Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks in India

India has over 100 national parks and 560+ wildlife sanctuaries, covering more than five percent of the country's land area. They protect a remarkable list of large animals: the Bengal tiger, the Asiatic lion (now found only in Gir, Gujarat), the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, the snow leopard, Asian elephants, leopards, Indian bison (gaur), wild ass of the Rann of Kutch, and over a thousand bird species.

This page picks out the parks most worth visiting, grouped by what each is best known for, with practical notes on booking safaris and visiting permits at the end.

Tiger reserves (Project Tiger)

India is home to over 70% of the world's wild tigers, in around 55 designated tiger reserves under Project Tiger (started 1973). The most accessible reserves for visitors are:

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand — the oldest national park in India (1936), about 6 hours by road from Delhi. The best place to combine a tiger safari with a Himalayan-foothill landscape. Open mid-November to mid-June.
Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh — one of the highest tiger densities in India and the most reliable park for sightings. Three core zones (Tala, Magadhi, Khitauli) plus surrounding buffer.
Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh — the largest park in central India and the inspiration for Kipling's Jungle Book. Open meadows and sal forest; tigers, leopards, dhole and the rare barasingha (swamp deer).
Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan — tigers in a dramatic landscape of ruined forts and ancient banyans. Closest tiger reserve to Delhi/Agra and the most photographed.
Tadoba–Andhari Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra — increasingly the favourite reserve for serious wildlife photographers; high tiger density, less crowded than Bandhavgarh.
Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh / Maharashtra — open teak forest, high prey density, excellent for tigers and leopards. The other claimant to Jungle Book inspiration.
Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, West Bengal — the only mangrove tiger habitat in the world; tigers here swim and are rarely seen, but the boat-only safari through the Bay of Bengal delta is a remarkable experience. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala — boat safaris on Periyar Lake; better for elephants than for tigers, but a different kind of forest experience.
Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks, Karnataka — adjoining reserves in the Western Ghats; both excellent for tigers, leopards, dhole, sloth bear and elephants.
Manas National Park, Assam — UNESCO World Heritage Site near the Bhutan border; tigers, rhinos and the rare golden langur.

Asiatic lions — Gir, Gujarat

Gir National Park in Gujarat is the only place on earth where the Asiatic lion still survives in the wild. The population has recovered from under 20 in the early 20th century to over 700 today across Gir and the surrounding landscape. Jeep safaris run in three time-slots a day, October to mid-June. Closed during the monsoon. Devalia Safari Park within the reserve offers a near-guaranteed lion sighting in a 30-minute bus tour for visitors short on time.

One-horned rhino — Assam

Kaziranga National Park, Assam — UNESCO World Heritage Site holding two-thirds of the world's Indian one-horned rhinos (~2,600 animals), plus tigers, elephants, wild buffalo and swamp deer. Open November to April; jeep and elephant-back safaris available.
Manas National Park (covered above) — also has rhinos as part of a translocation programme.
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary near Guwahati — small reserve with the highest rhino density in the world.
Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal — rhinos in the eastern Himalayan foothills.

Snow leopards and the high Himalayas

Hemis National Park, Ladakh — the largest national park in South Asia and the best place in the world to see snow leopards. Sightings are tightly concentrated in late January to early March when the cats descend to lower altitudes following blue sheep. Specialist operators run dedicated snow-leopard trips (8–12 days, demanding cold-weather camping at 3,500–4,500 m).
Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh — UNESCO World Heritage Site; trekking-only, with western tragopan, Himalayan tahr, snow leopard, brown bear.
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand — UNESCO; the Valley of Flowers (open July–early October) is a glacial valley turned wildflower meadow with bharal, snow leopard and the rare Asiatic black bear.
Khangchendzonga National Park, Sikkim — UNESCO; high-altitude trekking park with snow leopard, red panda, Himalayan tahr and musk deer.

Birds and wetlands

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan — UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most-visited bird sanctuary in India. Best November to February for migratory waterfowl. Cycle-rickshaws are the main transport inside the park.
Chilika Lake, Odisha — Asia's largest brackish-water lagoon; tens of thousands of migratory birds in winter, plus Irrawaddy dolphins at Satapada.
Vembanad Lake, Kerala — backwater lake with major birding spots including Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary.
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Goa — small mangrove-and-canal reserve at Chorao Island.
Sultanpur National Park, Haryana — easy day trip from Delhi, especially good in winter.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Karnataka — riverine reserve near Mysore; boat safaris among breeding colonies.

