Introduction to The Top 15 Jungle Safaris in India

As experiential travel gains momentum as an emerging trend during the post-COVID times, the concept of experience-based travel is not a new one. Jungle Safari has been an evergreen travel choice for many travelers around the globe. In an abundantly environment-rich nation like India, there’s a plethora of options available to explore the jungles with the medium of safaris. Some of the earliest established jungle safari parks established in India date back to 1936. 

A country embedded with natural treasures from tip to toe has a wide-spread abundance of variety for wildlife safari opportunities dispersed in each state. Although mentioning safari parks from each state would be a hefty task, here’s still an attempt to curate a list of all the jungle safari you must add to your adventure bucket list today.

 

A List of Must-Visit Jungle Safaris in India 

As the saying goes, India is an embodiment of all the cultures of the world. It is also evident that the country is brimming with thriving wildlife in every direction. To suffice up to par with this claim, here’s a list of the most famous and well-known wildlife sanctuaries in India.

• Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand 

If there’s one true location that has immortalized the wildlife safari influence nationwide, it would be the OG, Jim Corbett National Park. Jim Corbett National Park is not only India’s safari gem and the best place to visit in May, but it also is the first Asian National Park. 

The name of the park originates from the famous hunter and explorer Jim Corbett, the man who hunted only man-eating tigers in the region. Jim Corbett consists of 4 zones open for visitation – Dhikala, Jhirna, Bijrani, and Durga Devi. Animals such as Bengal Tigers, chitals, deer, Asiatic elephants and black bears, otters, gharial, Golden oriole, and a number of species of birds can be easily spotted throughout the property. It is seemingly one of the places that entail many top hill stations in India.

• National Park is open for jungle safari
• Best time to visit: March to May
• Duration: Schedule at least 5 hours for the safari ride 
• Jim Corbett safari price: Jeep safari charges – INR 4500 (Indians); INR 7500 (Foreigners); Canter safari charges – INR 1200 (Indians); INR 3000 (Foreigners); Elephant safari charges – INR 3500 (both Indian and Foreigners)

• Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Following suit the trail of popularity amidst the most prominent jungle safaris in India to visit during October is the Ranthambore National Park, which is based in Rajasthan. This 1,300 square kilometers of land houses a dwindling population of tigers. The explorers of this park can easily spot these majestic beasts in their natural habitat.

Apart from tigers, Ranthambore also houses a wide range of wild animals, such as Sloth Bears, Wild Boards, Monitor lizards, Indian chameleons, Indian flying foxes, and Sambars. The national park is also famous amongst wildlife photography enthusiasts.

 

• Best time to visit: March to May
• Duration required for the Ranthambore safari: Approximately 3.5 hours, excluding pit stops for selfie sessions
• Price of Ranthambore jungle safari: Ranthambore jeep safari – INR 1500 per person (Indians); INR 2900 per person (foreigners); Ranthambore Canter safari – INR 1200 per person (Indians); INR 2300 per person (foreigners); Special safari half-day: INR 46,000 (Indians); INR 56,000 (Foreigners); Special safari for full-day: INR 57,000 (Indians); INR 72,000 (Foreigners)

• Gir National Park, Gujarat

The feeling of intruding into someone else’s territory upon entering Gir National Park is rather pronounced. This is the land of lions, crocodiles, hyenas, or leopards and is one of the most visited Indian places during December. The flora here is incredible, with half the park area covered by teak forest, amla, timru, and khair, among others. Of course, the Asiatic Lions are the lords here, and they are a spectacular sight.

Apart from them, the other highly sighted spotter animal in the park is the Chital or the Indian spotted deer. Striped hyenas and wild boars are other attractions. Here, one can also spot a fascinating variety of birds, such as the Malabar whistling thrush to the Paradise flycatcher. Like the King of the Jungle, Gir is the kind of Indian jungle safari tour.

• Best time to visit: December to March
• Duration required for the Gir safari: 3 hours
• Price of Gir jungle safari: For Indian residents for up to 6 people is Rs.800-1000. The extra Child Fee is Rs. 100 for normal days and Rs. 125 for festivals/Saturday/Sunday
• For foreigners, the entry fee for up to 6 people for normal days is Rs. 5600 – 7000. The extra Child Fee is Rs. 1400 for normal days and Rs. 1750 for festivals/Saturday/Sunday.

• Charges For Other Services
• The vehicle fee at Gir Jungle Trail is Rs.1700 per jeep.
• If you want to have a professional photo, then the charges per Camera are Rs.200 for Indians and Rs. 1400 for Foreigners.
• The service for professional guides who will be responsible for providing you with all the information about every single species charge between Rs.400-700.
• So, For Gir Jungle Trail (The Core Area Of Gir National Park) Gypsy Safari, all the expenses included are:
  • Up to 6 persons – Rs.3800 – 4800 (Indian resident)
  • Up to 6 persons – Rs.14500 – 17500 (Foreign resident)

• Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Ever since the outstanding feature in ‘Mowgli,’ the Kanha National Park has garnered the attention of the world. As mentioned in the book and the movie, animals such as panthers, bears, pythons, and elephants can be spotted in this nature haven. The park is divided into four zones – Kanha, Sarahi, Kisli, and Mukki zone.

