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You can enjoy nature at its best in a forest reserve or national park. However, to have a memorable visit, you need to ensure that you have proper permits for your visit. Jim Corbett is one of the most preferred destinations for wildlife lovers and nature photographers. Every year, thousands of tourists visit this tiger reserve to have a look at the elusive Royal Bengal tiger. You can have a wonderful trip by making use of these Permit Tips in Corbett:
- Visitors are issued 2 types of permits - day safari and night stay accommodation in forest rest house (FRH) permits. Entry inside the forest reserve without a proper permit is not allowed.
- The forest is maintained and all tourism activities are managed by the forest department of Uttarakhand. Entry permit should be obtained by tourists prior to the visit from the official website http://www.corbettonline.uk.gov.in/
- Tourists can also obtain permits for day safari as well as a night stay in FRH at the respective zone gates and Corbett reserve park's reception office in Ramnagar respectively also. However, these permits are available on first come first serve basis as the number of jeep safaris as well as rooms in FRH is limited.
- The permits once obtained are non-refundable as well as non-transferable.
- Tourists need to provide identity proof while making online bookings as well as in person during the safari. Indian nationals can use Aadhar card, Dl number, voter ID, while the passport is mandatory for foreign nationals.
Apart from these general Permit Tips in Corbett, different safaris (jeep, canter, and elephant) have different permit requirements. For a successful trip to Corbett, it is advisable for tourists to visit the national park with proper permits.
Day Safari Permit
The 6 ecotourism zones of Corbett have specific entry gates. Visitors can obtain permits for a day safari from the office of respective zone authorities at the entry gate of the zone. All zones except Dhikala offer jeep safari permit for specific safari durations. One jeep safari permit allows 6 adults and 2 children (up to 11 years) to enter the forest area. Only authorized jeeps and no private vehicles are allowed inside the Corbett tiger reserve (CTR). A limited number of jeep safaris are allowed at a time inside the CTR, hence advance booking is recommended. Tourists cannot enter the CTR without an entry permit, an authorized jeep or a nature guide.
Canter Safari Permit
Dhikala is the only zone in CTR that offers touring the national park via a canter safari. Since a canter can host only 16 tourists at a time, it is advisable for tourists to obtain canter safari permit in advance. Dhikala is one of the most popular zones of CTR that offers jeep safari for only those tourists who are staying inside the FRH. Advance booking for a canter safari is therefore highly recommended for visitors who wish to tour the Dhikala zone.
Elephant Safari Permit
A unique way to enjoy the wildlife is while sitting on the back of an elephant. Elephant safaris are available in the Dhikala and Bijrani zones of CTR. While tourists staying in the FRH only can avail elephant safari in Dhikala zone, Bijrani offers visitors to Corbett national park a chance to enjoy elephant ride by paying at the camp. A limited number of elephants are used for safari and an elephant safari can accommodate only 4 persons at a time. Due to these reasons, it is advisable to obtain an elephant safari permit at the earliest as it is issued on a first-come-first-served basis. It should be noted that children below 5 years of age are complimentary with adults.
Forest Rest House Accommodation Permit
Staying inside the forest after sunset is prohibited for visitors taking the safari. However, if you wish to enjoy the scenes and sounds of the jungle, stay inside one of the FRH is possible with prior bookings. Out of the 6 zones of CTR, Dhikala, Garial, and Bijrani offer the facility of FRH. Basic lodging is available for tourists at Sultan, Sarpduli, Jhirna, Malani, Lohachaur, and Dhela among a few others. Since limited rooms are available in these FRH, tourists are requested to take prior FRH accommodation permits. FRH permits can be obtained online from the official Corbett website. Visitors can make a booking for minimum 1 night and a maximum of 3 nights only. Permits for accommodation at FRH can be collected from the CTR reception office at Ramnagar.