ABOUT JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK, PLACES OF INTERESTS IN CORBETT, WILDLIFE

Corbett - Jim Corbett National Park OR its leopards and elephants OR its highest density of tigers

DISTANCE - 290 Km From Delhi

CONNECTION

AIR : The nearest domestic and international airport are at Patanagar and Delhi. Patnagar airport is only 50 kms far from the national park, where as international airport is about 300 kms.

RAIL : Access by train is available up to Ramnagar. The railway network connects the place with other north Indian cities and town. However to reach the Corbett National Park one has to cover the distance from the town by road. From Delhi catch the Ranikhet Express Train.

ROAD : Long distance bus service is available from a number of stations. From Delhi deluxe and semi deluxe buses can be boarded. Other cities and town providing the service include the town of Ranikhet, Nainital and Lucknow.

ABOUT JIM CORBETT NATIONAL PARK

Situated at a distance of about 260 kms from the national capital, Delhi, is the famous Corbett National Park. The park is one premier wildlife reserves in the Indian sub continent. Corbett National Park lies in the Kumaon which primarily constitutes the foothills of the Himalayas.

Popularity of Corbett National Park has been far reaching and one reason is the extensive work done by the famous conservationist and writer Jim Corbett. Jim Corbet was one among the founding fathers of the park and it is after him that the park has been named. Corbett National Park was established in 1936 and at that time was called Hailey National Park. This popular reserve has the distinction of being the first to be awarded the status and the title of national park. In 1973 with the help and support from World Wildlife Fund the park was the first to come under the Project Tiger and hence the protective lands for the elegant big cats was secured.

PLACES OF INTERESTS IN CORBETT

Dhikala : Dhikala is the most well known of the popluar tourist destinations in Corbett. It is located at the edge of the broad Patli Dun valley through which the Ramganga flows in numerous channels. Dhikala offers an awesome uninterrupted panoramic view of the valley, with the Kanda ridge in the backdrop. This sight appears all the more imposing from the watchtower near Dhikala. The Tourist Complex overlooks Dhikala chaur (one of the largest remaining grasslands of the Park) and Phulai chaur. A drive through the numerous trails through chaurs is rewarded with sightings of wild elephants, chital, hog deer and numerous grassland bird species and raptors. The old rest house at Dhikala is a historic structure, having been built over a hundred years ago.

Bijrani: The area in and around Bijrani once formed part of a shooting block. During the British period it was much famed for the quality of game hunting that it offered to shikaris. In comparison to Dhikala, the terrain at Bijrani is drier and also has more diverse vegetation to.

Jhirna : This rest house lies just inside the southern boundary of the Park. The rest house lies on the road from Ramnagar to Kalagarh that runs in an east-west direction through the Park. The landscape is drier than in Dhikala and vegetation is mostly scrub. Jhirna was a farming village until 1994 when it was successfully relocated under Project Tiger. The abandoned farmland is gradually reverting to a wild state and is being managed to develop grassland habitat. The nearby terrain consists of numerous sots and narrow gorges running through typically Shiwalik landscape. The hills to the north of Jhirna are covered with dense patches of bamboo. Apart from being a good habitat for tiger, leopard and deer, the place hosts other interesting mammals like sloth bear and wild boar. A variety of birds can also be enjoyed here.

Corbett Wildlife Museum : Corbett Museum at Dhangarhi where you will see the belonging and life history of Mr. Jim Corbett still intact at the museum with some of the animals at corbett national park.

RELIGIOUS PLACES

Garjia Temple : 14 kms. from Ramnagar,on the way to Ranikhet, is a huge rock in the midst of river Kosi. This place has been named Garjia Devi after the deity. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees from different parts of the state. A large fair is held here on kartik Poornima. Ramnagar is the last bus terminus, from where Garjia Devi Temple is 14 kms.

FUN ACTIVITIES IN CORBETT

Camping & Night Stay - Tourists can haunt the Corbett Park for a complete day by staying for a night in the reserve. Camping options in Jim Corbett are provided by the forest guest houses which are located inside the national park. Tourists can also put up in Dhikala, which is located at the edge of Patli Dun valley through which the river Ramganga flows. It is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Corbett as it offers an uninterrupted bird’s eye view of the entire valley.

Fishing - Fishing in Corbett is permitted in Ramganga, Kosi, Mandal and Kothari rivers. Seek permission from the park authorities before you go on fishing. You can hire rods which are available inside the reserve. Resorts in Corbett also arrange for fishing and angling trips.

Trekking - Walking inside the Corbett Park is not allowed but you have the option to trek in the forest reserves around the park. Step into your trekking shoes and wear natural earth colors when you go on trekking. Be prepared for the freezing cold in winters. Don't forget to take your binocular along. Take care not to disturb the natural habitat of the reserve and make minimum noise.

Wildlife Sighting - Sighting the exquisite wild life in Jim Corbett National park is going to be the ultimate fun. Apart from tigers, leopards and lesser cats such as leopard cat, jungle cat and fishing cat are also to be sighted in the Corbett Park. The other wild life attractions include the sloth bear, Himalayan black bear, dhole, jackal, yellow throated marten, Himalayan palm civet, Indian grey mongoose, common otter, porcupine, and black naped hare. Elephants are another major attraction and are to be seen all over the park. Four species of deer are also found which include barking deer, para, kakkar, and the spotted deer.

