List of Top 10 Best National Parks in India 2022

List of Top 10 Best National Parks in India 2022

India is the seventh-largest country in the world and it has almost one-fourth of the total area as forest and tree cover. India has a total of 104 national parks and 566 wildlife sanctuaries. National Parks and Wildlife sanctuaries are protected forests to conserve the fauna and flora, generate tourism as a source of revenue, and support local communities. India has 4 out of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world which are the Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats, Andaman, and the Nicobar Islands.

These hotspots have numerous endemic species. There are 46 Ramsar sites and almost 500 important bird areas or IBA present in India. To date, many new species of invertebrates (mostly insects), and vertebrate species (mostly fishes and reptiles) were discovered in the recent past. India being a pioneer in Project Tiger in 1973 has resulted in almost 3000 Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) and helped in the conservation of many endemic, migratory species of mammals, birds, and reptiles.  Here’s the updated list of the top 10 National Parks in India which are a must-visit in 2022.

 

01. Jim Corbett National Park, Uttrakhand

Named after famous hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett from Hailey National Park in 1936 and Ramganga in the mid-1950s. Project Tiger is incomplete without Jim Corbett National Park as it is amongst the first and the finest National Parks in India. Corbett Tiger Reserve has the largest tiger population in any single protected area in the world. This park has close to 231 tigers as per the latest census done in 2018. Apart from tigers, Corbett is very good with sightings of wild Asian Elephants. There are close to 550 species of birds found in Jim Corbett National Park.

 

 

• Core Area: 520 Sq Km Buffer Area: 797 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari and Canter Safari
• Places Nearby: Nainital, Pangot, Choti Haldwani, Agra

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Himalayan Rubythroat	Gharial
2.	Asiatic Elephant	Great Hornbill	Mugger Crocodile
3.	Leopard	Long Tailed Broadbill	Indian Rock Python
4.	Yellow-Throated Martens	Chestnut-Headed Bee Eater	King Cobra
5.	Sambhar	Great Barbet	Common Krait
6.	Spotted Deer	Khaleej Pheasant	Russell’s Viper
7.	Barking Deer	Brown Dipper	Indian Cobra
8.	Hog deer	Blue-Tailed Bee Eater	Burmese Python
9.	Rhesus Macaque	Pallas’ Fish Eagle	Bengal Monitor Lizard
10.	Grey Langur	Lineated Barbet	Indian Wolf Snake

 

02. Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Kanha National Park is a jewel in the history of Indian wildlife and one of the most popular parks for tiger safari in India. Kanha hit worldwide fame when Rudyard Kipling penned “The Jungle Book”. Both in words and illustrations, his tales of jungle lore were explicitly inspired by the flora and fauna of the National Park. Kanha National Park is the largest National Park in Madhya Pradesh state. The resurgence of wildlife is a result of efforts put in by conservationists in 1955. Situated between Banjar and Halon valley,  National Park is spread across an area of 362 sq. Km. Kanha National park is known for its tiger sighting in the Evergreen sal forest.

 

 

• Core Area: 940 Sq Km Buffer Area: 1134 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Bandhavgarh National Park

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Indian Golden Oriole	Indian Rock Python
2.	Hard ground Barasingha	Malabar Pied Hornbill	Russell’s Viper
3.	Indian Wild Dog	Alexandrine Parakeet	Common Krait
4.	Wild Boar	Crested Serpent Eagle	Indian Cobra
5.	Sambhar	Green Bee Eater	Common Rat Snake
6.	Chausingha	Tickle’s Blue Flycatcher	Common Skink
7.	Barking Deer	Brahminy Starling	Fan Throated Lizard
8.	Hog deer	Yellow Footed Green Pigeon	Indian Garden Lizard
9.	Rhesus Macaque	White Rumped Shama	Indian Monitor
10.	Sloth bear	Emerald Dove	Banded Krait

 

03. Bandhavgarh National Park , Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number of tigers at 526 in the wilderness compared to any other state. Bandhavgarh National Park has a high density of tigers, and it acts as a source of dispersing tigers to neighboring protected areas, like, Sanjay Dubri, Achanakmar, Kanha, and as far as Palamu Tiger reserve.

At independence, Bandhavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968. Bandhavgarh dates back to 2000 years ago and you will find several man-made caves with inscriptions and rock paintings. Once a hunting ground of maharajas, Bandhavgarh is now Bandhavgarh National Park and home to the royal Bengal tiger, 37 other species of mammals, 250 species of birds, and 80 species of butterflies.

