Jim Corbett National Park
The esteemed Jim Corbett National Park was established in the year 1936 as a part of the larger Corbett Tiger Reserve. The Corbett has been the pride of Uttarakhand situated in its Nainital district and one of the most popular tourist destinations. It was initially established as Hailey National Park and has also been a landmark site for heralding the Project Tiger in 1973.Since then; the reserve has been quite active in preserving and protecting the most precious endangered species of the tigers.
“There is no universal language in the jungles; each species has its own language, and though the vocabulary of some is limited, as in the case of porcupines and vultures, the language of each species is understood by all the jungle-folk.” – Jim Corbett
Jim Corbett National Park is a protected area for the endangered Bengal Tiger. The Ramganga river meandering its way though the park with deep pools and foaming rapids forms the main water source.
The Park is rich wild such as Elephant, Tiger Panther, Bear, Deer, Pig, Jungle Cats, Porcupine, Hyena and Jackle.
Among the birds are the Peacock, Pheasant, Pigeon, Owl, Hornbill, Barbet, Lark, Myna, Magpie, Minivet, Patridge, Thrush, Tit, Nuthatch, Wagtail, Sunbird, Bunting, Oriile,Kingfisher, Drongo, Dove, Woodpecker, Duck, Teal, Eagle, Stork, Cormorant, Falcon, Bulbul, Flycatcher, Red Start and Gull.
Among the reptiles are Python, Crocodile and many species of Lizards and Snakes. Tigers are fairly well distributed over the park. Sloth Bears are confined mainly to hilly area.
Safari Zones in Jim Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park is divided into the five ecotourism zones for the proper management of the tourism activities in the tiger reserve area. These zones are Dhikala zone, Bijarani zone, Jhirna Zone, Dhela zone and Durga Devi zone. The safari tour is organized in two shifts by the forest officials of Corbett tiger reserve in all of the ecotourism zones. The limited numbers of safari jeep are allowed in every zone to ensure the proper distribution of tourist flow in all the zones. Each zone has its own natural charm with their specific landscape beauty and wildlife. However, the tiger sighting is more or less equal in every zone along with the little bit of difference in topography as all the zones are the part of the same ecological land. Here are the brief introductions about all the five tourism zones for which safari tour is organized in the Corbett National Park
Bijrani Zone:
Entry Gate: Amdanda Gate, Distance from Ramnagar: 2 km
Extremely popular due to its abundance of natural beauty and delightful open grasslands. The entry gate of the zone is located at a distance of approximately 1 Km from the Ramnagar city and is quite close to Amdanda Gate. This zone in the valley consists of deciduous mixed forests along with those of pure Sal on the upper reaches. The zone is a home to umpteen herbivores and is well connected with jungle roads. Bijrani is hotspot for tiger sightings and is a favorite among the travelers. It was also known to be one of the favorite shooting spot in the British era due to its abundance in terms of wildlife attraction. The wide variety of vegetation of Sal forests flourishes the Corbett’s eastern boundary. The valleys and plains are blessed with tropical moist. The territory is a war zone for predator and prey as it is nourished with water availability throughout the year. Forest rest house Bijrani is available for a night stay at Bijrani.
Dhikala Zone:
Entry Gate: Dhangadi Gate, 19 km From Ramnagar
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. It contains diverse range of habitats. It is located at a distance of 50kms inside the dense forest of Corbett National Park, on the edge of Patli Dun Valley.
The forest is nourished with the Ramaganga river stretch and is one of the top water reservoirs in the region. 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. It offers delightful sighting of wild elephants, chital and numerous grassland birds and raptors. Dhikala’s higher reaches is a home to Hog deer, Ghoral,a goat antelope, while the Gharial, Maggars and Mahaseer inhabits the river below.
The panoramic view of the valley and the wildlife makes Dhikala special. Lush green landscapes and animal sightings are a must experience activities that the region offers. It also comprises of the largest remaining grasslands, Dhikala Chaur with Phulai Chaur. Jim Corbett National Park is the sole national park in India that offers night stay inside its Jungle. The old forest rest house FRH Dhikala is one of the historic structures built over hundred years ago. The rest house is very much popular among tourists. It offers warm accommodation option with refreshing experience of flora and fauna. Its simple living without much luxury and pomp & show amidst the jungles offers something simply unforgettable. The tourism inside the park is run and managed by forest department.
Jhirna Zone:
Entry Gate: Jhirna Gate, 20 km from Ramnagar
Is an integral site in the Jim Corbett National park as it is open for tourism throughout the year. One can find the Jhirna Gate, at the southern corner of the park, is located at 16 km from the Ramnagar city. Earlier Jhirna was a village which was relocated under the Project Tiger to some other place and now is a dense forest. Jhirna’s habitat is dense grassland which makes it an excellent site for bird watching. Home to one of the most exquisite species of the great Hornbill, Jhirna is an incredible retreat for nature lovers. The site also offers sloth bears, wild elephants, Nilgai, Cheetah, Sambhar, Wild boar and now growing tiger population. The animal sighting opportunities are in abundance due to Jhirna’s beautifully blessed fauna. A stay at the Forest Rest House Jhirna is a much sort after retreat especially for safari.
