) and porcupine, besides tigers. A high canopy of trees- up to thirty metres tall in some places- harbours rare birds such as the endangered Malabar trogon, the Malabar pied hornbill and the crested hawk-eagle. Nagarhole saw some upheavals in 1992, when quarrelling between the wardens of the park and the local villagers resulted in arson which had an enormously adverse impact on the park and its wildlife. It will still take a few years for Nagarhole's forest and animal count to get back to normal but there has already been a resurrection of sorts and things get better every year. Entry Requirements An entry permit, costing Rs 15, is applicable for all visitors to Nagarhole. It can be obtained at the entrance to the park. Charges for boat rides, jeep or elephant safaris and accommodation are additional. Access   The major railhead closest to Nagarhole is Mysore, 80 km away, with train connections to a large number of towns and cities across peninsular India. Nanjangud, 55 km away, also has trains coming to it, but they’re fewer in number. Bangalore, with excellent air and rail links to the rest of the country, is about 220 km from Nagarhole, while the hillstation of Ooty is about 240 km from the park. Buses connect Nagarhole to Bangalore (a ride of about 6 hours) and to a network of smaller towns across Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Alternately, you could hire a vehicle in one of the larger towns- Bangalore is especially convenient- to get to Nagarhole. Within the park, there’s ample scope for wildlife watching. Jeeps can be taken for a drive through Nagarhole, or you can go off on elephant safari- the best way, in fact, to go deep into the jungle. Hiking is also allowed through the park, although only in some areas where there are fewer chances of encountering a hungry tiger or a masth elephant! The lake is open for a slow coracle ride or a swift motorboat skim. Best time to visit  Nagarhole can be visited all through winter and through the pre-monsoon half of the summer. The winter months from November-February are exceedingly pleasant, and are the best time to go if you don’t like being hot and sweaty. The summer, on the other hand, though it may be pretty hot, is a great time to see wildlife, including the tiger. The dry, hot season (March-May) is the time when the animals gather at the lake, allowing for great wildlife viewing. The monsoons (June-September) are best avoided, as the entire road network gets washed out, and leeches and dense undergrowth proliferate in the forest. Accommodation State-owned forest resthouses, private lodges and cottages are among the accommodation options in Nagarhole. Reservations for the forest resthouses must be made at least 15 days in advance by contacting the warden’s office in Bangalore or Mysore. There is also a posh river lodge (state-run) at the Kabini River, which, though it comes for a high-end price, also offers a great experience. Bookings at the lodge can be made by calling 08228-52160 /32181 /44405. A double room at the Kabini River Lodge costs about Rs 2,750 (or US$125, for foreigners) per night, while cottages come for around Rs 2,000- all inclusive of meals, sightseeing, safaris and more. Rooms at private lodges range between Rs 2,000- 3,000 per night. Similarly-priced accommodation options exist in towns just outside the Park, at Veerana Hosahalli and at Siddapura in Coorg. For bookings at the resthouses contact Conservator of Forest, Kodagu Circle,Aranya Bhavan, Madikeri, Tel:08272-25708.  Further information on Nagarhole National Park can be obtained from the Field Director, Project Tiger, Aranya Bhawan, Ashokpuram, Mysore (Tel: 0821-480901) or the Chief Wildlife Warden, Aranya Bhawan, 18th Cross, Malleswaram, Bangalore (Tel: 560003).

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, a Project Tiger reserve, lies among the foothills of the Bhutan Himalayas, in the far eastern state of Assam. The park, which spreads over 2,837 sq km, is a vast, relatively unspoilt expanse of low-lying sal forests and grasslands. The core area of the reserve lies in Kokrajhar and Barpeta districts, whereas its outlying areas spread over the neighbouring forest reserve divisions of North Kamrup, Western Assam Wildlife Division, Kachugaon and Haltugaon. To the north lies the Royal Manas National Park, in Bhutan.

Initially known as North Kamrup, Manas was designated a wildlife sanctuary way back in 1928 and in 1985, was declared a `World Heritage in Danger’ site. The only tiger reserve in Assam and also famous for the rare golden langur and the red panda, Manas is one of the best-kept national parks in India. It’s home to India’s second-largest tiger population, and although a ride through the park may not guarantee a tiger sighting, you might see some other beauties. Manas’ other denizens include elephants, rhinos, swamp deer, gaur, and more elusive species, such as the clouded leopard, golden cat, pangolin, fishing cat, pygmy hog and leopard. Manas has more than 450 species of birds, of which the great pied hornbill and the Bengal florican are among the leading stars.

