Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

Covered In This Section : Introduction, Park Facts, Features, Wildlife, Temples, Kankwadi Fort, Activities, Transportation, Accommodation, Tour Packages.

Facts about the Park
District : Alwar
Location : 107 kms from Jaipur, 37 kms North East of Alwar
Area : 500 kms (core area)
Park Attractions : Wildlife, Temples, Fort
Best Time To Visit : October to March

Sariska National Park Introduction
Sariska National Park, located some 37 kms from the disrict of Alwar, is a great place to spend exciting and adventurous vacations. Lined up by a number of hills of Aravali, the region is bifurcated into many narrow valleys that criss cross at many places. Sariska National Park used to be the hunting grounds for the royal family of Alwar. The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in the year 1955. In 1979 the park was entitled the status of a national park and at present serves to protect some of the endangered species found in the region.

Park Features
Sariska lies bounded by Aravali Hills, some 37 kms from the city of Alwar in the state of Rajasthan. The topography of Sariska bears a good resemblance to yet another sanctuary Ranthambhore National Park. The sheer slopes of the hills overlook this sanctuary and form narrow valleys at many places. Decidous forests provide the covers to a great many untamed species. The park area see a lot of arid vegetation; bushes and thorns are spread at large here. There are numerous water holes in the park that support a large number of avian and amphibian population. There are few ancient monuments located within this park. These monuments gives an idea about the park status in the past.

Wildlife at Sariska National Park
Sariska National Park homes great many species of woodland animals. The topography and climate is one key factor responsible for biological diversity prevalent within the park premises. Tiger is one of the many species people come looking for. Sariska, like Ranthambhore National Park is home to the diurnal tigers. Although, their number is less nowadays, but encounters do take place. Some other jungle species include leopard, wild dog, hyena, jackal, sambar, chital, nilgai, chausingha, wild boar and langur.

The avian population consist of species of peafowl, sand grouse, tree pie, serpent eagle, Indian horned owl. The bird population often dwell near the water holes and their nests can be seen on the trees and in the bushes predominantly.

Temples
These ancient Shiva temples, known as Neelkanth Temples are additional attractions for the tourists. The temples were built during 6th and 13th century A.D. Ravaged by the time only ruins of these popular worshipping places are left. One of the temples, however, is still functional and often visited by the tourists.

Fort
Known as Kankwadi Fort, this medieval fort bears a good historical importance. The fort was built by the mughal rulers and as such features the popular Mughal architecture. Now in ruins, this fort is believed to be the restricted place where Aurangzeb had detained and murdered his brother.

Activities You Can Take Part In
At Sariska there are pretty many exercises one can engage in. It is one of the few places in the state where you can go for an adventure exploration. The terrains, wildlife, jungle environment welcomes you with all the adrenalin running in your blood and heart thumping out aloud.

Adventure enthusiasts, environmentalists and animal lovers are almost obsessed to spot the wild - wild Tiger. A large number of tourists come chasing this big cat and spotting one means a great inspiration. Besides that, there are numerous birds for bird watchers, their habitat and natural settings. Jeep Safaris provide an extra dimension to the wild exploration.

Further, the ancient monuments and temples make the trip more exciting and enlightening. These attractions are great add ons to the park.

Transportation Services for Sariska
Air : The nearest airport to Saiska is the Jaipur Airport. The airport is about 107 kms away.

Train : Train services are available upto the Alwar town. The railway station is about 37 kms from Sariska National Park.

Bus : Long distance bus service are available from many places, including the national capital - Delhi. The park lies off the Delhi-Alwar-Jaipur road.

Places Where You can Stay
Accommodation at Sariska are provided by several hotels and resorts. Some popular ones are given below:

Sariska Palace (Heritage Hotel), Hotel Tiger Den (RTDC).