Jim Corbett National Park, also known simply as Corbett National Park, is located in Nainital district in the North Indian state of Uttarakhand. It was here that the prestigious “Project Tiger” was launched in 1973.
Jim Corbett National Park is a treat for nature and wildlife lovers. Its territory covers an area of over 500 square kilometers and the entire terrain is beautiful. From marshy swamps to sweeping hills, from river belts to lakes, every geographical feature is present. Here you will explore the love of nature on an open four-wheeler jeep and on the back of an elephant.
Jim Corbett National Park is home not only to the tiger but also to other species of wild animals and birds. In fact, some of the most famous bird watchers visit Corbett to observe different species of birds.
In this travel blog, I will share with you my experience of the national park and all other details you need to know before visiting this place. you can get the best deal on Jim Corbett National Park Resort Package.
Jim Corbett National Park – Overview
Jim Corbett National Park is the oldest national park in India. The park is home to a large number of animal species including Bengal tigers and leopard cats. Himalayan black bears, Indian gray mongooses, otters, Indian sloths etc. Here are some things you should know before heading to the park.
Location
Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, North India
Mode of travel By road
Main attractions
Tiger watching, wildlife
Best time to visit:- November to February
Nearby places to visit:- Lansdowne, Nainital
Travel Zones in Corbett:-Six (6)
Accommodation options:-Inside the park
How to reach Jim Corbett National Park?
To reach Jim Corbett National Park, you must first visit Ramnagar – the nearest town to the tiger reserve. Ramnagar is connected by both road and train to major Indian cities.
Traveling distance to some popular places for visitors to Jim Corbett National Park
Corbett National Park is very popular with travelers from nearby cities, mainly due to its ease of travel and distance.
Nainital – 66 km
Delhi – 260 km
Lucknow – 145 km
Ranikhet – 112 km
How did I get to Jim Corbett National Park?
Well from Chandigarh (located 4 to 6 hours from New Delhi) there are mainly two ways to reach Jim Corbett National Park –
1. The first route is via Haridwar and runs as follows: Chandigarh – Saharanpur – Roorkee – Haridwar – Corbett
2. The second route is via Rishikesh and runs as follows: Chandigarh – Dehradun – Rishikesh – Corbett.
We chose the second route to Jim Corbett National Park because of the good condition of the road. The roads from the first trip are in a bit of a bad condition as the driver said.
When we were on the bus, we only had one rule. No one will sleep during the entire journey. The driver was doing work around and we were doing work to keep everyone awake. The trip started with excitement and dance music and we all danced like there was no tomorrow.
Official Travel Zones Inside Jim Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park is divided into five ecotourism zones for proper management of tourism activities in the tiger reserve area. These zones are
Durga Devi Zone
Recommended for bird watching
Sitabani equalization zone
Beautiful, but a bit outside the reserve
Bijrani Safari Zone
Closest to reservation and green.
Dhikala Zone
Excellent for sleeping indoors
Jhirna Safari Zone
Easy wildlife viewing
Dhela Safari Zone
The only space in the buffer zone open to visitors
How to book a Corbett National Park Safari & Resort?
Jim Corbett National Park Resort ,safari reservations can be made online well in advance. While Indians can book safaris 45 days in advance, foreign nationals can do so up to 90 days in advance.
There are several other operators in Ramnagara and hotels will also book it for you though they add a service charge to the government rate.
You can choose between a jeep safari and a galloping safari. Jeep safari will go to any of the above zones while gallop only to Dhikala zone.
How does it feel when you travel to a completely unknown place? Excitement trumps any other feeling, as if the day of travel is approaching. Visiting Jim Corbett National Park was my first college trip.
I’m a “housekeeper” so that place was my home and my friends and college students were the people I wanted to travel with. The tour was organized by the university’s Adventure Club. I was also a member of the club and it was my duty to call and inform every student going on the trip about the briefing that had to take place before departure.
Jim Corbett National Park and its Bollywood Connection
Jim Corbett National Park was where we went, the same place where the movie KAAL was shot. We knew it was going to be epic. Some things everyone had to have with them and the rest was a personal choice.
Anyway, we met early in the morning (still dark), loaded our bags, showed up to make sure everyone was present, and off we went!
The Complete Safari Experience inside Jim Corbett National Park
Breakfast was ready when we got hungry after the fun by the river. We then gathered and boarded a bus that took us to the Safari Site which was almost 35 minutes away from the hotel.
We were split into groups and given our jeeps (with driver) to explore. It was morning and the locals told us that the best time to spot a tiger is around evening. We all got into the jeeps and set off on a road that took us along the tracks of the forest reserve.
The Amazing End to our Experience at Jim Corbett National Park
All roads must end and so must this one. Finally, I would like to mention swimming in the pool. Right before we had to leave we took a quick dip or should we say dip in the pool and did it continuously until we were called because we were running late. Typical college students, right? We could never seem to get enough of this Jim Corbett experience.
Jim Corbett National Park is a place for everyone! From explorers who want to know about unseen wild animals to people who find peace in nature. I saw children excited to see the forest and animals around them and I’m sure you are too. It is definitely an experience that is worth it, because one really indulges when nature hypnotizes.
I want to share with you that coming out so far for the first time, enjoying and creating my own moments, playing like kids in a hotel room, on a jungle safari and meeting new friends was an experience I will never forget.