Bird Watching - Corbett national park is home to over 580 species of birds, a treat for the birdwatchers. Most of the water birds are migrants and visit the park in winters. Some of the migrant Corbett birds are graylag, bareheaded goose, duck grepe, snipe, sandpiper, gull and wagtail. The resident birds are darters, cormorants, egrets, herons, the black-necked stork and the spur winged lapwings.

Elephant Safari - Elephant safari provide a perfect opportunity to see the jungle in its full glory sitting royally on the back of an elephant. Since, the elephants walk through different terrains, crossing a village, the rider gets to see a different wildlife. One will be able to see some mammal species like wild elephants, barking deer, ghoral, sambhar, rhesus monkey, Wild boar, jackal, porcupine, langur, etc. The elephant also gives a better access to view the birds as you are stationed at a certain height.

Jeep Safari - A jeep safari is also a great way to check out the natural wonders of Corbett National Park. In fact, jeep safari is the most popular attraction of this natural reserve. Jeeps can be taken on rent from the Tourist Lodge of KMVN, from Ramnagar or from other travel agencies. Viewing the entire range of flora and fauna on a jeep will be an unforgettable journey for the visitors. Jeep safari is most suitable for those who want to take a quick look through the reserve.

Kids Corner - To woo the kids and keep them hooked, Corbett Park has special 'earth camps'. These earth camps started in 2004 with the aim of bringing children closer to some specific biomes to give them a direct and absorbing experience with nature. These biomes are custom made to match the specific requirements of biology curriculums of school going children.

WHEN TO GO CORBETT

Corbett National Park remains open throughout the year for the visitors from Jhrina zone. Every year Bijarani zone get operational from Mid of October and The core area of the national park Dhikala zone get operational from 15th of Nov. The main reason for closure of the Bijarani and Dhikala zone during the rest of the year is that during the monsoons most of the roads get washed away. Repair work starts after the rains end and it is only by October to November that roads to Bijarani and Dhikala are back in motorable condition.
However Corbett National Park remains open throughout the year for the visitors from Jhrina zone but the best time to visit Corbett is from 15th November to 15th June because during this period of time all the tourism zones of Corbett are open for visitors and one can visit the entire national park area.

WEATHER

Altitude: Around 360m - 1,040 m
Summer Temperature: 20o C to 40o C
Winter Temperature: 5o C to 30o C

Summer
The summer season commences from the month of March and lasts till mid-June. The days can be very hot during this time, with the temperature crossing the 40o C mark most of the times. The scorching heat of the sun becomes quite unbearable for the animals as well as the inhabitants. Also, a hot wind, specific to the region blows throughout the day, during summers. As a result, a thick cloud of suspended dust develops over the region, which is cleared by occasional thunderstorms.

Monsoon
The onset of the monsoon is witnessed in mid-June, which lasts up too October. The rain showers bring respite to the parching landscape from the blazing temperature. The weather becomes quite pleasant with the drop in temperature. However, the park is closed for the tourists during the rainy season because this is primarily the mating season of most of the animals. Apart from this, the area is also prone to soil erosion and land slides which can prove to be risky.During monsoons, the humidity soars up to 98 percent, making the weather very sultry.

Winter
Winter months from November to February are ideal to explore the bounds of the park. During this time, the park heartily welcomes all the tourists. The weather is balmy during this time of the year. The humidity level also drops down to about 57%. Animals are also easily visible during this time as they come out to bask in the sun. While the days are delightful, the nights are fairly cold. The night temperature can fall down to 5o C. During the night, a local wind known as 'dadu' blows in the region, lowering the temperature significantly.

FOODS AND RESTAURANTS IN CORBETT

Jim Corbett National Park has facilities for food and restaurants within the park. There are four eateries, namely Gairal Forest Rest House, Bijrani Tourist Complex Restaurant, Dhikala Tourist Complex Restaurant and Dhikala Canteen and Grocery Store. The food here is prepared hygienically and is less spicy. In some Guest Houses, where food is not available, cooking utensils and crockery are provided to the visitors.

Dhikala Canteen and Grocery Store: A famous and favorite canteen with park visitors, the canteen offers delicious dishes with “Aloo-ka-paranthas” being the specialty of the canteen. The canteen is set against a beautiful backdrop and the food quality is well and hygienically prepared.

Bijrani Tourist Complex Restaurant: The restaurant in Bijrani is quiet well-equipped and food quality and menu remains the same as Dhikala Tourist complex Restaurant. Some times customers here have to wait for a long time before getting their chance.

Dhikala Tourist Complex Restaurant: This is a wonderful restaurant offering variety of dishes along with couple of Chinese dishes. The restaurant is little expensive than others in Corbett.
Gairal Forest Rest House: The canteen is recently constructed and the specialty of this canteen is "poori bhaji". It is a great help for people staying in Gairal Forest House as