Jim Corbett National Park, which is a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve, a Project Tiger Reserve lies in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The magical landscape of Corbett is well known and fabled for its tiger richness. Established in the year 1936 as Hailey National Park, Corbett has the glory of being India's oldest and most prestigious National Park. It is also being honored as the place where Project Tiger was first launched in 1973. This unique tiger territory is best known as the father who gave birth of the Project Tiger in India to protect the most endangered species and the Royal of India called Tigers.
Spans over an extent of 520 square kilometers, its whole area comprises of hills, marshy depressions, riverine belts, grasslands and large lake. It is among the few tiger reserves in India that allows overnight stays in the lap of the National Park. Nature watch and wildlife viewing in the park is done in an open four wheeler Jeep and on elephant back. Sheltering a healthy population of tigers and rare species like Otters and the endemic fish eating crocodile, the national park is one of the most sought after destinations for the wildlife buffs. Dhikala, situated at the border of the extensive Patil Dun valley, is the most popular destination in Corbett because of its superb location and sheer abundance of wildlife present.
If you love bird watching then Corbett is virtual haven for such tourists. Corbett and its adjoining area is a home to more than 650 species of residents and migratory birds. Particularly Dhikala is fine place to look for birds of prey, more than over 50 species of raptors alone shows the healthy biodiversity of the area. Their multiplex behavior is intriguing and their varied songs are very much pleasing to the ear. In a nutshell, this finest national park of India is well known for rich and varied wildlife including royal Bengal tiger, elephant, four to five species of deer and rich birdlife.
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The Tourist Zones: In order to promote tourism in the region Corbett National Park has been divided into five different zones. These are the marked buffer or core area of the park where visitors can be part of wildlife safari and can enjoy the intriguing behavior of the animals with bare eyes at proximity.
Bijrani Safari Zone : Bijrani Zone is very popular tourist's hub because of its abundant natural beauty and open grasslands. The entry gate of the zone is located at only 01 Km from Ramnagar city.
Jhirna Safari Zone : Jhirna is another important tourist zone in the Jim Corbett National park that is open for tourist round the year. Jhirna Gate is located at 16 km from Ramnagar city.
Dhela Safari Zone : Dhela is a new eco tourism zone in Corbett National Park included in tiger reserve zone in November 2014. This is the only area in the reserve's buffer zone open to tourists in CTR. The zone is retaining the attention of large number of tourist because of its wealthy flora and fauna, open throughout the year, located at an approximate distance of 13 Km from Ramnagar City.
Dhikala Zone : Being the largest and most varied zone in Corbett, Dhikala is famous for its abundant natural beauty as well as offering the best sight for exotic fauna. The entry gate is 18 km away from Ramnagar city. Night stay inside the Dhikala Tourism Zone is highly recommended for the hard core wildlife enthusiasts.
Durga Devi Zone : Located on the north-eastern boundary of the Jim Corbett National Park, Durga Devi zone is the heaven on planet earth for those who are fond of bird watching. Entry gate is located at an approximate distance of 36 km from Ramnagar city.
Sitabani Buffer Zone : Sitabani Zone doesn't fall under the Corbett Tiger Reserve area. If you are fond of serene ambiance of the natural beauty, must visit Sitabani area.
How to Reach Corbett: Ramnagar is perhaps the best approach to the Corbett National Park which forms the headquarters of CTR. This small city is well connected by road and rail network with major cities of India like Delhi, Moradabad, Nainital and Bareilly. Once you reach Ramnagar, then it takes only half an hour to reach Corbett National Park. The park is around 15 Kms from Ramnagar railway station.
By Road: Ramnagar has a very good network of road that connects the different cities. The Corbett National Park is situated at an approximate surface distance of 260 Kilometer from India's national capital Delhi. The state government of Uttarakhand plies buses at a short interval of time from Delhi, Moradabad, Haldawani, and Nainital that reaches Corbett directly.
By Rail: The railway station in Ramnagar receives trains from different major cities of India like Delhi, Moradabad and Bareilly. A direct train to Ramnagar runs from Delhi. You can check out for Ranikhet Express, Corbett Link Express and Kathgodam Express that takes you directly to Ramnagar.
Distance from Major Cities:
Delhi: Delhi - Moradabad - Kashipur - Ramnagar (260 Kms)
Nainital: Via Kaladhungi to Ramnagar (62 Kms)
Lucknow: Lucknow - Bareilly - Kicha - Rudrapur - Kashipur - Ramnagar (436 km)
Dehradun : Dehradun - Ramnagar (232 km)
Dhikala Forest Lodge:
Jim Corbett National Park is the sole national park in India that offers night stay inside its Jungle. Dhikala forest lodge is a historic structure, have been built over a hundreds of year ago by Britishers. This old rest house is very much popular among tourists. It offers snug accommodation option with breathtaking vistas of flora and fauna. Though it is not very much luxury but the staying experience amidst jungle is something simply unforgettable. The tourism inside the park is run and managed by forest department.
Dhikala Booking Procedure:
Name, Age, Gender, ID Proof (Passport No., PAN No., Voter ID, Adhar No.) of tourists needs to be provided along with the confirmatory amount to carry out the further booking process
Availability of the dormitory/rooms shall be confirmed 90 days prior to the date of actual arrival
We are just local tour operators and enhance booking procedure for the forest rest house/ private resorts & hotels. Please note that we are not responsible for quality of services at the forest rest house which are operated by the forest department.
Staying in one of the major forest lodge (Dhikala) in Jim Corbett National Park brings an apex form of wildlife tourism and peaceful moments are unforgettable.
Jungle Safari in Jim Corbett National Park:
Jim Corbett National Park offers enthralling wildlife safari amidst its jungle with the options like Jeep Safari, Elephant Safari and Canter Safari for the wildlife enthusiast. Tourists may have safaris through the jungle of Corbett and if lucky enough can even catch Royal Bengal Tigers.
Jeep Sari in Jim Corbett: Jeep Safari is the most feasible option to discover the true wilderness and varied species of flora and fauna found in the Jim Corbett National Park. Jeep is a four wheeler vehicle permitted to enter through all buffer zones of the park. It is the most popular way because Jeep is smaller in size when compared with canter that takes you easily some of the unexplored and hidden corners of the jungle where we could easily spot tigers. Jeep Safari can be done in tourism zones like Bijrani, Jhirna, Durgadevi, Dhela and Sitabani.
Canter Safari in Jim Corbett: If you are willing to explore Dhikala Tourism Zone i.e. most inhabited region by the Royal Bengal Tigers, canter safari is the only option. Canter is also conducted in two shifts by Corbett forest officials. It is yet another way to explore the deep wilderness of Jim Corbett National Park. If you are traveling in group of 15-20 persons then canter would be the best option to know the wildlife of Corbett. Canter also promises maximum safety to the wildlife enthusiasts. It is an open roof vehicle and supposed to be an ideal way to enjoy wildlife safaris.