 

 

Entry Requirements

Entry fees for the park are Rs 200 for foreigners and Rs 10 for Indians, with additional charges been tagged on for cameras.

 

Access

Manas National Park is 176km from Guwahati, which is the nearest major airport. The capital of Assam, Guwahati has regular flights coming in from most major cities in India, and getting to Manas from here isn’t a problem. It actually makes a lot of sense to drive down because the roads are very motorable. State transport authorities and private operators have bus services to Manas from Guwahati. You can also hire taxis to Manas from Guwahati.

The roadhead closest to Manas is the town of Barpeta Road, which is at a distance of 41 km from the park.

 

Within the park, elephant rides are your best bet for seeing wildlife, although boats are also available for wildlife-watching trips down the Manas and Hakua rivers. The wildlife is best seen on elephant back at dawn.

 

Best time to visit

The best months to visit are October to April. Avoid the monsoons (June to September) when heavy rains can flood the park and wildlife stay away.

 

Accommodation

For accommodation there are two lodges maintained and run by the tourist department. The state department has two bungalows  located at Mathanguri inside the forest with little or no catering facilities. For reservations contact Tourist Information Officer, Barpeta Road, Assam, India 781315; Tel: 03666-232749.

 

Further information about Manas can be obtained from the Field Director, Project Tiger, P.O. Barpeta Road, District Barpeta, Assam-781315.

Keoladeo Ghana , Bharatpur

Amongst India’s premier wildlife sanctuaries is the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, on the border between the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Formally known as the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, it’s a marshy area, stretching over 29 sq km of kadam forests, grasslands and shallow lakes. Created by the Maharaja of Bharatpur in the 19thcentury by diverting water from an irrigation canal, Keoladeo was founded as a shooting preserve, but given the status of a bird sanctuary in 1956. Upgraded to a national park in 1982, the area today ranks as one of the best waterbird preserves in the world- and it’s a World Heritage Site.

Keoladeo Ghana, Bharatpur harbours some of India’s richest birdlife, including the gorgeous shocking-pink tinted painted stork, several species of cormorants, egrets, pelicans, ibises, cranes, ducks and geese. One can see over 350 species of birds, both native as well as migratory. Among the latter, the highly endangered Siberian Cranes, which come to nest in winter, are the rarest. Bharatpur is the Siberian Crane’s only known wintering ground in India; at last count, only 2 cranes nested at the park, definitely a cause for worry. In addition to the birds, Keoladeo is home to a wide range of mammal and reptile species, including deer, jackals, blackbuck, fishing cats, otters and blue bulls. Entry Requirements  All visitors to Keoladeo Ghana, Bharatpur need to obtain an entry permit from the Warden or Ranger at the entrance to the park. Foreigners need to pay an entry fee of Rs 200; Indians pay Rs 25. Extra charges are levied for cameras and photographic equipment. Access  Keoladeo Ghana is situated just two km from the town of Bharatpur, which is connected by train and road to Delhi (176 km away) and Agra (50 km away). There are regular buses plying to Bharatpur from Delhi, Agra, and other cities, and taxis can also be hired to do the trip. Within the park, walking or cycling is easily the best way of seeing Keoladeo’s fabulous range of avian life. Taxis or private vehicles, however, are allowed into the park and can be used. The forest department also operates mini buses and boats within the park. If you decide to pedal through the sanctuary, cycles can be hired at the entrance to Keoladeo; a map of the park’s walking trails can be obtained from the reception counter at the entrance.  Best time to visit  Keoladeo Ghana Bharatpur is open throughout the year for visitors, although winter is definitely the best time to visit. Summers are too hot and monsoons too wet for comfort, but the months between October and February are very suitable for a trip. Besides the fact that the weather’s good at this time, the park’s migratory birds arrive during the winter. Accommodation and other facilities  Fortunately for tourists, accommodation is not a problem in Bharatpur. The town (not the park) has a number of guest houses, forest lodges and hotels, including some luxurious heritage properties. Besides the accommodation in the town, there are two forest lodges and two restaurants within the park. The restaurants are however, extremely basic and it’s advisable to bring your own food if you plan to spend the entire day within the park. Accommodation tariffs range from anywhere between Rs 50 for a fairly bare-bones room in one of the forest lodges, to up to Rs 3500 for a room in the Laxmi Vilas Palace resort. Realistic prices for a comfortable if not luxurious room would be about Rs 200- 400 per night. Further information on Keoladeo Ghana can be obtained from the Deputy Chief Wildlife Warden at the Forest Rest House (Tel: 22777).

