Our Memorable and Exciting Trip to Chitwan National Park in Nepal

We had heard a lot about Chitwan National Park that houses various species of animals, birds, and insects and especially, one-horned rhinoceros. We planned a family trip last weekend to the national park in Nepal. If you don’t want your trip to be spoiled by rain, be sure to plan your trip from October to March.

We boarded an AC bus at Gorakhpur, which is the closest city. We reached Kathmandu within 5 hours. You can also fly to Kathmandu and then take a cab from the airport. From Kathmandu, we took another bus to Pokhara and then to Chitwan. We canoed across the river named “Narayani '' towards the main jungle area.

At twilight, we spotted a variety of birds. We spotted kingfishers, cranes, egrets, and ospreys. It is truly a paradise for bird watchers. There was unruffled silence in our jungle cottage.

Early in the morning, we had breakfast and rushed to walk along the jungle with a guide. We have got some briefing about the rules of the jungle and how to maintain silence. Our guide told us to be alert. We started walking on the tracks and the guide introduced us to several riverine vegetation, medicinal plants, and Sal trees that covered the dense greens. We walked further and suddenly a rhino stood in front of the trek and then moved away. It was such a great experience.

The next day, we went on an elephant safari to get into the jungle. It is full of rich flora and fauna. It has over 150 Bengal tigers, several types of deer, leopards, sloth bears, monkeys, and antelope.

The mahout helped us to climb stairs and sit over the elephant’s back. We found a swamp deer playing along with us. There was a strong and pleasant smell of a jungle with lots of bushes, trees, and flowering plants.

After a tiring day of serving the tourists, elephants were seen sprinkling water and enjoying a bath in the afternoon. The mahout fed them all the time. We sat across the fireplace in the evening and enjoyed the chilly weather.

On Day 3, we hit the jungle again for a jeep safari. We spotted a mother rhino with a baby. Forest authorities are taking good care of wildlife here. We had a full view of the jungle in an open jeep. We saw peacocks that came and ran away. We were not that lucky to spot tigers there.

The next morning we had to check out and go back to our destination. We got into the canoe with our luggage and we reached our cars. Our adventurous journey finally came to an end but we took memories to last a lifetime from the jungle.

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Nameri National Park – An Exquisite Paradise in Assam

Assam is well regarded as India’s tea capital. This beautiful state can be explored for a lot of things. From hills, gardens, forests and lakes to farmlands, valleys and national parks, there are thousands of tourist attractions to visit in Awesome Assam. Nameri National Park is one of the best reasons you should plan your itinerary to explore the unexplored. This beautiful extent of nature will make you witness the real charm of the state.

Best Time to Visit

The region across the national park experiences moderate climate all around the year. You can visit here at any time of the year. However, September to the end of March is the best time to visit to beat the summer heat of national park.

Flora and Fauna

Positioned in the proximity to Chariduar village on the foothills of Himalayas, Nameri National Park was founded in 1978 and is stretched over vast 200 sq. km. It is capped with deciduous forests and blessed with lush greens. This stunning national park is where you can witness the beauty of flawless nature.

It houses over 500 animals and plant species and an ideal place for photographers and nature lovers. Some of the major species of flora are hollock, teak and nahor. Some of the fauna species are sloth bear, wild boar, gaur and leopard.

It also houses over 300 bird species like plovers and ibisbill. It is an ideal sighting spot for White-winged duck which is endangered.

Why Visit Nameri National Park?

Nameri National Park is astonishing for nature lovers, bird watchers, campers and wildlife photographers. It has something to offer for each type of visitor with its natural beauty. From wildlife safari to eco camp and expedition to spot rare species, there is so much to do in national parks. The hidden beauty of nature is definitely the main reason you should visit this beautiful national park. You can explore the calm nature without any disturbance of nature. You can really feel the charm of silence here.

How to Get There?

By Rail – Dekargaon is the nearest railway station. From there, you need to take a cab to reach the national park, which is located only 35 km away.

By Road – There is a good road connectivity to reach Nameri National Park. You can easily get here by cab or bus.

By Air – Tezpur is the nearest domestic airport which is located 40 km from the national park. From the airport, you can hire a cab to reach the national park. Guwahati is the nearest international airport which is located only 170 km from Tezpur. From Guwahati, you can hire a cab to national park directly.

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Gorumara National Park – Climate, Flora, and Fauna, and Other Details

Gorumara National Park is truly a worth-exploring attraction and a natural splendor. This scenic attraction is filled with thick grasslands and forests. It houses plenty of flora and fauna, including Indian rhinoceros. Gorumara National Park is well located by River Raidak and Murti. In 1949, it was announced as wildlife sanctuary and in 1992, it became a national park. In 2009, the Ministry of Environment & Forests announced it the most conserved region. It is truly a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts who haven’t explored its sprawling beauty. You can definitely enjoy a great experience and thrilling trip.