A visit to this park will have you reminiscing about one of your favorite childhood tales. Spot packs of tigers roam around the property, making it their habitat. This place is also renowned for housing one of the most unique and historical places in India, the Khajurao temple.

• Best time to visit: October to mid-June
• Duration of safari: 3 hours for jeep safari
• Kanha Safari Charges for Regular Safari Ride:
• For Full Vehicle Permit: Online booking charges for full vehicle: 6500
• For Single Seat Permit:
• Online booking charges for a single seat: Rs 250 + 10 online portal fees= Rs 260
• Total charges per person- Rs 655 per safari per gypsy per person.

• Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

The Bandhavgarh National Park once served as a hunting ground for royal families in Madhya Pradesh. The area has now been cloistered as a protected reserve for the Royal Bengal Tiger.

This majestic reserve is one of the most densely populated tiger sanctuaries in the country ever since the population has thrived in the park. Likewise, animals other than tigers, such as leopards, Neelghai, barking deer, Bengal foxes, striped hyenas, and others, are sheltered in this sanctuary.

• Best time to visit: October to June
• Duration of safari: 3–4 hours
• Safari charges in Bandhavgarh National Park: Jeep safari prices – INR 6500/jeep

• Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh 

Encircling the outskirts of Madhya Pradesh is the Pench National Park is one of the best Indian places to visit in April. The serene park sprawls over 400 square kilometers and is mostly renowned for being a tiger reserve. However, apart from the tigers, the Pench is also home to nilgais, leopards, and wild boars.

The key attraction of this park entails its diverse vegetation. The flora is as important to this reserve as much as the fauna. The wide variety of plant life ranges from plants growing in moist areas to trees that grow in dry, arid regions. 

• Best time to visit: October to June
• Safari duration: 3–5 hours; one in the morning and one in the evening;
• Pench National Park safari charges: Approx INR 3000 per gypsy/jeep per safari, including guide fee of INR 300

• Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest Tiger Reserve and National Park in India, it’s the only apt description to introduce the Sunderbans Wildlife Sanctuary with these remarkable renditions. This national park stands atop amidst the choices of places to visit for wildlife safari in India. Sunderbans partake in forming the world’s largest delta, formed by Rivers Ganga, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna. 

A wildlife safari experience at this place acts as an opportunity for you to come across the fabled tiger alongside other forms of wildlife fauna, including the rhesus monkey and the chital deer. The Sunderbans National Park is also widely renowned for its Ridley Sea Turtles. 

• Best time to visit: September to March
• Duration of the Sundarbans Safari: Due to the unique landscape, Sundarbans National Park only offers boat safaris and no jeep safaris. The safari timings are usually between 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.
• The entry fee: The entry fee to visit Sundarbans National Park is INR 60 for Indians and INR 200 for International Tourists.

• Periyar National reserve

The first South Indian wildlife reserve on this list is here. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is a lush and beautiful reserve located in Kerala. The sanctuary is known for its picturesque scenic beauty, most of which comes from the western ghats enveloping it. 

This national reserve serves as a home to many tigers and elephants. Along with safaris, it also offers boat rides around the park.

• Best time to visit: September to January
• Safari duration: 4–5 hours
• Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary safari charges: Jeep safari – INR 2000 per person

• Kaziranga National Park, Assam

This North-Eastern gem of a place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kaziranga National Park in Assam embodies an area of 420 square kilometers and houses the one-horned rhinoceros.

The population of species of rhinoceros present at this location is the largest in the world. Apart from the rhinos, animals such as elephants, bears, and panthers on your safari can also be found here.

• Best time to visit: November to April
• Safari duration: 2 Hours
• Safari charges at Kaziranga National Park: INR 3800-4500 per jeep

Enlisting Lesser-Known Wildlife Safari Gems of The Country 

• Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka 

The Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Karnataka. It provides shelter to many species of animals like deer, cheetahs, elephants, panthers, leopards, and others. The sanctuary is also home to more than 250 species of birds, including migration birds.

 

• Best time to visit: October – February
• Safari duration for Kabini jungle safari: Approximately 3 hours
• Safari charges: The safari costs around Rs. 900 per person per safari

• Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra 

Located in Maharashtra, the Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary is the nature’s museum for those who love wildlife. This enriching reserve offers a sanctuary to 34 species of mammals,166 species of birds, including migration birds, and many more animals. Needless to mention that this sanctuary is a renowned hub for bird spotting. Mostly sighted animals here are bison, tiger, deer, barking deer, wild dog, chital, Indian gaur, and others.