Durgadevi Zone:
Entry Gate: Durga Devi Gate, 28 km from Ramnagar
Located on the north-eastern boundary of the Jim Corbett National Park, Durga Devi zone is located on the north-east corner of the Corbett National Park and is the heaven on planet earth for those who are fond of bird watching. It is a residence for bird species like Maroon oriole, little fork tail and great headed fishing eagle. Mandal and Ramganga rivers attract innumerable elephants, leopards and Tigers as well. The site also offers exclusive opportunities for fishing Mahasheer, a large fish species. Entry gate is located at an approximate distance of 36 km from Ramnagar city.
Dhela Zone:
Entry Gate: Dhela Gate, 15 km from Ramnagar
Newly conceptualized eco-tourism zone in Corbett National Park which is also included in tiger reserve zone in the November of the year 2014. This is the only area in the reserve’s buffer zone open to tourists in CTR. The zone seeks attraction of the tourists who gain delight in its abundantly blessed region with flora and fauna. It welcomes visitors round the year and is located at an approximate distance of 13 Km from the Ramnagar City.
Sitabani Zone (Sitabani Zone):
Entry Gate: Near Teda Village, Approx 4 km From Ramnagar
Sitabani is a hard forest area. Not a part of the Corbett Tiger Reserve, but is the only spot for bird watching in Jim Corbett. The area is a favourite spot for tourists walking by and is popular because of its mention in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. The legend says that goddess Sita, wife of Lord Rama, spent some days of her exile in Sitabani. The entire place is protected and maintained by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Whole of forest area in Sitabani is open all round the year for safari tours and there is absolutely no limit of vehicles entering the area. Corbett national park authority does not offer the permit for the entry into this zone. Instead, Sitabani Forest Department provides the permit for jeep safari in this region. Sitabani forest zone also has a popular temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are shallow brooks flowing through the Sitabani, which offer enjoyable retreats to the tourists passing by. Tourists can also catch fishes and get excited about angling. It would indeed be a great idea to take a tour round this zone and get a real time glimpse of it. Since you can easily take a walk through the Sitabani region, it would become a memorable adventure for you.
Sitabani is one of the prominent zones which are always full with tourists. Most of the tourists entering Sitabani Jeep Safari zone are avid bird watchers. They have fair inkling to watch birds and the best part is that there are plenty of birds to watch around, all through the season. Tourists can also take a glimpse of vultures, which have almost disappeared from the cities and towns.
Sightseeing
Corbett Jungle Museum (Corbett Home):
Corbett Museum is a heritage museum located at a distance of 30 km from Ramnagar and is closer to Haldwani. It was a winter’s place of stay for renowned Jim Corbett. The museum displays exclusively collection of Jim Corbett’s belongings and personal articles like gun, caps, bag and fishing nets. The collection also includes records of exemplary sketches and manuscripts by Jim Corbett. The museum is open throughout the year except on the occasion of Holi. The Corbett Falls is situated at a distance of just 4 km which adds to the exploration opportunities in the region.
Sitabani Forest Reserve:
This site is a bird wathers paradise and has a Ashram tucked away in the jungle. This is an idean place for wildlife photography.
Garjia Temple:
Garjiya Devi Temple, located at a distance of 14 km from Ramnagar on NH 121, is one of the popularly known Shakti shrines in Uttarakhand. The temple is situated at the top of a rock and the river Kosi gushes beside it offers a picturesque treat that charms everyone. The temple is dedicated to the Garjiya Devi who is believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, daughter of the Himalayan king Giriraj. It also has idols of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati and Bhairav Devta. The temple witnesses a big fair and celebration on the day of Kartik Poornima. The day brings huge number of devotees and visitors to the temple from faraway places. It is a major tourist attraction for the visitors exploring the Jim Corbett National Park due to its close proximity to the park and also due to the faith that the believers have instilled in Goddess Garjiya.
Corbett Falls:
Corbett Falls is situated at a distance of 25 km from Ramnagar and at distance of 4 kms from the Kaladhungi-Ramnagar Road. It is a cozy scenic falls which is densely surrounded by teak wood forest. The falls is an ideal picnic and camping destination in the area due to its gushing water and mesmerizing vegetation. The blend of the sounds made my crickets and the chirping of the birds makes the Corbett Falls a much sort after hangout hub.
Photo Credit: Kirti Ranjan Nayak/GooglePicture