Flora and Fauna

Flora – Gorumara National Park is well regarded for having deciduous and tropical forests. Sal is found in density here, along with Simul, Teak, Khair and Siris trees. You can also find riverine grasslands and bamboo groves.

Fauna – Indian rhinoceros are found in abundance here. Along with it, you can also find elephants, sloth bear, barking deer, hog deer, wild boar, Indian wolves, and leopard. The national park also houses a few poisonous snakes like King Cobra. It has over 300 species of birds like scarlet minivet, Asian paradise flycatchers, woodpeckers, Indian hornbills, pheasants, peafowls, and brahminy duck.

Climate and Best Time to Visit

Gorumara mostly has tropical weather all around the year. It receives temperatures from 23 degrees to 10 degrees from summer to winter respectively. The rainy season lasts from June to September and it receives moderate and heavy rainfall in this season. In monsoon, the weather is highly humid.

The national park remains open from October to June and closed during monsoons when animals breed from June 15 to mid-September. So, November to March is the ideal time when you can find lush greens and higher chances of animal sightings.

Getting There

By Air – Bagdogra is the nearest airport which is just 80 km from Gorumara National Park. You can take regular flights from Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata. By reaching the airport, you can hire a taxi and it will take up to 2 hours.

By Rail – New Maynaguri is the nearest railway station at 20km. It has good connectivity to Kolkata and other North-eastern and Eastern cities.

By Road – Siliguri is located around 72 km from Gorumara National Park via Canal Road and the journey takes over 2 hours. It is located 32 km from Jalpaiguri via NH717 and it takes only 1 hour. You can easily drive through these places as roads are very smooth here.

Timings

Gorumara National Park welcomes tourists every day except Thursdays. The park opens from 6 AM to 5 PM. For watchtower tours and safaris, you can choose from four shifts –

6.30 AM to 8 AM

9 AM to 10.30 AM

1 PM to 2.30 PM

3.30 PM to 5 PM

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Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary – A Birder’s Paradise in Arunachal Pradesh

With plenty of biodiversity of nature, Northeast India is truly a dream destination for many bird watchers. Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary is the best kept secret by nature in West Kameng, Arunachal Pradesh. The national park is covered by Pakhui Tiger Reserve towards the east and Sessa Orchid Sanctuary towards the northeast. Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is known to have vivid wildlife, imposing landscape, exciting places, and vibrant flora.

This wildlife reserve houses the rare animal breeds and subtropical climate. It receives occasional snowfall in winter and a lot of rainfall due to high altitude. In winter, it receives subzero temperature.

Flora & Fauna

The Eaglenest Sanctuary is the quaint paradise of birds and wildlife at the northeast frontier of Tawang blessed with sweeping views of nature. The sanctuary is the leading bird watching destination with over 700 bird species.

Bugun Liocichla is an unusual bird species after which the sanctuary rose to prominence. These birds belong to the Bugun family and live in a forest area. Some of the rare bird species found are Beautiful Nuthatch, Ward’s Trogon, and Wedge-billed Babbler.

Along with plenty of bird species, the sanctuary also houses snakes, amphibians, butterflies and lizards. Some of the animal species are Asiatic black bear, gaur, red panda, Bengal tiger, Asian elephant and capped Langur found here.

Accommodation

Some of the major highlights here are Sessni, Bompu Camp, and Lama Camp in the sanctuary area. Bhalukpong is the easiest way to reach Lama Camp and is the closest railhead here. These camps are located around the ideal birding spots in sanctuary. These camps also organize bird watching tours.

Getting There

By Rail – Bhalukpong is the closest railway station to the sanctuary. It is located only 94 km away. You can hire a cab to the sanctuary.

By air – The nearest airport to Eaglenest sanctuary is Tezpur, which is located around 150 km. If you are getting here from outside India, Guwahati international airport is located 335 km away. You can get here by taxi.

By Road – The sanctuary is close to several major cities like Bomdila, Tawang and Tezpur to Tawang-Tezpur Road. You can easily avail the taxi and bus services from these cities to sanctuary.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit this sanctuary is from October to April as it has pleasant weather. So, tourists can easily enjoy various activities and tours inside the sanctuary. You can also visit the sanctuary from March to April. Be sure to book a camp beforehand as this place remains crowded. The camp is not available in monsoons. You can also get here from the middle of November to February to see pleasant winter and avoid the crowd.  You can enjoy a lot of activities here peacefully and witness the rich ecology nature has to offer.

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An Ultimate Travel Guide to Gir National Park

Gir National Park is well known to attract a huge crowd of tourists to witness the iconic Asiatic lions in their natural habitat. Gir National Park is the only paradise on earth that these beasts call home. Asiatic Lions were almost listed critically endangered and hunted to extinction in 2000. Their population has recovered well thanks to the conservation efforts by the government. The core zone of the park extends to over 260 sq. km and became the national park in the year 1975. A decade ago, the sanctuary was established.

