Wild Life

Travel India
  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Wildlife National Parks
  4. »
  5. Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park

About Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park, Sunderbans meaning beautiful forest, is one of the largest tiger reserves in India. It is a part of Ganges Delta and is densely covered by mangrove forests. This park is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also the largest estuarine forest of mangrove trees in the world. It covers about 2585 km² of land and water bodies extending into the neighboring country, Bangladesh. The core area of Sundarbans was initially established as a tiger reserve in 1973. Later in 1977, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary and in 1984, it was entitled as a national park. This protected area is home to many endangered species like Royal Bengal Tiger and Saltwater Crocodile.

Area: 1,330sq km
Status: World Heritage Site & Biosphere Reserve
Established: 1984
Nearest Airport: Dum Dum Airport (Calcutta) 166km
Nearest Railhead: Canning 105km
Best Time to Visit: November to February

Vegetation of Sundarbans National Park

There are 64 different species of plants found in Sundarbans. Mangrove trees dominate the area of Sundarbans National Park. The flora of Sundarbans has adapted to the estuarine and saline conditions of the area. Dhundal, passur, garjan, sundari and goran are some of the common plants and trees found in Sundarbans. The blossomed flowers of genwa, kankra and khalsi are prominently seen in April and May.

Wildlife in Sunderbans National Park

The dense forests of Sundarbans National Park have become an ideal habitat for Royal Bengal tigers. There are plenty of tigers in the protected regions of the park and have adapted to the different conditions the park has to offer. Chital, Wild Boar, Indian Grey Mongoose, Macaques, Fishing Cats, Leopard Cats, Fox, Jungle Cat, Flying Fox and Pangolin are the other species of wildlife found in Sundarbans.

Avifauna of Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park is also home to a variety of bird species. Openbill storks, Water Hens, Pariah Kites, Marsh Harriers, Swamp Partridges, Red Junglefowls, Spotted Doves, Jungle Crows, Wood Sandpipers and Green Pigeons are some of the birds that can be seen inside the park.

Aqua Fauna and Reptiles of Sundarbans National Park

Sawfish, Butter Fish, Electric rays, Silver carp, Star Fish, Common Carp, King Crabs, Prawn, Shrimps, Gangetic Dolphins, Common Toads and Tree Frogs are the main aquatic and amphibians found in Sundarbans. This park also has a considerable population of saltwater crocodile, turtles and snakes.

Other Attractions In Sunderbans

The Sajnakhali Sanctuary :Sajnakhali Wildlife Sanctuary is the northern part of Sundarbans and is famous for the different species of bird found in this sanctuary. Water fowl, heron, pelican and many migratory birds are commonly seen inside Sajnakhali wildlife sanctuary. Netidhopani : The 400-years-old ruins of a temple in Netidhopani have its own legends and are a major tourist attraction. Bhagabatpur : The largest hatchery of saltwater crocodile lies in Bhagabatpur that has become a major tourist attraction. Kanak : Kanak is one of the sanctuary beaches for Olive Ridley Turtles in Sunderban. Haliday Island : Haliday Island is a wildlife sanctuary that is famous for Barking Deer population. Piyali : Piyali is a called the gateway to Sundarbans and is famous for resident and migratory birds. Piyali Rivers flows through the island. Kaikhali : Kaikhali is an island on the opposite side of the Sundarbans Tiger Reserve and is a famous tourist hotspot.

Best Time to Visit Sunderbans National Park

The ideal time to visit the Sunderbans national park is during the months of September and May. Winter make the time to see the mighty Royal Bengal Tiger sun-bathing on the river banks..

How to Reach Sundarbans National Park

Air : The nearest airport is Kolkatta, at 112-kms.

Rail : Canning is nearest railhead, at a distance of 48-kms.

Road : Road transportation is available from Kolkatta for Namkhana (105-kms), Sonakhali (100-kms), Raidighi (76-kms), Canning (64-kms), and Najat (92-kms), which are all near the Sunderbans and have access to the riverine waterways leading to it.

REQUEST A QUOTE

TRAVEL INQUIRY

    Contact Details

    • We assure the privacy of your contact data.

    • This data will only be used by our team to contact you and no other purposes.

    Popular Tours

    Sunderbans National Park Tours

    The Wildlife conservation is a long-term commitment and journey that requires
    the cooperation of everyone in the community.

    Sunderbans Wildlife Tour Package

    Location of Bandhavgarh National Park
    Located on the Vindhyan hill range, the altitude of Bandhavgarh National Park varies from between 44 to 81 meter above sea level. The nearest airport is in Khajuraho, which is 240 km away (4-hour drive). Umaria is the nearest railway station located 48 km away.
    Bandhavgarh National Park Climate
    Winter nights are freezing (2°C; 36°F), summer unpleasantly hot (maximum 42°C; 108°F
    When to go?
    February to May is favourable; park remains closed from beginning July to end October).
    How to Reach Bandhavgarh National Park
    Private bus and car hire available from Umaria (32km; 20 miles), Amarpatan (80km; 50 miles), Shahdol (97km; 60 miles) and Rewa (105km; 65 miles), as well as from Khajoraho and Satna.
    Facilities at Park
    Accommodation provided by the MPSTDC (Wriite Tiger Forest Lodge) and many private lodges at Tala (Bandhavgarh Jungle Camp - former Maharaja of Rewa's palace - and Tiger Trails). Visitors may enter park in their own vehicles (petrol only as diesel banned here); alternatively hire a taxi at Tala (park entry point). Park open from dawn to dusk. At entry gate, trained guides with interpretive skills can lead visitors through the park.
    Booking for Bandhavgarh National Park
    Prior booking essential; write to: The Manager, White Tiger Forest Lodge, Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation: Umaria. Shahdol District, Madhya Pradesh; dr Tourist Officer, Head Office, MPSTDC, 4th Floor Gangotri,T T Nagar,Bhopal.
    Conservation History
    Long before India got its independence, Bandhavgarh Fort was the ruling seat of the kings of Rewa. In 1617 AD, the rulers of Rewa deserted the fort and moved to a new location of Rewa town. After independence, the forest of Bandhavgarh started degrading due to negligence from the government. Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa, after seeing the slow destruction of the forest, proposed that the forest area should be protected and conserved. In 1968, an area of 105 sq. km was declared as national park and was increased to 438 sq. km later in 1982. In 1993, Bandhavgarh National Park became a part of Project Tiger.
    Archeology
    Mythologically the fort was built by Lord Rama for his brother Laxman, during Ramayan period. There are a number of man made caves (35) in Bandhavgarh with inscriptions and carvings, which date back between about 129-168 A.D. Statues of various incarnations of Lord Vishnu, which were carved out of single rocks are found in the fort. "Sheshshaiya" the statue of lord Vishnu in reclining pose is the biggest of all and attracts every tourist. These statues date back to 10-11th Century A.D.
    Related Parks

    RELATED NATIONAL PARKS

    The Wildlife conservation is a long-term commitment and journey that requires
    the cooperation of everyone in the community.