5 Best Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks in Rajasthan

Ranthambore National Park is one of the national parks in Rajasthan, and among the popular national parks near Delhi. It is situated about 162 km from Jaipur, and 368 km from Delhi.

Ranthambhore was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 by the Government of India and was declared one of the Project Tiger reserves in 1974. Ranthambore became a national park in 1981. It can be visited along with Jaipur tour packages. Spread over an area of 392 sq. km, the park is majorly famous for its tigers and is one of the best locations in India to watch the majestic predators in its natural habitat.

Apart from tigers, visitors can also spot a large variety of animals including sloth bear, leopard, caracal, jackal, fox, hyena, mongoose, dainty chital, sambar deer, the blue bull antelope or nilgai, rhesus macaque, langur, and an incredible variety of birds as part of Ranthambore tour packages. Ranthambore Fort, Jogo Mahal, Trinetra Ganesh Temple, Rajiv Gandhi Regional Museum of Natural History, Kachida Valley, and Rajbagh are some of the best tourist places in Ranthambore.

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At a distance of 45 km from Jaisalmer, Desert National Park is a wildlife sanctuary situated in the state of Rajasthan near the town of Jaisalmer. Situated in the sand dunes of Thar Desert, the Desert National Park is regarded as one of the largest national parks in India, and among the top places to visit as part of Jaisalmer trip.

The Desert National Park was established in 1980, and it depicts the ecosystem of the Thar Desert. Spread over an area of 3162 sq. km, the park is extensively covered by sand dunes over large extents, and is one of the major Jaisalmer sightseeing places. The main area of the park comprises compact salt lake bottoms, fixed dunes, and craggy rocks. There are many lakes inside the national park including Rajbaugh Lake, Milak Lake, and Padam Talao Lake.

Although 20% of the park is covered with sand dunes, the park has abundant birdlife. Over 120 resident and migratory birds can be found in the park. The most commonly spotted birds include various species of eagles, vultures, falcons, harriers, kestrels, larks, shrikes, buzzards, etc. Desert national park is home to some of the rarest species of birds like the Great Indian Bustard. It migrates locally in different seasons.

Chinkara, desert fox, Bengal fox, desert cat, blackbuck, hedgehog, etc. are some of ...

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At a distance of 37 km from Bikaner, Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary in Bikaner is a natural haven on the shores of a Gajner Lake, near Gajner Palace. It is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan and among the must include places in Bikaner trip.

Nestled atop a small hill, Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary is an oasis and reserve enriched in flora and fauna with dense green forest cover. The sanctuary was earlier used as a hunting ground by Maharaja Sri Ganga Singh of Bikaner. There is a beautiful lake in the sanctuary, which apart from complementing the beauty is used by the animals living here to quench their thirst. This is one of the proposed forests for Cheetah reintroduction in India.

A trip to this wildlife heaven is one of the top things to do in Bikaner. The lake at Gajner attracts water birds in thousands which include Imperial Sand Grouse, Indian Houbara Bustards, Water fouls, Demoiselle Cranes, and other varieties of migratory birds. Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary is also home to blackbuck, chinkara, antelope, wild boars, deer, wild fowls, neelgai (blue bull), and desert foxes which roam amidst lush gardens, wooded forests, and the majestic palace.

Another interesting part of this sanctuary is the beautiful Gajner Palace which has been converted into a heritage and luxury hotel ...

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At a distance of 8.5 km from Jodhpur Junction, Machiya Safari Park is a biological park situated near Kalyana Lake on the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer Route in Jodhpur. It is one of the must-visit Jodhpur attractions for those interested in wildlife.

Machiya Biological Park was conceptualized in the year 1982-83. This park is basically the satellite zoo of the old heritage zoo of Jodhpur. Machiya Biological Park has an area of 41 ha out of 604 ha of Machiya Forest Block. The Machiya Safari Park is an abode to numerous wild animals like deer, desert fox, monitor lizard, blue bulls, rabbits, wild cats, mongoose, monkeys, etc.

It also has a bird-watching point which serves as an excellent place for bird enthusiasts. Inside the park premises, there is a fort from where one can get a scenic sunset view. Elephant riding is the main attraction of the park, which gives a bird's eye view of the picturesque wildlife park.

Timings: 8.30 AM to 5 PM, Closed on Tuesday

Entry Fee: Rs. 30 for Indians, Rs. 300 for Foreigner, Rs. 80 for Camera, and Rs. 200 for Video

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At a distance of 36 km from Alwar, 111 km from Jaipur & 195 km from New Delhi, Sariska Tiger Reserve is a popular national park and wildlife refuge located at Sariska in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. It is one of the best national parks near Delhi, among the popular Alwar places to visit.

Sariska Tiger Reserve is one of the prominent national parks in India. Formerly a hunting ground of the Maharaja of Alwar, the park was declared as a wildlife reserve in 1955 and then a Tiger Reserve in 1978 under Project Tiger. Sariska is among the 28 Tiger reserves in the country and it is spread across an area of 850 sq. km with a core area of approximately 500 sq. km. Sariska has a varied topography that includes grasslands, dry deciduous forests, cliffs, and rocky landscapes. The Aravalli mountain ranges surround the park which is covered with thick forests.

This reserve is famous for Bengal tigers along with many species of wildlife like leopard, jungle cat, caracal, striped hyena, Indian jackal, chital, sambar, nilgai, chinkara, four-horned antelope, and wild boar. Sariska is also famous for bird watching with some of the rarest feathered species like grey partridge, white-throated kingfisher, Indian peafowl, bush quail, sand grouse, treepie, golden-backed woodpecker, ...

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