According to 2015’s latest census, there has been a 27% rise in the population of Asiatic Lions in Gir and nearby areas since the year 2010. With 213 cubs, 201 females, and 109 male lions, there are 523 lions recorded in the last census. Around 600 lions were found in the area in a recent count by the Gujarat government in March 2018. Officially, the next census is scheduled by the end of 2020. Leopards, jackals, antelope and deer also call Gir’s forested hills their home. It also has over 300 resident bird species and crocodiles.

Location

Gir National Park is located 360 km from Ahmedabad, 40 km from Veraval and 65 km from Junagarh, in the southwest part of Gujarat. Sasan Gir Village houses the entry gate to the park and the park orientation and reception center is located at the park, which is located next to the official Sinh Sadan guest house by the forest department.

It also has Devalia Safari Park (Gir Interpretation Zone) which is located around 12km west of Devalia. This area is enclosed to around 4 sq. km and has different types of wild animals, along with lions. You can embark on around 40 minutes of tour on a bus.

Getting There

Ahmedabad is located only 7 hours away and is the closest major airport. At three hours away is a smaller airport of Rajkot and Diu is 2 hours away.

Junagarh is the closest railway station and is easy to approach to the park. Trains from Rajkot and Ahmedabad also stop here at Junagarh and are well connected to several major cities.

By road, the national park is located 1 and a half hours away from Sasan Gir. It is one hour away if you are getting there via Veraval. You can also save money by getting here through public buses.

You can take a private bus from Ahmedabad to Sasan Gir to reach Sinh Saan Guest House, which is even easier than reaching by train. Private bus stands arrange buses which take around 7 hours near Paldi bus stop. You don’t have to book a bus in advance.

Best time to visit

Most tourists prefer December to March to visit the national park. But it gets crowded in peak hours and receives long queues. From March to May, you can also see Asiatic lions when they come out near water sources. Try to take the first safari in the morning where they remain very active. Rest of the day, lions prefer to sleep and don’t move around. Avoid holidays and weekends when the park receives a lot of crowds and charges higher fees.

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Rare and Most Beautiful Wildlife Species to Look for in Western Ghats

Located along the Sahyadri ranges on the west of India and separating the Deccan plateau from the Arabian Sea, the Western Ghats are a stunning range of hills, which have thousands of wildlife species, along with 325 species which are globally endangered.  

The fauna here includes over 139 reptiles, mammals, and amphibian species, 102 fish species, annelids, mollusks, 508 species of birds like Malabar Parakeet and Malabar Grey Hornbills, and over 6000 insect species.

The hills and national parks in the Western Ghats are major corridors for wildlife like Indian Elephants, big cats, Wild Boar and Gaur, and Sloth Bears. The Western Ghats also house unique species like Indian giant squirrel, flying fox, and Nilgiri Tahr. The Western Ghats have recently been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Mammals

You can find lots of rare and amazing and significant rare species, such as Bengal Tigers and leopards (including black panthers). Large spotted civet and lion-tailed macaque are some of the endangered mammals in Western Ghats. The Asian elephants call the biosphere of Nilgiri their home.

Birds

This biodiversity landmark also houses over 508 bird species. Some of the endemic birds in Western Ghats are Nilgiri wood pigeon, Malabar parakeet, Malabar grey hornbill, Nilgiri flycatcher, grey-headed bulbul, and various birds of prey.

Reptiles

Western Ghats have a huge and diverse range of reptile species, including Vipers, which are some of the most dangerous snakes in the world. You can spot over 13 species of lizard, including dwarf gecko, monitor lizard, and Malabar flying lizard. Western Ghats are also the home to King Cobra, the biggest venomous snake in the world. This snake lives and preys in the rain forests of Western Ghats.

Amphibians

The Western Ghats are also rich in the diversity of amphibians. It has over 80% of the total 179 species of amphibians in the world, including Malabar flying frog and rare purple frog. Also called as pig nose frog, the rare purple frog is known as a living fossil. You can find unique and diverse species of frog in these rainforests.

Fish

Western Ghats are the origin of several streams and rivers. So, you can spot a huge variety of fish species. Its exotic water bodies have over 218 freshwater fish species. It houses a lot of bright fishes like puffer, barb, and catfish. Krishna, Godavari and Kaveri are the three major rivers of Western Ghats. A lot of fish species inhabit the magnificent lakes and waterfalls here.

Insects

Western Ghats are the global hotspot for over 43 bug species and 334 butterfly species. The tropical greens have a lot of day-flying insects and aquatic night flyers. Western Ghats have over 6000 species of insects in Nilgiri biosphere reserves.

