Jim Corbett National Park is a destination that must be visited at least once in a lifetime. For a wildlife enthusiast this is one of those destinations that must feature on their bucket list. Jim Corbett named after the famous hunter was originally called Hailey Park when it got established in 1936. However, later it was renamed after Jim Corbett who turned from an hunter to an author and conservationist when he took initiatives to protect the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger. This is the reason that today Jim Corbett National Park is a protected area making efforts to save the endangered species of the Bengal tiger.

Situated in the foothills of the Himalayas in the district of Nainital, Jim Corbett is surrounded by some of the most astounding natural splendor offering a sheer visual treat to the travelers. The park is home to a huge variety of 488 species of plants and wild life animals including tiger, chital, elephants, wild boar, nilgai, hedgehog, gharial, sambar deer, king cobra flying fox etc. That’s not all, as the park is also inhabited by over 600 species of birds. Spread over 521 sq km, Jim Corbett boasts diverse landscapes and therefore the park is divided into four different zones – Jhirna, Bijrani, Dhikala and Phato.

Each of these zones is quite distinctive and are characterized by a certain kind of vegetation. For instance Jhirna features dense forests, thereby making it the perfect spot for bird viewing. Besides, the birds, you can also spot sloth bear, elephants and tigers. The Bijrani zone strectches up to the hills where pure Sal can be found while the valley contains a mix of grasslands and deciduous mixed forests. A large number of herbivores can be found within this zone thereby making it the perfect prey area for the tigers. It is definitely a spot where sighting a tiger is not unusual.

One of the most diverse zones in Jim Corbett National Park is of course Dhikala that not only offers a diverse terrain and an opportunity to spot the hog deer, exclusive to this area, but is also home to some of the well-known forest rest houses. In fact, most of options for staying within the forest are available at Dhikala where you literally get to stay amid wild and natural surroundings. The last zone, Phato mostly contains plantation forests.

The best way to explore the forests of Jim Corbett National Park is through elephant safari or jeep safari. You can even opt for a combination of the two, as both offer distinctive experiences. It is however, advisable to book Jim Corbett National Park wildlife tours well in advance because this destination is quite popular all throughout the year except for the monsoons. Major part of the park is closed between June and September during the monsoon season. The best time to take on a tour package and visit Jim Corbett is between November and June. So, book the perfect wild life tour package and embark on an adventure of a lifetime at Jim Corbett National Park.