• Best time to visit: March to June
• Safari duration for Nagzira jungle safari: Between 4 and 5 hours
• Safari charges: Rs 50 onwards

• Dibru Saikhowa National Park, Assam 

Dimwitted by the limelight of Kaziranga, Dibru Saikhowa National Park is another hidden gem of a sanctuary that beautifies Assam. This park is bountiful with rare species of animals and fishes. This is the place that provides a home to the rare white-winged wood duck. Animals such as capped langur, parrotbill, water buffalo, tiger, and others can also be spotted here.

• Best time to visit: November to April
• Safari duration for Dibru Saikhowa Jungle safari: 
• Safari charges: As this safari is brimming with adventurous tasks that come with different modes of safaris, it would be wise to check this website for your reference:

http://www.dibrusaikhowaecocamp.com/ds_tour_packages.php

• Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary, Gujarat

The Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary located in Gujarat. It is well-known for more than 300 species of migratory birds during the season. This sanctuary is also known for its extraordinarily diverse landforms, such as marshlands, salt-water sources, freshwater lakes, dams, creeks, and many more.

 

• Best time to visit: October to March
• Safari duration for Khijadiya Bird Sanctuary safari: 2-3 hours
• Safari charges as per the vehicle of choice: 
• Car & Jeep (up to 6 persons): Rs. 400 for Indians & USD 40 for Foreigners.
• Matador Car, Station Wagon, (4 up to 15 people): Rs. 1000 for Indians & USD 100 for Foreigners.
• Heavy Motor Vehicles-Bus (4 up to 60 people): Rs. 3500 for Indians & USD 350 for Foreigners.

• Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, Rajasthan 

The Tal Chhapar Sanctuary is famous for its blackbuck reservation. It is located in Rajasthan. This sanctuary beholds an exceptional biosystem in this desert region. This thorny-sand forest sanctuary is famous for numerous species of migratory birds that visit during September. Animals that can be spotted other than blackbuck are desert cats, and desert foxes, among many others.

• Best time to visit: November to February
• Safari duration for Tal Chhapar safari: Between 8 AM to 5 PM
• Safari charges: Rs. 20 per person and Rs. 3500 per jeep safari trip

• Dachigam National Park, Srinagar 

This national park engulfed in the valleys of Srinagar is created on the regions that were once a collection of ten villages. The Dachigam national park is known for its varying altitude and sloping grasslands ending with rocky cliffs. Dagwan River flows through the park and is enriched with varied types of species of fish. Other than that, animals to spot here are black bear, brown bear, leopard cat, stag, langur, jackal, hill fox, marten, and marmot, among many others.

• Best time to visit: April to August
• Safari duration for Dachigam National Park safari: Invites visitors between 8 AM to 6 PM
• Safari charges:
• Entry Fee For Indians – per Person Rs.25/-.
• Entry is free for Children less than 10 years of age
• For Students and Teachers, Rs.2/-.
• For Still Camera shooting Rs.100/- per camera.
• For Foreigners – per person Rs.50/-.
• For Students and Teachers, Rs.10/-.
• For Still Camera shooting, Rs.200/- per camera.

What to Prepare For Your Wildlife Safari Experience? 

DOs

• Make sure to avoid planning your adventurous expeditions during rainy seasons, as the chances of a landslide always increase during that time of the year. This is the reason why most wildlife reserves do not even open during the monsoon season.
• Please check beforehand the allowed equipment by the safari organizers, in case you encapture your safari experience in photographs or videos.
• Always keep an extra pair of clothing with you as the weather in the forest is always unpredictable, and it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

DON’Ts

• It is important for you to stay quiet and refrain from making any noises unless you want to have the wild animal’s attention on you.
• Refrain from offering eatables to the animals unless the safari guide allows it.
• Do not litter in the jungle while on a safari in India. The environment is precious; let’s keep it that way and practice the good habit of keeping our trash to ourselves before we can properly dispose of it.
• Please do not smoke in the jungle. Even the slightest sparks of fire can lead to a major wildfire accident, causing harm to both the animals and the environment.

How to Ensure The Best Experience For You and Your Travel Companions During the Safari? 

• Congratulations! You’re doing the first step already. Which is researching thoroughly about the destination and making your choice wisely.
• Consider the desirable duration of your safari journey and decipher if your choice of safari provides the said duration of services.
• Be careful and mindful while enjoying this expenditure.
• Ask about the ways you can make contributions to the wildlife of the sanctuary and the local communities.
• Share your experience with your community and generate awareness about how to make this planet a better place for wildlife creatures.

Although this one-step guide is an information tool for your reference, it is advisable to curate a list of deciding factors that are absolutely essential for you. After all, it will be most beneficial to make your experience as customized as possible. We sincerely hope you have the time of your life with experience. Adventure awaits you!