Taking a wildlife safari during the summer season brings with it its own rewards. Although the hot weather can be a bit daunting, the chances of spotting various kinds of animals are extremely high. The animals, in the popular national parks in India along with the wildlife sanctuaries, come out in the open to visit the nearest waterholes to quench their thirst. The clear skies also increase the chances of spotting an animal. Taking a wildlife safari is a good way of throwing in some adventure & thrill into your summer vacation.

In this blog, we bring you the top 6 national parks to visit in summer in India.

• Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan
• Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
• Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• Bandipur National Park, Karnataka
• Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park is counted among the most popular national parks in India, for its impressive population of Royal Bengal Tigers, besides other mammals. The Park is home to about 40 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles, 320 species of birds, 2 amphibian species, 50 species of butterflies and 300 species of plants. Some of the mammals that can be spotted inside the park are:

• Royal Bengal Tigers
• Leopards
  Striped Hyenas
• Nilgai
• Chital
• Black Bucks
• Indian Wild Boar
• Chinkara

Jim Corbett National Park

Located in Nainital and Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, Jim Corbett National Park was established in 1936, thus making it the oldest national park in India. What makes it the best national park to visit in summer in India is the high chances of spotting the Royal Bengal Tiger, since the park boasts the highest density of tigers in India. The topography of the park is also impressive, with its hills, grasslands, marshy depressions and an enormous lake. Birding is also a highly sought-after activity, since there are about 586 species of resident & migratory birds found inside the park. The top mammals that you can spot are:

• Royal Bengal Tiger
• Sambar
• Asiatic Elephant
• Himalayan Black Bears
• Golden Jackal
• Himalayan Goral

Panna National Park

Panna National Park is a good choice for planning a wildlife vacation in India. Located in Panna & Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh, it was the recipient of the Award of Excellence in 2007 as the best maintained national park of India by the Ministry of Tourism in India. The Park is home to rare and endangered species of vultures. Gharial, which is the longest of all living crocodiles, can also be seen at the Ken Gharial Sanctuary located on the banks of the River Ken. Apart from the Royal Bengal Tiger, the other mammals which can be spotted during a wildlife safari are:

• Sloth bear
• Chinkara
• Chital
• Leopard
• Nilgai
• Rusty spotted cat
• Four horned antelope

Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park is the largest tiger reserve in Madhya Pradesh. It was declared a tiger reserve in 1973. It is the largest park in Central India. The park’s flora is as impressive as its fauna. There are more than 1000 species of flowering plants, lowland forests, highland forests, meadows and waterholes. There are several species of mammals and around 300 species of birds, making it a prime destination for bird watchers. Some of the mammals which you can spot during your summer wildlife holidays in Kanha are:

• Royal Bengal Tiger
• Leopard
• Wild dog
• Jackals
• Foxes
• Sloth bear

Bandipur National Park

Bandipur National Park has the second highest tiger population in India, and was established in 1974 as a tiger reserve under Project Tiger. It was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Bandipur is home to several endangered species of flora as well as fauna. Some of the most commonly spotted trees are rosewood, teak, sandalwood, giant clumping bamboo and Indian Laurel. Some of the mammals which can be spotted at the park are:

• Royal Bengal Tiger
• Indian Elephants
• Four horned antelopes
• Gaurs
• Sloth bears

Pench National Park

Pench National Park is one of the best national parks of India that finds a mention in the Ain-i-Akbari (a 16th century historical document detailing the Mughal administration under Akbar) and Rudyard Kipling’s book, The Jungle Book. It was also the location for the three-part BBC documentary narrated by Sir David Attenborough. Among the vegetation found in the park, mention must be made of Mahua, an Indian tropical tree whose flowers are eaten by both mammals and birds, besides being harvested by the tribal people to brew beer. Some of the mammals found inside the park are:

• Royal Bengal Tiger
• Sambar
• Chital
• Nilgai
• Jackal
• Wild boar
• Indian Wolf
• Sloth bear
• Leopard

If you happen to be a wildlife or bird lover, you can be assured of a memorable wildlife adventure at these popular national parks in India. How many of these best national parks in India are you planning on visiting during your upcoming summer vacations? Let us know! We at Bon Travel India organise wildlife tours which cover the famous national parks & wildlife sanctuaries in India at the best deals and discounts!

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