Sariska National Park
Introduction of Sariska National Park
Well located among the Aravali Hills, covering an area of about 800 Sq km, the Sariska National park has paved way for many travel enthusiasts to discover the necessity and joy of getting out to explore the green spaces and unparalleled flora and fauna. It’s dry deciduous forests, rocky landscapes, and sheer cliffs offers a real sense of escape and remoteness. You just have to travel a 100 kms from the Pink City of India to experience experience the exceptional natural beauty of Sariska National Park.
Its history dates back to the ages of Mahabharata and is renowned for the fact that the dense forest and rigid terrain shelters Pandavas during their expulsion. It was declared as a National Park back in 1982, and is popularly addressed as the Sariska Tiger Reserve since then. Located within the Alwar area of Jaipur, this widespread park is overlooked by the Government of Rajasthan. At Sariska, you can effortlessly spot giant trees and about 250 species of birds. For wildlife enthusiasts, this park won’t disappoint you as it has a plethora animals like four-horned antelope, nilgai, rhesus, wild boar, sambhar, leopard, hyena, langur, and jungle cats, along with Rajasthan royal tigers.
Safari rides at Sariska
Take a safari ride across the Sariska National Park and you’ll in no time feel like you’ve been transported to another world of wild terrains and plains. Look out of the window to witness tigers and leopards quietly gazing, and a range of other wild animals comfortably cohabiting. The deeper you drive across each of the zones, the vicious the animals you’ll find. Prepare to come face-to-face with hyena, lion, and other ferocious beings. The fun doesn’t stop with just spotting animals, you also get to see the Kankwadi Fort, which cannot be visited otherwise. Planning to visit the park in group? Gear up for a day filled with adventure. The safari rides are 3 hours long, with 2 slots, each in morning and evening before sunset. The first slot starts from 6.30 in the morning and goes on until 10.30. evening slots start from 2 PM and end at 6 PM.
A whole bunch of animal kingdom awaits you! Home to more than 200 species of animals, most of them wandering freely, the safari ride at Sariska national park is undoubtedly, an amazing experience.
Note that there are 2 kinds of jeep safaris – Exclusive and shared, each of which would accommodate upto 6 people. If you travel in a group, it is ideal for you to choose the exclusive ride, to travel with just your bunch of people. However, if you travel alone or with minimal people, you can choose the shared ride, which will also help you cut down the cost to a large extent.
Different zones and gates of the park
The park has two gates, out of which the most popular is the Sariska gate, which itself has 3 zones. The Zones are categorised from 1 to 3 and the sightings of tigers are at the maximum in these zones. Apart from this, there’s Telha gate, which is around 80 km from Sariska gate and this gate has zone 4, where the sighting of tigers is comparatively rare.
How to reach?
From beautiful landscapes to freely roaming animals, captivating history to scenic coastlines, there’s always something exciting for tourists at Sariska National Park. We will help you find your way to the park and enjoy the visual luxuries it has to offer.
If you decide to go by road, considering the public transportation is an ideal option as the park is well-served by public buses. As an alternative, you can also avail taxi services from Rajasthan.
If you’re a rail enthusiast, you can board the train from Alwar railway station, which is at a distance of 37 kms from the park.
If you’re not a resident from Rajasthan, the quickest way to reach the park is though air. You can take a flight to Jaipur, and reach the park afterward through road or rail. Sophisticated transport facilities, like taxis and buses are available, through which you can conveniently reach the park.
Let’s further delve into the distance to Sariska from major cities.
• Jaipur to Sariska – 110 KM, can be covered in 2 hours
• Bharapur to Sariska – 124 KM, can be covered in 2.3 hours
• Agra to Sariska – 179 KM, can be covered in 3.3 hours
• Delhi to Sariska – 206, can be covered in 4.2 hours
• Udaipur to Sariska – 388 KM, can be covered in 6.1 hours
• Ahmedabad to Sariska – 507 KM, can be covered in 8.3 hours
• Mumbai to Sariska – 267 KM, 20.5 hours
Based on the distance, you can figure out the medium for transportation.
Which is the best time to visit the park ?
The park with its with its outstanding diversity of flora and fauna is open everyday from October to May, between 6.00 AM to 3.30 PM. The peak season is usually between October to February, which is considered as the best time to witness the glorious beauty in its fullest form. However, the best time to visit the tigers is during Summers, when they budge in search of waterholes to camouflage themselves, in the absence of foliage. The park remains close between July and September, when the weather is extremely hot and humid.
What’s more ?
Apart from safaris, there are abundance of other places in Sariska national park to put down your phone, and get some fresh air. There’s Vijay Mandir Mahal which is known for its splendid architecture, Shyamsa caves which is a must see for history buffs, Bhangarh fort, Hanuman temple, and Rajgarh, which is a town full of historic temples and forts. Apart from this, you can also visit Siliserh lake Palace, Kesroli which is a rate heritage hotel of its own, and Moti Dongri which is a holy shrine where Muslims and Hindus pray together, in Alwar.