Elephants and the Western Ghats

The Western Ghats — a UNESCO-listed mountain chain running down India's west coast — are India's elephant heartland. Major reserves:

Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu — at the meeting point of three states; high elephant density, also tigers and leopards.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala — adjoining Mudumalai; elephants, tigers, dholes, gaur.
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Kerala (covered above) — elephants on the lake.
Bandipur and Nagarhole (covered above) — among the best Western Ghats elephant landscapes.

Deserts and the Rann of Kutch

Desert National Park, Rajasthan — sandy/scrub desert near Jaisalmer; the Great Indian Bustard is the flagship species (critically endangered).
Wild Ass Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch, Gujarat — the only place to see the Indian wild ass (khur), plus flamingos in the salt-pan wetlands.
Banni Grasslands and Greater Rann of Kutch — thousands of greater and lesser flamingos use the Rann as a breeding ground in the rainy season.

Marine national parks

Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park (Wandoor), Andaman & Nicobar — coral reefs, mangroves, dugongs in the lagoons. Glass-bottom boat tours from Wandoor jetty.
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, Tamil Nadu — coral, sea grass, dolphins, dugongs along the south-east coast.

Other notable parks

Hazaribagh and Palamau, Jharkhand — older tiger reserves, less visited.
Satpura National Park, Madhya Pradesh — one of the few parks where walking safaris are allowed.
Eravikulam National Park, Kerala — high above Munnar; the best place to see the Nilgiri tahr (~half of the world's wild population is here).
Silent Valley National Park, Kerala — pristine Western Ghats rainforest, refuge of the lion-tailed macaque.
Saiha and Dampa Tiger Reserve, Mizoram — far north-east tropical rainforest, less developed for tourism.

Planning a wildlife visit

Best season

Most parks are open October to June and closed during the south-west monsoon (mid-June to mid-October). Roads and tracks become impassable during heavy rain.
March to May is the peak time for tiger sightings at most central-Indian reserves — water is scarce, vegetation is sparse, and tigers concentrate near waterholes.
November to February is best for birding and for mild safari weather.
Snow leopards are best late January to early March in Ladakh.
Kaziranga rhinos — the park reopens in November after the monsoon and runs until April.

Booking safaris

Most major parks now use online safari booking through state forest department portals. Slots open weeks (Madhya Pradesh) to 120 days (Bandhavgarh, Kanha) in advance. Book early for the popular morning-zone slots.
Two safaris per day, an early-morning (sunrise) and a mid-afternoon, are the standard. Mornings are usually better for sightings.
Jeep safaris carry up to six guests. Canter (open bus) safaris carry around 20 — cheaper but with more noise and less flexibility on stops.
Foreign-tourist surcharge on most park entry fees, applied per day per visitor.
A registered guide is mandatory in most parks, hired separately at the gate. Fees are nominal but tip generously for a good guide.
Camera and video fees are charged separately at the gate; check before you board the jeep.
Always carry your passport (or a photocopy) — checked at the entry gate of every park.

Where to stay

Most major parks have a mix of forest-department lodges, mid-range resorts, and high-end safari camps (Taj Safaris, &Beyond, Pugdundee, Aahana). The forest-department lodges are cheapest and often inside the buffer zone, but book up months ahead.
For multi-park itineraries (e.g. Bandhavgarh + Kanha + Pench in MP, or Bandipur + Nagarhole + Mudumalai in the south), specialist operators bundle accommodation, transport and safari permits.

What to pack

Earth tones — khaki, olive, brown. Avoid bright colours and pure white.
Layered clothing — early-morning safaris are cold even in central India, especially in winter; afternoons are hot.
Camera with a long lens (300 mm+) for tigers and birds; binoculars are essential.
Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, insect repellent.
A scarf or buff against dust on the open jeep.
Cash for tips — rupee notes for the guide and driver after a good sighting.

Permits beyond the park

A few sanctuaries — Hemis (Ladakh), Andaman marine parks, parts of Manas, parts of Northeast India — also need an Inner Line Permit or Restricted Area Permit in addition to the park entry. Check before you book.