Rajasthan News Desk!!! When we talk about tiger reserves, India’s name comes first. So, in today’s video let us take an exciting trip to Sariska Tiger Reserve located in Alwar district of Rajasthan.
Sariska Tiger Reserve, created in 1955, was included in Project Tiger in 1978. Which is an initiative of the Government of India, which aims to stop the declining number of tigers and preserve their natural habitat. Sariska Tiger Reserve, located at a distance of 240 km from Delhi, is located in the Aravalli dry forest region, the sanctuary is spread over an area of 866 square kilometers and is mainly divided into three zones – Core Zone, Buffer Zone and Tourism Zone. Tourist entry is limited in the core zone, while safaris and tourism are allowed in the buffer and tourism zones. The natural beauty, dense forests, hills and water sources here attract tourists.
Sariska has a spectacular diversity of flora and fauna. There are Dhok, Khair, Ber, Terminalia and many other plant species here. The area is mainly covered in dry deciduous forests, which provide a suitable habitat for the wildlife here. Wildlife found in Sariska includes tigers, leopards, deer, wild boars, nilgai and many types of birds. The reserve is also a paradise for bird lovers, as it is home to painted storks, gulls, green bee-eaters and many other rare species of birds.
Sariska Tiger Reserve is famous for its majestic Royal Bengal Tigers, it is the first tiger reserve in the world to successfully translocate tigers from Ranthambore. At present there are about 33 tigers here, which include 11 adult tigers, 14 adult tigresses and 8 cubs. However, the situation of tigers in Sariska was not always like this, the year 2004 is considered to be the worst time for Sariska. That year all the tigers in the reserve were either hunted or killed and sold. After which in the year 2005, Rajasthan government had declared red alert against illegal hunting and wildlife emergency.
Then under Project Tiger, after 4 years i.e. in the year 2008, tiger rehabilitation program was once again started in Sariska, under which one tiger and two tigresses were shifted here from Ranthambore National Park. Leaving behind all the uncertainties, these tiger couples started their baby boom in the year 2012. Due to which 2-2 cubs were born here in the year 2012 and 2013, their number kept increasing year by year and has now reached around 33. In every tiger reserve, every tiger is identified by a special name. The famous Tiger in Sariska is also known by names like Krishna, Sundari, Riddhi, Sita, Nalla, Veeru and Sultana. At the same time, all the tigers of Sariska are known mainly according to records on the basis of ST and numbers.
Apart from tigers, various animals like leopard, cheetah, wild boar, chital, sambar, nilgai, chausingha, and hyena can be seen in Sariska. Apart from this, bear, wild cat, and jackal are also found here. In the vegetation of Sariska you will find different types of trees, shrubs, and grasslands. The major vegetation here includes Dhok, Khair, Ber, Terminalia, Palash, and Salar. Various types of herbs and medicinal plants are also found in the forests here, which make the biodiversity here even richer.
The best time to visit Sariska Tiger Reserve is between October to March, when the weather is pleasant and there are more chances to spot wildlife. Temperatures remain moderate during this time, which is ideal for safaris. You can come here in summer also, because at this time it is easy to see tigers near water sources. The park remains closed during monsoon, to allow the wildlife time to breed. So, keep these things in mind while planning your trip.
Alwar Sariska Sanctuary is open for tourists from 6.00 am to 10.00 am and 02.30 to 6.30 pm during the summer season and from 6.30 am to 10.30 am and 02.30 to 05.30 pm during the winter season. This park remains closed every year during the monsoon season i.e. July, August and September. However, apart from some zones in the Tiger Reserve Sariska, the routes in the Alwar Buffer Zone remain open to tourists during the monsoon. The entry fee is Rs 80 for Indian tourists and Rs 470 for foreign tourists. Apart from this, separate fees are charged for safari. Here you can enjoy jeep safari or canter safari. The fee for jeep safari is Rs 4,200, which can accommodate 6 people, while the fee for canter safari is Rs 12,000, which can accommodate 20 people.
Rest houses, lodges and resorts are available for stay near Sariska Tiger Reserve. You may have to spend Rs 3 to 6 thousand to stay here and Rs 2 to 4 thousand to stay in the city area.
Sariska National Park is located at a distance of 165 kilometers from Delhi and 110 kilometers from Jaipur where you can travel to Sariska National Park by flight, train and road. If you are planning to travel by flight to Sariska National Park, then the nearest airport to Sariska National Park is Jaipur Airport, which is about 110 kilometers away from Sariska National Park. You can reach Jaipur by flying from any major city, and then hire a bus or a taxi from there to reach Sariska National Park. Regular bus services are available to Alwar from various cities of the state. Regular buses are available on this route whether day or night. The nearest railway station to Sariska National Park is Alwar Junction, which is the main railway station of the city and has regular trains from many major cities of India and the state. You can reach Alwar by traveling by train and from there by bus or hire a taxi to reach Sariska National Park.