Kaziranga National Park

Welcome to the land of Rhinoceros Unicornis. The great Indian one-horned rhino, more than two tons of frightening muscle and tank-like belligerence. With its armour-plating hide and its 24” long horn- which really isn’t a horn, but compressed hair- the Indian rhino once ruled the roost in the wetlands of north-east India. Hunted mercilessly, it was on the brink of extinction when conservationists awoke to its plight. The result, and a successful one at that, is Kaziranga National Park, in Assam. Stretching over an area of 430sq km on the south bank of the Brahmaputra river, Kaziranga is one of the last refuges of the

Indian rhino. A vast stretch of coarse, tall elephant grass, marshland and dense tropical forests, it has managed to survive the onslaught of poachers, urbanization and burgeoning human populations. Plans are already afoot to extend the park’s boundaries to include the Brahmaputra river to the north and a part of the Mikir hill ranges to the south.

 

Fairly early on- in 1908, in fact- Kaziranga was declared a reserve forest and was officially closed for shooting; at the time it could boast of only a few dozen rhinos. By 1950 the area was a wildlife sanctuary, and in 1974 it was designated a national park. Bounded by the misty blue hills of Barail and Karbi Anglong to the south, the national park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. Today it’s one of the few places in India where it’s possible to see the rhino out in the open- an awesome sight indeed. And, what’s better still, the rhino population of Kaziranga now numbers more than a thousand of the creatures. Endangered, no doubt, but protected too.

 

Kaziranga is home also to elephants, sloth bears, tigers, leopard cats, jungle cats, hog badgers, capped langurs, hoolock gibbons, pigs, jackals, porcupines, pythons, wild buffaloes, Indian bison, swamp deer, sambhars and hog deer. Besides these, the park has a respectable avian population, which increases considerably in the winter, when migrating birds visit the park.

 

Entry Requirements

Visitors to the Kaziranga National Park are required to register at the Tourist Centre in the Bonani Tourist Lodge while entering the park. The entry fee for foreigners is about Rs 200; for Indians it’s Rs 10. Charges for cameras and vehicles are additional (even if you bring your own vehicle, you’ll pay a fee for it). Rented vehicles and elephant rides cost between Rs 750 to 800 for a ride of about an hour and a half. The fees for Indian visitors are appreciably less- generally between Rs 50 for an elephant ride and Rs 150 for a hired jeep.

 

Access

The two most convenient bases for getting to Kaziranga are Jorhat and Guwahati. Jorhat, 96 km from the sanctuary, is the nearest airport, but Guwahati’s Borjhar Airport, 239 km from Kaziranga, is connected by more flights. Cars are available on rent at both airports.

 

There are also direct train services to Guwahati from Calcutta, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum. In addition, both Jorhat and Guwahati are accessible by road from all the neighbouring states- West Bengal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

From Jorhat and Guwahati, taxis and buses are available to get to Kaziranga.

 

Once within the park, wildlife-watching trips can be taken at dawn on elephants that wade through the tall elephant-grass and give you a vantage view of animals waking up to the day. Elephant trips cover Baguri, Hole Path, Mihimukh, Kohora-Central Path and Arimarah. On an elephant ride, do wear trousers that fully cover your legs to avoid abrasions from the coarse elephant-grass.

 

Best time to visit 
The best season to visit Kaziranga is the winter- approximately November to April. The weather’s hot and humid through much of the rest of the year. During the monsoons (June to September), when there’s heavy rainfall and the park is closed. 
 

Accommodation

There is a wide range of accommodation available at the park ranging from luxury resorts to rest houses, tourist lodges and dormitories. Most are maintained by the ITDC or the Forest Department, and there are some privately owned properties too.

Accommodation at state-run forest lodges must be booked in advance at the park headquarters, and tariffs range between Rs 450- 750 for a room; dorm beds come for about Rs 150 a night. For reservations contact the Joint Director of Tourism, Kaziranga, P.O. Kaziranga National Park, Dist. Jorhat, Assam, India: 037626 52444

Private accommodation is also available, in the form of a luxury resort where rooms can be booked for Rs 1100 a night.

