Corbett National Park

Corbett National Park was the first national park in India and is about 250km north of Delhi. It was founded by Jim Corbett, a former tiger hunter turned conservationist, and was later named in his honour. Spread across 520 square kms of Himalayan foothills, the park is covered by deciduous woodland and giant sal forest. Walking safaris are possible in the forests on the periphery of the park. Corbett is best known for tigers, but they are very elusive, and a sighting is a rare bonus. There are large numbers of elephant in the park, and elephant rides are also possible, which give you an interesting view of the wildlife. Jeep safaris are available, and the two watchtowers in the park offer good vantage points for viewing. December to February is the best time for birdwatching, and larger mammals are more easily seen in summer as they leave the cover of the forest and converge on the waterholes. As well as tigers, there are a number of leopards in the park, but if anything they are even more elusive, and a sighting is extremely rare. Sambar, chital, para and muntjac are the main prey of the big cats, and there are thought to be around 20,000 antelope in the park. Rhesus monkey and common langur are frequently seen, and other animals include porcupine, wild boar, mugger crocodile, gharial, otter and python. There are over 600 species of birds.