How I Made the Most Out Of Jim Corbett National Park Trip

Jim Corbett National Park is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries in India, known for its tigers, elephants, crocodiles, snakes, deers, and over 200 species of birds. This place is quite close to delhi, well not too close but convenient to delhites as they can reach here via road in less than 7 hours (halt included).

Honestly I was never too interested in visiting a wildlife sanctuary because what I could get from the experience of others is that the visit is fruitful only if you spot a tiger, which is rare. Well I am never like unproductive trips, means there has to be something more than just sitting in the car and waiting for the tiger to show up which most of the times doesn’t happen. Also if it does show up then ?…… well lets leave it there only.

This time when a group of travellers was planning the trip I decided to tag along. This way the road trip as well as the stay becomes fun. We stopped at Bikanerwala, Gajraula which is just 2 hours from delhi for breakfast.

Then we ditched the bus and travelled in open jeeps from Ramnagar which is around 28 Kms from Corbett The Baagh Resort & Spa where we were staying. The thrill of sitting in a open Jeep can’t be explained in words. I loved the ride and would highly recommend it ! At Ram Nagar we had soya momos & tea at a small tea shop. Surprisingly moms were absolutely delicious.

After reaching the resort we had lunch and then took a trip around the resort with Mr Imran Khan, who knows all about the animals, birds and even plants in the surrounding forest (sitabani). The entire session was amazing and focused on exploring, we were able to spot couple of birds, of species I never knew of and heard barking deer’s alarm (the sound they make after spotting a tiger to alert others). He also showed us Tiger’s pug marks, and chatted with locals. Unlike my previous trips, this time the locals were very welcoming and easily shared their stories with us which was enriching. I really loved their simplicity and warmth.

Next day early morning we went to the hills of Amtouli, we were dropped at the hill top by jeeps and trekked down to the resort which was almost 4.8 Km. The view from the top was spell binding .. the fresh air and feeling of being at the top was thrilling as well as liberating.. We had breakfast and then trekked down , Mr Rakesh Bhatt who is a bird watcher as well as local guide knows it all ! whether its about a tree, a bird or an animal, he can tell all even the minutest of details. I enjoyed his company and gathered a lot of information.

On the way back I saw a temple (Sitabani Ashram), which was Sita Ji’s Temple, holds a great value to the villagers as they perform ceremonies there. The quaint , old temple with a pond was picturesque !

We also met a woman who came to the forest for wood next morning. She shared a story of her encounter with a tiger and how she managed to escape. The best thing was that the lady kept smiling and enthusiastically answered our questions. She was very sweet and asked if we saw elephants or tigers since there are way too many of them in the forest.

Mr Bhatt also shared the hardships of the locals who struggle at each step whether it is technology, finances or safety from the wild animals. The locals have small lands where they do farming and they have invented their own make shift mechanisms to scare birds or animals away. Some of them stay up all night to keep hunting animals away from their homes. Even then the villagers were doing daily chores with a smile and we spoke to couple of them about the crops and how they grow them etc.

Best part of the trip was witnessing the preparation of “Ghugutia Festival” , in some parts of india we celebrate Makarsakranti, Lohri & pongal. This day marks the beginning of longer days and shorter nights (Uttarayan), a change in weather. The family that hosted us was extremely sweet and let us be a part of the celebrations. We also had couple of sweets which they made using wheat flour & jaggery. The next day these sweets are offered to crows.

We also got to know that most of the farmers do organic farming since they don’t own large lands. Organic produce is a big thing these days and it does take a lot to grow crops without using chemicals. We visited an organic farm very close to the resort and spoke to the one who manages the entire manure production as well as cultivation. He explained the steps happily while we took a round of the farm. This was my first time seeing everything in real.

For me staying in the hotel isn’t lucrative. If you reach there don’t just waste your days lazying around the property even though it is quite tempting since we delhites don’t get to see hills, haze & greenery evert morning. Ask for a bird watcher or local guide / forest ranger who could take you to the surrounding hills or forests and give you insight on animals, birds or locals. Don’t lose your heart if you don’t get to see the tiger in jungle safari, don’t restrict it to “tiger spotting” otherwise you will not enjoy anything else.

There is so much more to see in & around Jim Corbett National Park like seeing various species of birds, flora & fauna, deers etc. Be there to enjoy the purity & freshness of hills. I find trekking or gathering information, soaking up the nature’s beauty, listening to the chirping of birds , windy rides more satisfying.  Talk to the locals and explore the culture & their lifestyle. The concept of Go Beyond Go Local will get you more happiness & contentment than just sticking to spotting tigers.

Some pictures from my trip –