Additional information on Kaziranga can be obtained from the Director, Kaziranga National Park, PO Bokakhat, Distt. Golaghat, Assam (Tel: 3776-68095) or from the offices of Assam Tourism in other Indian cities 

 

Keibul Lamjao National Park

Cervus eldii. Eld’s deer. Thamin deer. Brow-antlered deer. Sangai.Dancing deer. A whole lot of names for a single species, but that’s how it is for this unusual deer, a graceful animal which is found only in one state of India- Manipur. A highly endangered species, the brow-antlered deer is found exclusively in a small area which stretches across the extreme north-eastern corner of India; Myanmar and part of Thailand. In India, the place to see this beautiful creature is the Keibul Lamjao National Park. Keibul Lamjao is famous not just because of the brow-antlered deer; its other claim to fame is the fact that this is one of the very few `floating’ protected areas in the world.Approximately 50 km from the state capital, Imphal, Keibul Lamjao lies on an island on the fringes of the Loktak Lake.

Gazetted a sanctuary in 1969, Keibul Lamjao officially became a national park in 1977. It today stretches over an area of about 40 sq km, surrounded by marshes, hillocks, and the lake itself. A number of streams too crisscross Keibul Lamjao, which, combined with extensive marshes, make the park a typical wetland. The Loktak Lake, which is really what the park is all about, is covered almost completely by floating mats of the dense aquatic grass known locally as`phum'. Other wild grasses, including a variety of wild rice, form the bulk of the vegetation, which supports an astoundingly large and diverse fauna. The most prominent- if not the most easily spotted- of Keibul Lamjao's many denizens is the brow-antlered `sangai' deer. A much-loved creature in Manipuri folklore and dance tradition (so much so that it's even known as the `dancing deer'), the sangai had been reported extinct in 1951, but after being re-discovered, has finally become Keibul Lamjao's prime attraction. Other animals in the park include otter, civet, wild boar and hog deer, besides a number of small reed-dwelling birds. The Loktak Lake is home to a large piscine population. Entry Requirements All foreigners visiting Manipur are required to obtain special Restricted Area Permits (RAPs), which are valid for entry to Keibul Lamjao National Park as well. Permits valid for a period of ten days are issued to groups of four or more people travelling together on a tour arranged by a recognised travel agent. Entry permits are issued by Indian missions abroad; by the Ministry of Home Affairs; FRROs; and the State Government of Manipur. Indians visiting Manipur are required to obtain an Inner Line Permit, also available from the offices listed above. Like the RAPs, these too are valid for visits to Keibul Lamjao. Access The closest major town is Manipur's capital Imphal, about 50 km from Keibul Lamjao. Imphal has good air connections to major cities in India, through its airport, which is served by Indian Airlines. The nearest railhead is at Dimapur, about 230 km away in Assam and linked to Imphal by road. A motorable road connects Imphal to Keibul Lamjao, and although public transport between the two places is infrequent and undependable, vehicles can be hired in Imphal to do the trip to Keibul Lamjao. Alternatively, opt for one of the day tours conducted by Manipur Tourism to Loktak and Keibul Lamjao. The best way to see Keibul Lamjao is by boat- and that too in the early morning or in the evening, when the lake's at its loveliest. The sangai, which live in small herds, lie low through most of the day and come out to feed either around dawn or at dusk, which makes a circuit at this time even more satisfying for wildlife-watchers. Local boatmen acting as guides can be engaged to take you around the lake. Within the park are observation towers which offer a good view of sangai habitat, and for the more adventurous, a guided walk through the park is possible. Look out for the somewhat shaky floating phum, though- a wrong step and you could end up in rather a lot of water! Best time to visit The winter and spring- approximately October to February- is the best time to visit Keibul Lamjao. Visits are possible up to May too, although it may be a trifle too hot for some people, and the lake shrinks by almost a third because of evaporation in the summer heat.  Beyond May, heavy monsoon showers hit Loktak, making visits here extremely difficult. Accommodation Two resthouses- one at Phubala and the other at Sendra (the main island of Loktak Lake) -are about the only accommodation options available in Keibul Lamjao. However, Keibul Lamjao's proximity to Imphal means that it's possible to visit the park on a day trip. Imphal itself has a number of good hotels where rooms are available; rates for a single room start at about Rs 100 per night and can go up to Rs 1,000 or so. Further information on Keibul Lamjao is available from the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Keibul Lamjao National Park, BPO Kha-Thimungei, Manipur, or from the Director of Tourism (Hotel Imphal Complex), Near Raj Bhavan, Imphal (Tel: 0385-224603 / 220802 / 222705).

