Best Tiger Reserves in India: Places to Spot Tigers

India has emerged as one of the most sought after tourist attractions on the map of the world. On the spectrum of tourism lies many cherished, exotic, and irresistible destinations ranging from beaches to hill stations and architectural marvels.

Among these, wildlife tours are the most rejuvenating and adorned activities. There are 543 wildlife sanctuaries in India currently. The presence of the tigers, along with a wide array of other wildlife species, has attributed to the increased charm and charisma of the wildlife sanctuaries.

We have come up with a list of best tiger reserves in India. These selected tiger reserves have a significant population of tigers. They are also home to the exotic and endangered flora and fauna along with varied and mesmerizing ecosystems.

1. Pench National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Pench National Park is a deciduous forest spread in the two districts Seoni and Chhindwara. This National Park in Madhya Pradesh is the inspiration behind the famous story collection “The Jungle Book.”

It gets its name from the river, which divides it into two halves that is Pench River. The total area that comes under the Pench National Park is over 292 square kilometers. 

210 species of birds, 39 species of mammals and also a diverse flora flourish in the Pench. Pench National Park remains open round the year except for the rainy season that is from July to October.

2. Bandhavgarh National Park (Madhya Pradesh)

Located in the Vindhya hills, Bandhavgarh national park covers merely an area of 105 square kilometers. Moreover, the number of tigers meandering here, according to the latest census, goes above 50.

Think about it; more than 50 tigers are roaming in 105 square kilometers of area. Isn’t that amazing! Because of this increased probability of sighting tigers, this National Park in Madhya Pradesh is one of the most opted wildlife destinations.

Along with tigers, 242 species of birds and Indian fox, Blue Bull, Sloths, Sambhar deer, Leopard, and wild dog are the main attractions of the forest. The other worth visiting places near the Bandhavgarh Tiger reserve are Bandhavgarh Hill, Bandhavgarh Fort, Climbers point, Baghel Museum, and Chespur waterfalls.

3. Sundarbans – Home of Bengal Tigers (West Bengal)

Spread along the Ganges delta of India and Bangladesh Sundarbans National Park is the epitome of scenic beauty. Mangrove swamps and an unmatched ecosystem of Sundarbans in West Bengal are home to 400 royal Bengal tigers. 

Elated to the status of a tiger reserve in 1973, it became a wildlife sanctuary in 1977. Sundarbans wildlife sanctuary, then, got uplifted to the status of a national park in 1984. Sundarbans cover an area of 4624 square kilometers on the Indian side alone. Other than tigers, this national park in West Bengal is also famous for a variety of species of invertebrate, including saltwater crocodiles.

UNESCO has taken Sundarbans tiger reserve under the umbrella of World Heritage Sites. The best time to visit this national park to spot a tiger is between November to February.

4. Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan)

Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan is one of the most famous tiger reserves in India. It covers an area of 392 square kilometers. Other than that it is just at a distance of 180 kilometers from the Jaipur.

It is home to 320 species of birds as well as 300 species of trees. 40 species of mammals and 40 species of reptiles are also indigenous to the park. This national park in Rajasthan is home to a significant number of tigers along with wild cats, sloth bears, Indian foxes, leopards, and jackals.

While your visit to the Ranthambore tiger reserve, you can also visit nearby places such as Ranthambore fort, Bakula region, JogiMahal, and LakardaAnantapur.

5. Kanha Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh)

A wildlife sanctuary, national park and tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh, Kanha National Park is home to tigers. Other than tiger, it is famous for Barasingha or swamp dears. Kanha National Park is also home to 300 species of birds, 200 species of plants.

Tiger, Panther, Jackal, Sambar, Black Buck, Barasingha, Chousingha, Chital, Barking Deer, Gaur, Panther, and Sloth Bear are a few dominant attraction of the park.

The best thing about this park is that it has many other prominent tiger reserves and national parks near it. Two of these national parks are Pench national park and Bandhavgarh national park. BamaniDadar, Kawardha palace, and Kahna museum are ideal places to go during your visit to Pench national park.

6. Jim Corbett National Park (Uttarakhand)

Located in the foothills of Himalaya, Jim Corbett national park is another very famous wildlife spot in India. The best way to explore flora and fauna of the park is through morning and evening open jeep as well as elephant safaris.

Covering an area of 520 square kilometers, this national park in Uttarakhand is home to 600 species of plants, 50 species of reptiles, and 650 species of birds.

Other than royal Bengal tigers, this wildlife hotspot is also famous for elephants, Hog deer, Sambar, Walking Deer, Black Bear, and Sloth Bear. The best time to visit Jim Corbett national park is from April to June.

7. Tadoba Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra)

Named after the tribal God ‘Taru’ or ‘Tadoba,’ Tadoba National park in Maharashtra boasts of a booming population of tigers. It is one of the oldest and largest national parks of India and maps over 1727 square kilometers in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra.

This national park has a rich flora and fauna and known as the land of the tigers. Along with 200 species of birds and magnificent tigers, this national park’s ecosystem is also ideal for wild animals like leopards, Flying Squirrel, Rusty Spotted Cat, Sloth Bear, and Four Horned Antelope and Sambar, to name a few. The best time to visit this tiger reserve in Maharashtra is between February to May.

8. Manas National Park (Assam)

A tiger reserve, an elephant reserve, a national park, and a UNESCO World Heritage site Manas wildlife sanctuary in Assam is the beautiful paradise on the earth for wildlife. Manas and Royal national park in Assam derives its name from the River and Goddess ‘Manasa.’

It is one the most visited and cherished national park because of its scenic and pristine beauty and varied flora and fauna. It has the perfect ecosystem to nurture 543 species of plants, 50 species of reptiles, 55 species of mammals and 450 species of birds.

Other than tigers, the fauna of the forest includes Asian Elephants, Indian Rhinoceros, Barasingha, Asian golden cat, Clouded Leopards, Asian Water Buffaloes, Barking Deer, and Black Panther.

9. Indravati National Park (Chhattisgarh)

Located in the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh, Indravati National Park is one of the three tiger reserves of the state. It derives its name from the Indravati river. The best time to visit this national park in Chhattisgarh is during winters.

It houses a significant population of endangered Wild Asian Buffalo as well as Tigers. Other than that, the prominent fauna of the park includes Leopards, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaur, Sloth Bears, Chital, and many more.

10. Nagarhole National Park And Tiger Reserve (Karnataka)

Nagarhole national park is in the Kodagu and Mysore district of Karnataka, situated on the Western Ghats. This national park in Karnataka has a moist and mixed deciduous ecosystem and receives an annual rainfall of 1440 millimetres.

The predominant fauna of the national park is tigers, four-horned antelope, elephant, sambar, barking deer, and gaur. The places of interest in and around the park are Irppu falls, Bandipur national park, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Bramhagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Kabini Lake, and Madumalai National Park.

Conclusion:

So these are a few Tiger reserves in India where the chances of sighting a tiger are very high. In fact, these wildlife spots hold a promise of guaranteed encounter with the tiger so that your aspirations and excitement does not get washed away. On your trips to these national parks, carry your camera with you so that you can click these bulky and magnificent cats in their natural habitats.