If you are in North India, and wish to leave behind the city sounds in favor of the call of the animals, then Rajaji National Park is an easy choice for a great getaway. It is at a comfortable distance from the capital city, Delhi, and is equally accessible from all the other major north Indian cities like Haridwar, Dehradun and Mussoorie. So, a trip to this game park can be easily linked up with any of these destinations, or, simply in itself, it provides an exhilarating experience of a dense jungle environment, in its untouched glory of untamed fauna, particularly known for its sightings of the great Indian wild elephant.
Geography
Rajaji National Park lies in the State of Uttaranchal, a state which forms a part of the Western Himalayan range, starting from the foothills of the Shivalik ranges, and going up to the Greater Himalayas, on to Tibet, at its northeastern border. It has a vast and varied geography, that is bordered by flat plains as well as mighty mountain ranges. It has the surrounding states of Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.
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The highest point in the state is at 7,817 meters above sea level, with the Nanda Devi peak, in the Chamoli district. While there is picturesque alpine growth up in the Himalayas, there are contrasting deeply wooded deciduous forests in the Shivalik foothills, as is the great south west monsoon moisture laden winds crash against the Himalayas and give this region ample rain. Here, lies the tropical adventure, as you encounter some thrilling wildlife, and enjoy the lush forests, with their variety of grasses and undergrowth.
Established in 1983, Rajaji National Park is named after the first Indian Governor General of India, who was an active freedom fighter, C. Rajagopalachari or Rajaji, as he was popularly called. The park stretches over a massive area of 820.42 square kilometers, and amalgamates three wildlife sanctuaries, namely, Rajaji, Motichur, and Chilla – all in the southern foothills of the Himalayas. Apart from a variety of other animals, the Park has the distinction of having the highest concentration of wild elephants in entire Uttaranchal.
Getting there
Although the headquarters of the Park are located at Dehradun, which is the capital of Uttaranchal, it has seven entry points that can be accessed from any of the other three cities running along it, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Mussoorie. All these cities lie within easy radius of each other. Taking Dehradun as the yardstick, some of the road distances from here are as follows : Mussoorie - 35 km; Rishikesh - 43 km; Haridwar - 54 km. Most of these destinations are best reached by road, as they are so close by and only a matter of a couple of hours. The journey from Delhi can also be made by road as the distance is a comfortable 255 km.
Alternatively, there are the super fast ‘Shatabadi’ trains, that take you up to these cities, from where you can hire a taxi and reach your wildlife destination.
If you wish to include this Park on your itinerary from other cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, then you would make Delhi as your base, and would require to reach the capital by air or train. There is also a small airport at Dehradun, but it is served by limited small aircraft. Hence, the best option would be to make the journey to Rajaji Park via Delhi, be it by air, rail or road.
Climate
The best time to visit the Park is between March to October. Being in the plains, the climate here is tropical with hot summers (mid April to July), when maximum temperatures reach a high of around 40 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is almost unbearable, at almost ninety percent. Winters, on the other extreme, can be really cold, when and cold winters. In summers (mid April to July), the maximum temperature reaches a high of around 40°C and relative humidity is at its peak at hovering around 90%. Winters (October to February) can be chilly as the temperature during the night normally dips below 5 degrees Celsius.
Park Attraction
Excursions
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