Kanha National Park

The herds are shut in byre and hut For loosed till dawn are we. This is the hour of pride and power, Talon and tush and claw. Oh, hear the call!- Good hunting all That keep the Jungle Law!   - Rudyard Kipling, Jungle Book

Kipling sure had a way with words. And if you want to see where he got the inspiration for those words, come to Kanha. The largest wildlife sanctuary in Asia, Kanha National Park was one of the first Project Tiger reserves in India. It is, in many ways, Project Tiger’s biggest success story, with the tiger population having doubled since 1976.

 

Over 1,945 sq km of bamboo thickets, extensive grasslands and dense sal forests make up Kanha- a series of plateaus which stretch across the eastern segment of the Satpura ranges in Madhya Pradesh. This is the land of the tiger, the leopard, and the wolves which inhabit the pages of Jungle Book.

 

Of this area, the core- about 940 sq km- is the national park; around it is the buffer zone. Porcupines, jackals, sloth bear, jungle cat, macaque, dhole (wild dogs), bison and a stunning spectrum of birds inhabit Kanha, and make a trip to the sanctuary a must for any wildlife enthusiast. It is a truly thrilling experience, made more so by sightings of the tiger, ‘gaur’, or even the tiny mouse deer (muntjac) or the rare hardground barasingha, found only in Kanha. Go birdwatching on a misty winter morning, and you’re likely to see beauties like the racquet tailed drongo, crimson breasted barbet, crested hawk eagle and golden oriole.

 

Who knows, you might even catch a glimpse of Shere Khan off on one of his up-to-no-good prowls…

 

Entry Requirements

Visitors to Kanha National Park are required to obtain entry permits- a very nominal Rs 2

for Indians- at the entrance to the park. Additional charges are tagged on for vehicles (about Rs 15), for cameras, for guides and for elephant rides. Tourists are allowed to go on excursions in the park only at designated times, generally from sunrise to noon, and then from afternoon to sunset. Check with the park authorities about when you can go. Driving at night or moving around the park on foot is prohibited.

 

Access

The nearest airport is at Nagpur (266 km from Kanha), which has connections to a number of major cities in India, including Mumbai. The nearest railhead is Jabalpur, at a distance of 169 km; Jabalpur has trains coming in from all across the country, and from here there are convenient buses to Kanha. The MPSRTC operates two buses daily, the earlier of which leaves Jabalpur at about 7 in the morning, to reach Kanha by noon.

Other cities and towns which are connected to Kanha by road include Raipur (219 km) and Mukki (25 km). From all these towns, there are regular buses to Kisli, and to the two park entrances, at Khatia and Mukki.

 

Once you’re in the park, you can hire a jeep from the MPSTDC office at the park. Jeeps can be booked through the manager of the MPSTDC log huts at Kisli, though elephant-back is a far better and quieter vantage point, to explore the park. You can go on mapped circuits accompanied by guides from the forest department who help you to identify the animals and birds. If you are a birdwatcher, Kanha will give you hours and hours of fun – the early morning being the best time to spot the birds. Also within the park is the Kanha Museum, which focuses not just on the flora and fauna of the area, but also on the local tribal population.

 

Best time to visit
Kanha Tiger Reserve is closed to visitors during the monsoon months, from July to November. Winter, between November and January, is a comfortable time to visit the park, when the weather’s pleasant. April to June is when the summer sets in; it can get pretty hot at this time, but if you’re a die-hard wildlife fan, this is when a visit can reward you with satisfactory wildlife-watching at the park’s waterholes.

 

Accommodation

Accommodation for tourists visiting Kanha consists of MPSTDC log huts (befittingly named the `Bagheera Log Huts’, in tribute to Kipling’s leopard from Jungle Book) and a youth hostel. Rooms here cost between Rs 700 to 900, and can be booked through the MPSTDC offices in Delhi, Bhopal and Jabalpur. Dorm beds at the youth hostel cost Rs 300, inclusive of meals.

 

In addition to the log huts, there are other forest rest houses and cabins, at Khatia, Mukki and Kisli. These are managed by the park authorities; reservations may be done through the Field Director, Kanha Tiger Reserve. Khatia and Mukki have a number of privately owned resorts and hotels as well, with a wide range of tariffs.

 

Further information on Kanha can be obtained from the Field Director, Project Tiger, Kanha Tiger Reserve, Mandla, Madhya Pradesh