 

 

• Core Area: 624 Sq Km Buffer Area: 537 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Baghel Museum , Khajuraho, Panna National Park

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Indian Vulture	Indian Python
2.	Leopards,	White Rumped Vulture	Krait
3.	Blue Bulls,	Asian paradise flycatcher	Russell’s Viper
4.	Indian Gaur	Golden Oriole	Spectacled Cobra
5.	Chausingha	Indian Pitta	Common Vine Snake
6.	Spotted Deers,	Grey Heron	Monitor Lizard
7.	Sambar Deer,	Little Egret	Green Whipsnake
8.	Wild Boar,	Eurasian Thick-knee	Common rat snake
9.	Sloth Bears	Great Stone Plover	Sand Boa
10.	Jackals	Red-wattled Lapwing	Common Fat‑tailed Gecko

04. Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Ranthambhore National Park and Tiger Reserve with an area of 400 sq. km encompassing rocky hill crests which descend to open valleys between the Aravali and Vindhya ranges, dotted with water pools and fruit trees, this park gets its name from the thousand-year-old fortress, which looms above the forest. The forest, hills, and forts of Ranthambore have witnessed attacks from the Khilji army in 1301 AD and the Mughal dynasty in 1569 to become private hunting grounds for Maharaja of Amer. Ranthambhore National Park is also rich in birdlife with around 300 species of birds. The presence of 3 large lakes, named Padam Talao, Raj Bagh Talao, and Milak Talao filled with crocodiles makes it even more picturesque.

 

 

• Core Area: 274 Sq Km Buffer Area: 118 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Jaipur, Agra, Keoladeo National Park, New Delhi

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Large Cormorant	Saw-scaled Viper
2.	Leopards	Painted Spurfowl	Rat Snake
3.	Caracal	Sarus Crane	Monitor Lizard
4.	Sloth Bears	Bronzed winged Jacana	Common Krait
5.	Spotted Deer	Sandpiper	Indian Python
6.	Golden Jackal	Kingfisher	Marsh Crocodile
7.	Striped Hyena	Nightjar	Banded Krait
8.	Pangolin	Painted Sandgrouse	Soft Shelled Turtle
9.	Honey Badger	Great horned owl	Russell’s Viper
10.	Sambar Deer	Purple Sunbird	Indian Chamaeleon

05. Tadoba National Park, Maharashtra

Tadoba Tiger Reserve includes Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is Maharashtra’s oldest National Park created in 1955. It is called the Land of the Tigers, due to its high tiger density. Recent estimates indicate a population of around 64 tigers over a rich jungle spread over 625 square kilometers. Tadoba National Park is divided into three separate forest ranges, i.e. Tadoba north range, Kolsa south range, and Morhurli range between them.

 

 

• Core Area: 116.54 Sq Km Buffer Area: 509 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Pench National Park, Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary, Tadoba Lake, Erai Dam

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Crested Serpent Eagle	Indian star tortoise
2.	Leopard	Honey Buzzard	Russell’s Viper
3.	Sloth Bear	Paradise Flycatcher	Indian Cobra
4.	Gaur (Indian Bison)	Grey-Headed Fish Eagle	Monitor Lizard
5.	Rusty Spotted Cat	Jungle Fowl	Olive keelback
6.	Spotted Deer	White-eyed Buzzard	Wild lizard
7.	Sambar	Mottled wood owl	Common cat snake
8.	Wild Pig	Painted Francolin	Terrapin
9.	Four Horned Antelope	Jungle Prinia	Red Sand Boa
10.	Flying Squirrel	Brown rock chat	Common sand boa

06. Gir National Park, Gujrat

Gir National Park is the only home in India for the Asiatic Lion of which there are nearly 500 in the park. It lies in the Gujarat peninsula in South-Western India. Gir due to its richness of biodiversity hosts 606 different plant species, 39 species of mammals, 37 species of reptiles and over 300 species of birds, and more than 2,000 species of insects. Gir also has one of the densest concentrations of leopards in India. Gir is also a great place to see the Indian Leopards.

 

 

• Core Area: 300 Sq Km Buffer Area: 850 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Durbar Hall Museum, Nalsarovar Lake

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Asiatic lion	Lesser Florican	Indian Python
2.	Leopard	Osprey	Indian Star Tortoise
3.	Jungle cat	Indian Pitta	Marsh Crocodile
4.	Striped Hyena	Red-headed Vulture	Red Sand Boa
5.	Golden Jackal	Green bee-eater	Common Sand Boa
6.	Indian grey mongoose	Indian robin	Common Bronzeback
7.	Chital	Common Kingfisher	Spectacled Cobra
8.	Nilgai	Oriental Magpie Robin	Saw Scaled Viper
9.	Sambar	Coppersmith Barbet	Checkered Keelback
10.	Wild boar	Black Drongo	Indian Rock Python

 

07. Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Kaziranga National Park is the oldest park in Assam and covers an area of 430 sq km along the river Brahmaputra in the North and the Karbi Ang long hills in the South and is a popular Rhino & tiger safari park in India. The Park is a world heritage site and was declared a National Park in 1974. The landscape is of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes, and shallow pools. Kaziranga National Park is famous for the Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros, the landscape of Kaziranga is of sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes & shallow pools.

