While you are planning a safari in the National Parks of India it is important to know when the parks are closed? Which day of the week? Or any festivals when the national parks are closed?
First and foremost one must know that the core zones of all the Tiger reserves are closed for the monsoons in India. There are couple of reasons why this is done. One, due to rain the mud trails become slushy. Hence there is a possibility of the safari vehicles getting stuck in the slush. So the forest department prefers to close the national parks. Also the monsoon break provides an opportunity to the forest to rejuvenate itself.
Closure of some popular national parks
All Madhya Pradesh National Parks i.e. Panna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Pench, Satpura, Sanjay are closed every Wednesday afternoon for safaris. These parks are also closed on Holi and Diwali festival days. No safaris on these two days. The monsoon break for the Madhya Pradesh parks is from 1st July till 30th Sept. But the buffer zones are open for safari in these parks.
In Maharashtra, Tadoba remains closed on Holi festival for one day, and two days for the Diwali festival. Besides, it is also closed for morning safari on 26th January which is India’s Republic day, and also the morning of 1st May which is the labour day.
Ranthamhore National Parks zones from 1 till 5 are closed from 1st July till 30th Sept for monsoon. But zones 6 to 10 are open for tourism during this time.
Jim Corbett National Park and Dudhwa National Park are also closed for monsoon from 16th June till 15th November. But the Jhirna range is open for tourism in the monsoons also.
Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary is open round the year for tourism. But, birding is at it’s peak during Dec till mid Feb as the the migratory birds make Bharatpur their home during these months.
Is it worth doing a safari in buffer zones during monsoon time?
Yes, by all means. If you are a nature lover then yes, the forest is at it’s beautiful best during monsoon. If you just wish to see the Tigers during this time, then this is not the ideal time. It is simple, because when it rains do you step out of your house for a stroll, not really, or rarely. Same is the case with Tigers. They prefer not to get wet. But it is not that the Tigers stop walking, and patrolling their territory, they do it, but slightly less. Hence the chances of Tiger sightings are less. But nature offers so much of love soaked in beauty that you don’t miss the Tigers.
Also, if it starts to rain during the safari it is tough to take images, as you rather protect your expensive camera equipment than risk it in the rains.
There is so much of growth all around, wild flowers, butterflies, birds nesting, bird songs, vibrant colors, cloudy skies, and a lot more. The whole landscape is decorated just for you. Complete eco-system is thriving.
So, if you are a nature lover, then you must visit during the monsoons. Find out in advance which resorts are open. Most of the resorts are closed during this time. But there are some resorts open, which take bookings. Find out, go, explore, and upgrade yourself to a nature lover from just a Tiger lover. It is like, you must love the home of the Tiger, because only if you do, will you understand the value of it’s home, and that is the only way to save the Tiger.
Honestly, the forest is not only about the Tigers. Let us see the big picture together rather than just one important element of nature.
Sharad Vats