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Chidiya Tapu, Port Blair – Entry Timings, Things to Do and Other Details

Covered by thick mangroves and dense greens, Chidiya Tapu is a great trekking destination and island in the Andamans. It is truly a great adventure spot and a paradise for bird watchers. It is an ultimate heaven and delight to the senses.

Tips for Tourists

Stay updated with weather status and pack accordingly

Keep all the basic medications handy

Always carry your first aid kit

Don’t leave your binoculars and digital camera behind as the island is full of migratory birds

Always wear goggles and carry your swimsuits as you will definitely get wet

Trivia and Interesting Facts

Chidiya Tapu is located only 20 km from Port Blair

Munda Pahad Beach and Chidiya Tapu are the clean and most well-maintained destinations in Andamans

 Closest to Port Blair and is accessible easily

Belongs to Emerald Islands

Established in 2001 and stretched around 40 hectares

Things to do

You should definitely try bird watching here and the island is well known for its different bird species which are indigenous here.

Enjoy various fun water activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, deep sea walking, boating and pearl hunting

Sunset is definitely something you shouldn’t miss. You can definitely have the most mesmerizing and exciting sunset here at Sunset Point.

Don’t forget to trek to Munda Pahad for exotic views.

Do you really need a guide?

It is not required but it is really worth having a local guide who has proper knowledge and experience about the places. You can benefit from the expertise of a guide in Andamans or when you arrive at Port Blair. There are plenty of tour guides available in this destination.

Getting There

Chidiya Tapu is an island located just 20 km from Port Blair. You can easily get there by road. You can even hire a boat to sail to the island.

When to visit?

Don’t plan your trip to the islands in a heavy monsoon period as the beach wouldn’t be open for activities. So, you will miss the chances for having fun. Summer is full of heat waves. It is also not the right time to visit. The best time is before the arrival of heavy rains and after heat waves. August to February is the best time for tourists to visit the islands. During these months, you can also witness a huge number of birds and this place looks even more beautiful after monsoons.

Where to go after visiting Chidiya Tapu?

The whole island is a tourist destination in itself and is surely worth a visit for a tourist. You can definitely add the following places to your bucket list –

Port Blair

Munda Pahad Beach

Chidiya Tapu Biological Park

Munda Pahad hills

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Velavadar National Park – Flora & Fauna, Best Time to Visit and Other Details

Blackbucks are the signature wildlife species in VelavadarNational Park and this corkscrew horned antelope can easily be spotted either crossing the road, grazing peacefully, or just jumping off the lush green meadows.

Stretched over 34 sq. km, Velavadar National Park is split into the Wetland Area and the Grassland Area. The park is split by a steep road and tourists can visit both areas.

In the past, it was the territory of the Maharaja of Bhavnagar who used it to hunt these antelopes through his cheetahs. After independence, it was announced as a national park in the year 1976. In 1980, it was doubled in size to protect the wildlife species.

Flora and Fauna

The grasslands of Velavadar are the home to over 5000 rare and threatened Indian blackbucks. Seeing the adult males sprinting on the ground is truly a sight to behold. The antelopes are used to do something like this to avoid predators. Male blackbucks have pale black bodies, white underbellies, and corkscrew horns. On the other hand, juveniles and females are sandy brown in color and they don’t have horns.

The blue bull or nilgai is another mammal found in huge numbers. The Indian grey mongoose, wild boar, and black naped are other mammals which are easy to find. Velavadar is well regarded as the prominent paradise for bird watchers along with spotting blackbuck.

More than 200 bird species call its grassland their home. It is also the largest roosting spot in the world for Harriers like western marsh, montagu, and hen harriers which are used to migrate here during winters. Some other bird species found here are francolin, larks, and stonechat. You can spot pelicans, flamingos, painted storks, common cranes, and other birds in the wetlands. The grasslands are also the heaven for raptors like steppe eagle, short toed eagle, eastern imperial eagle, tawny eagle, and short eared owl.

Some of the predators found here are the golden jackal, Indian striped hyena, jungle cat, Indian fox, and Indian grey wolf. Some of the common reptile species found here are Indian cobra, common krait, and saw-scaled viper.

Best Season to Visit

Summer temperatures hover around 40°C from March to June. It is also a good spot for spotting animals roaming around the sources of water. In this time, you can also spot migratory birds. The park remains closed in monsoons, i.e. from mid June to October. You can find a lot of animals and birds from October to February due to pleasant temperatures.

How to Reach?

By road

Velavadar is located 150 km from Ahmedabad and only 65 km from Bhavnagar. GSRTC buses run frequently to Bhavnagar from all major cities. If you are coming from other states, be sure to reach Ahmedabad.

By Rail

Bhavnagar Junction is closest railhead. Then you need to travel by road to reach there.

By Air

Ahmedabad is the closest airport providing direct connectivity to all major cities of India.

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