Rajaji National Park is an Indian National Park and Tiger Reserve located in the Shivalik range of the Himalayas. Rajaji National Park is spread over about 820 square km and includes the forests of three districts of Uttarakhand namely Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal.
Raja Ji National Park is the second tiger reserve in Uttarakhand after Jim Corbett Park. Rajaji National Park was declared a Tiger Reserve on 15 April 2015.
Why name Rajaji National Park
The first Indian Viceroy of independent India, C. Rajagopalachari, who was popularly known as Rajaji, named this forest reserve as Rajaji National Park. Rajaji i.e. C. Rajagopalachari was the second Indian to be honored with the highest honor of "Bharat Ratna".
History of RajaJi National park
In 1948, C. Rajagopalachari came for hunting in this forest. Once he was here , he was mesmerized with this natural beauty spread in the hills of Shivalik. He canceled his plan of hunting and suggested that this forest should be converted into a wild life sanctuary. Earlier this park was called Raja Ji Wildlife Sanctuary.
In 1983, the park was expanded by including the forests of Motichur and Chilla and then the park was named "Raja Ji National Park". Later in 2015, this park was declared a tiger reserve.
Flora and Fauna Raja Ji National park
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Raja Ji National Park consists of grasslands, river basins and hills. Various types of trees and plants can be seen here. Trees are the main form here, apart from these trees, different types of fruit and flower trees can also be seen here. Some endangered species of plants are also preserved in Raja Ji National Park. Raja Ji National Park attracts a big count of nature lovers and tourists who have interest in knowing and investigating about various aspects of this beautiful nature.
Tourist mostly witness wandering the herds of elephants and spot tiger while on the safari in Raja Ji National Park. Apart from these, Himalayan Bear, Leopard, Jackal and Hyena can be spotted often. Apart from these large animals, tourists can also see nilgai, langur, different species of deer and mountain goats.
Raja Ji National Park is also very interesting for bird watchers. More than 300 species of birds can be spotted in this park, out of which about 90 species are of migratory birds.
Activities in Raja Ji National Park
Jeep Safari at Raja Ji National Park
Tourists like to go on the jeep safari in Raja Ji National Park. During the jeep safari, the tourists cover about 35 km area of the forest by jeep. Up to 6 tourists can go in a jeep. Jeep safaris are conducted twice a day, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the morning and from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the afternoon. The timings for jeep safaris are also subject to change depending on the season.
Early morning is the best time for a jungle safari. Elephant safari is also organized in Raja Jay National Park, in which tourists can do safari sitting on the back of Elephant for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Elephant Safari was closed in the year 2007 but then from 2016 it has been started again.
Tiger Safari at Raja Ji National Park
Tourists are taken to the Tiger Reserve area of the National Park for Tiger Safari. Tigers and other animals roaming in the jungle can also be seen. However, the site is a bit difficult due to the low number of tigers here.
Bird Watching at Raja Ji National Park
Local and migratory birds of more than 300 species are also seen in Raja Ji National Park. Birds migrate here from Siberia in the winter season and go back when the weather warms up. This park offers a lot to the bird lovers.
Eco Tourism at Raja Ji National Park
Travelers can participate in eco-tourism in the National Park.
River Rafting
One can also do river rafting in the river Ganga in Raja Ji National Park.
Stay in Raja Ji National Park
Managed stays are also available for tourists in Raja Ji National Park by the Government of Uttarakhand, as well as many private hotels and lodges also make arrangements for accommodation. These hotels and stays can also provide information about other activities in the park like river rafting, tracking and others.
RajaJi National Park Ticket Price
The per person ticket to visit Raja Ji National Park is Rs.150. If the traveler wants to take his car inside, then there is a vehicle fee of Rs 250 for that. This ticket price is for Indian citizens. For foreign tourists, this price is Rs 600 per person.
How to reach Rajaji National Park
The best way to reach Raja Ji National Park is by road. There are good roads to reach the park from any of the nearby cities Haridwar or Dehradun. Even if you are traveling by train, you can reach Haridwar, Rishikesh or Dehradun by train and take a taxi from there to Raja Ji National Park.
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