In India, there are 106 National parks present. In this article, we will explore the top 10 national parks in India that are must-visit national parks in India for all nature enthusiasts.
List of Top 10 National Parks in India
1. Kaziranga National Park
Location |
Assam, India |
History |
Established as a reserve forest in 1905 and declared a national park in 1974 |
Flora |
Tall elephant grass, dense tropical moist deciduous forests, and semi-evergreen forests |
Fauna |
Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
Kohora, Bagori, and Agaratoli |
Total zones |
5 zones: Kohora, Bagori, Agaratoli, Burapahar, and Panbari |
Nearest airport |
Jorhat Airport (83 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Furkating Junction (75 km) |
Best time to visit |
November to April |
2. Corbett National Park
Location |
Uttarakhand, India |
History |
Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, later renamed as Corbett National Park |
Flora |
Sal forest, mixed deciduous forest, and tropical dry forest |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian elephant, Himalayan black bear, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
Jhirna, Bijrani, Dhikala, Durgadevi, and Sonanandi (Sitabani) |
Total zones |
6 zones: Dhikala, Jhirna, Bijrani, Sonanadi, Durgadevi and Corbett Landscape (buffer zone) |
Nearest airport |
Pantnagar Airport (82 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Ramnagar Railway Station (15 km) |
Best time to visit |
Mid-November to Mid-June (Closed from July to Mid-November due to monsoon) |
3. Ranthambore National Park
Location |
Rajasthan, India |
History |
Established as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 and declared a national park in 1980 |
Flora |
Dry deciduous forest with dhok, mango, and banyan trees |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, nilgai, wild boar, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There are 3 main gates: 1) Main gate near Sawai Madhopur town, 2) Khutwara gate, and 3) Sultanpur |
Total zones |
10 zones: 1-5 are core zones, 6-10 are buffer zones |
Nearest airport |
Jaipur International Airport (180 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Sawai Madhopur Railway Station |
Best time to visit |
October to June (Closed from July to September due to monsoon) |
4. Sundarbans National Park
Location |
West Bengal, India |
History |
Declared a national park in 1984 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 |
Flora |
Mangrove forest with sundari trees, golpata, and other species of mangroves |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian crocodile, saltwater crocodile, Indian python, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There are 3 main entry points: 1) Sudhanyakhali, 2) Sajnekhali, and 3) Dobanki |
Total zones |
The park is divided into two wildlife sanctuaries: Sundarbans East and Sundarbans West |
Nearest airport |
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata (112 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Canning Railway Station (48 km) |
Best time to visit |
September to March (Closed from June to September due to monsoon) |
5. Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
Location |
Gujarat, India |
History |
Established in 1965 as a wildlife sanctuary and declared a national park in 1975 |
Flora |
Dry deciduous forest with teak, flame of the forest, and many other species |
Fauna |
Asiatic lion, Indian leopard, Indian elephant, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There is only one main gate: Sasan Gir |
Total zones |
The park is divided into two zones: 1) Gir National Park and 2) Wildlife Sanctuary |
Nearest airport |
Diu Airport (110 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Junagadh Railway Station (80 km) |
Best time to visit |
December to March (Closed from June to October due to monsoon) |
6. Periyar National Park
Location |
Kerala, India |
History |
Established in 1950 as Nellikkampatty Wildlife Sanctuary, declared a national park in 1982 |
Flora |
Tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests with teak, rosewood, and many other species |
Fauna |
Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian bison, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There is only one main gate: Thekkady |
Total zones |
The park is divided into two zones: 1) Core zone and 2) Buffer zone |
Nearest airport |
Madurai International Airport (140 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Kottayam Railway Station (114 km) |
Best time to visit |
October to June (Closed from July to September due to monsoon) |
7. Kanha National Park
Location |
Madhya Pradesh, India |
History |
Established in 1955 as a wildlife sanctuary and declared a national park in 1974 |
Flora |
Sal and mixed forests with bamboo, jamun, and many other species |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, barasingha, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There are three main gates: 1) Khatia, 2) Mukki, and 3) Sarhi |
Total zones |
The park is divided into four zones: 1) Kanha, 2) Kisli, 3) Mukki, and 4) Sarhi |
Nearest airport |
Jabalpur Airport (170 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Jabalpur Railway Station (169 km) |
Best time to visit |
October to June (Closed from July to September due to monsoon) |
8. Pench National Park
Location |
Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, India |
History |
Established in 1975 as a wildlife sanctuary and declared a national park in 1992 |
Flora |
Teak and mixed forests with bamboo, mahua, and many other species |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Indian bison, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There are two main gates: 1) Turia and 2) Karmajhiri |
Total zones |
The park is divided into six zones: 1) Turia, 2) Karmajhiri, 3) Wolf Sanctuary, and 4) three buffer zones |
Nearest airport |
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur (93 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Nagpur Railway Station (88 km) |
Best time to visit |
October to June (Closed from July to September due to monsoon) |
9. Bandhavgarh National Park
Location |
Madhya Pradesh, India |
History |
Established in 1968 as a wildlife sanctuary and declared a national park in 1993 |
Flora |
Sal and mixed forests with bamboo, dhok, and many other species |
Fauna |
Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There are three main gates: 1) Tala, 2) Magdhi, and 3) Khitauli |
Total zones |
The park is divided into four zones: 1) Tala, 2) Magdhi, 3) Khitauli, and 4) Panpatha |
Nearest airport |
Jabalpur Airport (200 km) |
Nearest railway station |
Umaria Railway Station (35 km) |
Best time to visit |
October to June (Closed from July to September due to monsoon) |
10. Hemis National Park
Location |
Ladakh, India |
History |
Established in 1981 as a national park |
Flora |
Alpine and subalpine forests with juniper, birch, and rhododendron, among others |
Fauna |
Snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep, Eurasian brown bear, and many bird species |
Main gate zones |
There is no formal main gate, but entry is typically through the town of Leh |
Total zones |
The park is not divided into formal zones |
Nearest airport |
Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport, Leh (approx. 5 km) |
Nearest railway station |
The nearest railway station is Jammu Tawi Railway Station, Jammu (approx. 700 km) |
Best time to visit |
May to September (Closed from November to April due to heavy snowfall) |
Faqs
How many national park in India?
Ans: 106
Which national park is most visited in India?
Ans: Jim Corbett National Park
Which is the best jungle safari in India?
- Ranthambore National Park.
- Hemis National Park.
- Jim Corbett.
- Bandhavgarh National Park.