One of the most popular wildlife destinations in India, the Jim Corbett National Park is nestled amidst the hilly terrain of the Himalayan Range. The picturesque hilly settings of the Shivalik range and the rich biodiversity of the Jim Corbett forest is the big draw for the wildlife enthusiasts as well as the Nature lovers to visit here and enjoy the Corbett Safari. The Corbett National Park has been the flag bearer of the Tiger conservation since the park became the first Tiger reserve sanctuary in India when the park was chosen for launching the project tiger program - an initiative started in the year 1974 for the conservation of the endangered Royal Bengal Tigers.
Enriched with the diverse range of wild flora and fauna species, the Jim Corbett Park is among the most scenic parks in India, which is a natural home of hundreds of species of wild animals, avifauna, aqua fauna and reptiles along with the hundreds of species of wild flora. The Royal Bengal Tigers are the prime attraction of the park for the Jim Corbett Safari along with other wild animals like Indian Elephant, Leopards, Indian Bear, Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Hog Deer, Sambar, Chital and Langurs as well as crocodiles, Gharials, Python, King Kobra, etc. More than 450 species of flora constitute the dense green cover of the Jim Corbett forest.
Considered as a heaven for the bird watchers, the dense green cover and all-season water sources are the best settings for the domestic as well as migratory birds. Park is the natural habitat for more than 580 species of avifauna among which the prime attractions are the crested serpent eagle, Pallas fishing eagle, blossom-headed parakeet, red jungle fowl, waterfowl, various species of woodpecker, harriers and kites, Kalij pheasant, peafowl, Chir pheasant, cuckoos, red jungle fowl, Shrikes, Minivets, etc. Bird Lovers can enjoy the bird watching while on Corbett Safari. Among all the wild animals, the Tigers are on the top of the food chain and rule the forest within their territories.
History of Jim Corbett
One of the oldest parks in Asia region, the Jim Corbett National Park was first recognized as the Hailey National Park in the year 1936. The park was the first officially recognised National Park in Asia with having an area of around 323 sq km. A legendary hunter turned environmentalist, Sir Jim Corbett played an important role in creating this wildlife reserve by using his expertise and influence to convince the provincial officers of the British government for the need of establishing a reserve in the region to save the wildlife. Later, in the honour of Sir Jim Corbett, the name of the park changed to the Jim Corbett National Park in the year 1955. When the Project Tiger was initiated in the year 1973 to save the endangered Royal Bengal Tigers in India, the reserve park was taken under the Project Tiger in the year 1974 and become the first Tiger Reserve of India. Over the time, the area of the National Park has increased as many adjacent areas of the forest reserve and wildlife sanctuaries are included in the park. As of now, the core area is around 520 sq. km and the buffer area is around 797 sq. km.
When to Visit In Jim Corbett ?
However, the opening and closing time of the Corbett National Park differs with the zone to zone. Jim Corbett Safari booking can be done throughout the year for the few zones while some of the zones are closed for the certain period. The tourism zones such as Dhela Zone and Jhirna Zone remain open for tourism throughout the year while the Bijrani zone remains open from 15th October to 30th June of every year, and the Dhikala Zone and the Durgadevi Zone remain open from 15th November to 15th June only. So, the best time for the Jim Corbett Safari booking is from mid of November to mid of June as all the zones remain open for the tourism activities and the weather condition is quite favorable and enjoyable for the tourism during these days.
How To Reach Jim Corbett
Though the Jim Corbett Park is located in the countryside the park is well connected to the major cities and places to arrive without any hassle. If you have made a prior Jim Corbett Safari booking then you can easily reach here and enjoy your Corbett safari without any hassle. The nearest Ramnagar town is located at just a few km from the different entry gates of the Corbett safari zones. The Bus stand and the Railway station of Ramnagar are connected to the major cities like New Delhi, Nainital, Haridwar, Dehradun, Lucknow, etc. with road network and rail network. The nearest airport to the park is Pantnagar Airport but the frequency of flight is very less so the best way is to arrive Delhi Airport and then take the roadway or railway to arrive Ramnagar.
Safari Timing In Jim Corbett
Morning Safari: 6:30 am to 9:30 am
Evening Safari: 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Morning Safari: 6:00 am to 9:00 am
Evening Safari: 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Jim Corbett Tour Packages
There are many Corbett tour packages available for tourists to enjoy and explore.