 

• Core Area: 482 Sq Km Buffer Area: 548 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option: Jeep/gypsy safari, Walking Safari in Buffer zone, Boat safari in Agoratoli range
• Places Nearby: Manas National Park, Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Flamingo	Common Indian skink
2.	one-horned rhinoceros	Crane	Assam olive-brown skink
3.	Asiatic Elephant	Grey-headed fishing eagle	Common Bengal monitor
4.	Barasingha	Whistling teal	Assam roofed turtle
5.	Wild water buffalo	Crested serpent eagle	Indian softshell turtle
6.	Bengal fox	Open-billed stork	Russel’s viper
7.	Indian Muntjac	Swamp partridge	King cobra
8.	River dolphin	Osprey	Rock python
9.	Sambar	Cormorant	Common krait
10.	Rhesus macaque	Marsh harrier	Copperhead trinket snake

 

08. Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka

Nagarhole National Park got its name from the river Nagarhole which runs east through its center.  In 1955 it was a sanctuary of 258 Sq. Km.  Later adjoining areas of Mysore district and now extends over an area of 643.39 sq. km which was given the status of a National Park in 1983.

Nagarahole National Park forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and together with Bandipur National Park (875 sq. km) and Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (325 sq. km) to its southeast and Wayanad (350 sq. km) to the South-West, is one of the last remaining and best-protected habitats for endangered species like the Elephant and the Tiger. Nagarhole National Park is also an IBA – Important Bird Area and over 300 bird species are recorded here including some of the endemics of Southern India.

 

• Area: 642.39 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option : Jeep/gypsy safari, Boat safari and Canter Safari
• Places Nearby: Wayanad wildlife sanctuary, Tholpetty wildlife sanctuary

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	grey-headed fishing eagle,	common vine snake
2.	Leopard	crested serpent eagle	common wolf snake
3.	Asian Elephant	crested hawk eagle	rat snake
4.	Giant Squirrel	oriental paradise flycatcher	bamboo pit viper
5.	Indian mouse deer	oriental honey buzzard	Russell’s viper
6.	bonnet macaque	yellow-footed green-pigeon	Indian rock python
7.	sloth bear	racket-tailed drongos	Asian common toad
8.	grey langur	Malabar pied hornbill	Bengal monitor
9.	ruddy mongoose	white-bellied woodpecker	Terrapin
10.	Stripe-necked mongoose	green imperial pigeon	Crocodile

 

09. Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Pench national park derived its name from the name of a river ‘Pench’. The characters in  Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling come to life in these forests. With the legendary Tigress Collarwali or (T-15), and recent sightings of a Melanistic Leopard or Black Leopard it is a must-visit for every wildlife lover. Pench National park became a national park in 1983 and part of Project Tiger in 1992. It has a total area of 1179 sq. km out of which a total core area of forest is  411 sq. km and the surrounding buffer area is 768 sq. km.  The forest of Pench can be divided into three categories, which are southern tropical dry deciduous Teak forest, Southern tropical wet forest, and mixed forest.

 

• Core Area: 411 Sq Km Buffer Area: 768 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option: Jeep/gypsy safari
• Places Nearby: Tadoba National Park, Kohka Lake, Totladoh Dam

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Black Drongo	Common Toad
2.	Chital	Spotted Dove	Marbled Toad
3.	Sambar	Laughing Dove	Banded Kukri Snake
4.	Nilgai	White-throated Kingfisher	Checkered Keelback
5.	Wild boar	Red-wattled Lapwing	Buff-Striped Keelback
6.	Sloth bear	Common Kingfisher	Indian Flapshell Turtle
7.	Indian wolf	Indian Pitta	Russell’s Viper
8.	Wild dog	Indian roller	Saw-scaled Viper
9.	Leopard	Orial	Rat Snake
10.	Jungle cat	Crimson-breasted Barbet	Common Sand boa

 

10. Sunderban National Park, West Bengal

Sunderban is a unique forest and ever-changing because of the natural phenomena of tidal cycles. The mangrove forests are also the world’s largest contiguous halophytic mangrove habitat covering an area of 4,266 sq. Km which consists of 56 forested islands.  It is also a globally important wetland and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  It is a challenging habitat for large mammals like Tigers, water buffalo, etc. This landscape supports about 300 species of birds, 7 species of amphibians, 59 species of reptiles, 165 species of fishes, and 64 species of crabs.

 

• Core Area: 1692 Sq Km Buffer Area: 2233 Sq Km
• Types of Safari option: Boat safari
• Places Nearby:

 

Sr No.	Mammals	Birds	Reptiles
1.	Royal Bengal Tiger	Lesser Adjutant Stork	Water Monitor lizard
2.	Fishing Cat	Black Headed Cuckoo Shrike	Olive Ridley turtle
3.	Common otter	Mangrove Pitta	Green Sea Turtle
4.	Wild boar	Indian Pitta	Hawksbill Turtle
5.	Gangetic Dolphin	Goliath Heron	King cobra
6.	Snubfin dolphin	Barn Owl	common cobra
7.	leopard cat	Stork Billed Kingfisher	Russell’s Viper
8.	Wild boar	Pied Kingfisher	Indian Python
9.	Rhesus Macaque	Common Kingfisher	Chequered Kil-Back
10.	Spotted Deer	Blue Eared Kingfisher	Green Whip Snake