Despite of the rough environment, barren landscape and hot weather of Rajasthan, the state still houses some pretty impressive collection of flora and fauna. Some amazing wild animals can be seen in the deep forests of Rajasthan. The large size and varying latitude of the state at 1700 meter above sea level also leads to variety of vegetation. The vegetation varies from barren shrubbery of the desert to the grasslands of hilly regions of Mount Abu to wetlands situated in Bharatpur to the deciduous thorn forests of Aravali Terrains. Rajasthan provides for comfortable sustenance for a variety of animals. It attracts herds of variety of mammals. Rajasthan also resides many endangered species and tigers.

Leopard’s can also be found in this state. They can be seen in the forests and sometime in the villages and towns situated nearby the forest. Some common animals that you can see in villages include dogs, calves, asses, goats, etc.

The land of Rajasthan is desolate and barren yet it provides habitat to a large variety of wildlife. Rajasthan is the state which is said to have the most number of wildlife parks and sanctuaries in India. Exploring the wilderness of Rajasthan is an extraordinary experience in itself. If you are in Rajasthan then you should not miss the opportunity of exploring its wildlife. Rajasthan’s wilderness is the natural habitat of many mammals, birds and reptiles like desert fox, Indian Bustard, etc. Some rare animal species that are found in the state include birds like coots, pelicans, Siberian Cranes, imperial sand grouse and buzzards, animals like tigers, caracal, gavial, wild boards and chinkara and reptiles like porcupine and monitor lizard. All the Rajasthan Wildlife Parks and Sanctuaries are declared as World Heritage Site. Although hunting used to be the royal hobby of the historical kings who ruled this state, in the present day Government of Rajasthan does whatever it takes to protect the animals from illegal hunting and poaching. National Parks like Sariska, Kaladeo and Ranthambore are protected by the state government. There is a Desert National Park in the state which is famous for endangered species.

The wildlife tours available in Rajasthan allow you have to unique experiences like wildlife safaris, bird watching, trekking and boating and jungle safaris. You can find accommodation options in the sanctuaries. The best way to get the full jungle experience is to stay amidst the wilderness.

Rajasthan Wildlife Tours

Rajasthan is truly one of the most wonderful states of India. Apart from being rich in culture, historical monuments and folk music, Rajasthan also has some of the most important sanctuaries and wildlife parks in India. These sanctuaries and wildlife parks provide a natural habitat for many animals and plants. The varied landscape of Rajasthan from barren Thar Desert to rugged Aravali terrains to green deciduous forests to fresh wetlands provides the perfect home for varying range of flora and fauna species. There four major Sanctuaries and Wildlife Parks in Rajasthan. They are Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Ranthambore National Park and Desert National Park. The Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary and the Ranthombore National Park are world renowned wildlife reserve that houses the majority tiger population in India. In fact it is the best place to spot tigers in India. Apart from that it is also the home of many small sized ecological parks and wildlife centers. Some small wildlife parks and sanctuaries in the state are Mount Abu Sanctuary, Darrah Sanctuary, Bhensrod Garh Sanctuary, Kumbalgarh Sanctuary, Jaisamand Sanctuary, and Jawahargarh Sanctuary.

All small and large wildlife national parks and sanctuaries are responsible for housing some of the rarest and most endangered species in India. The species founds in the forests of Rajasthan include Tigers, Sambars, Panthers, Black Bucks, Bison, Chinkara, antelopes, the rarest kind of desert fox, wild boars, deer, monitor lizard, endangered caracel, etc. The sanctuaries are also home to many rare, exotic and endangered birds. Some of these birds are migratory in nature like the Siberian Cranes who come to the warmth of Rajasthan during the winter season. The Desert National Park is famous for housing The Great Indian Bustard, an endangered bird species found in the shrubbery of the harsh and barren desert region near Jaisalmer.

The wildlife safaris available in Rajasthan make your excursions in the wilderness even more fun. For wildlife, jeep safari and elephant safari are most appropriate as they allow you to see the wild animals in their true natural habitat. If you are lucky you might get some face to face time with a tiger or some other dangerous wild animal.

Most Visited Wildlife Sanctuaries And National Parks Are:

Bharatpur Wild life Sanctuary

The Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary is mainly an exotic bird sanctuary situated in Rajasthan. It is the ultimate place for viewing migratory birds like Larks, Pipits, Shanks, Stints, Buntings, Cranes, Wheat Eaters, Wagtails, Eagles, Pelicans, and others. You will be amazed to see how birds like storks protect their young ones by hiding them under their wings. The Saras Cranes are the most popular bird found in this sanctuary. Some animals that are found in the Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary include otters, hares, jackals, jungle cats, spotted deer, civets, wild boars, nilgai, sambar, black bucks, and some other animals like fishing cats.

Desert National Park

The barren and hot desert on the outskirts of the city of Jaisalmer comprises to be the Desert National Park. A lot of people think that due to their barren nature, deserts don’t really have any flora and fauna to protect. But in reality, deserts have its own unique ecosystem which invites a variety of wildlife. Monitor lizard, which is a small tiny tailed reptile, is one of the rarest species found in the desert. The monitor lizard looks like a miniature dragon and lives in dark underground holes. Other species found in the area include chameleons, sand fish which swims under the sand, and many deadly snakes like Sand krait and viper. Some mammals that are found in this Desert National Park include Desert Gerbil, Desert Fox, Desert Wolf, Hedgehog and Desert Hare.

Mt Abu Wildlife Sanctuary

This wildlife sanctuary is situated in Guru Shikar which is the topmost point of the Aravali Hills. The sanctuary is spread over a vast area of 289 square kilometers. It was established in the year 1960 and is home to a wide variety of animals like wild boars, langaur, leopard and sambar. Another rare species find here is the grey jungle fowl. The aesthetic value of this place is quite high due to presence of flowery trees, plants and shrubberies in this region. Some other major Rajasthani Sanctuaries are Jawahar Sagar, Todgarh Rad, Shergarh, Ramgarh, Van Vihar, Kaili Devi, Jamwa Ramgarh, Tal Chapper, Chambal, Darrah and Sitamata.

Rathambore National Park

The Ranthambore National Park is situated in close vicinity to Sawai Modhpur Town in Rajasthan. This national spans across 392 square kilometers and is one of the major Project Tiger Reserve locations in India. The combination of forest with local history makes this place more fun to explore. The herbivorous species found in this park include Chitals, blue bulls, sambars and Chinkara. But the tigers are the major attraction in this National park. There are also some historical monuments located inside the perimeter of this National Park which goes back to the ancient period. A jeep safari through the high grassland and dense forests of this National Park is worthwhile.

Sariska National Park

The remaining part of dry hilly countryside which was situated along the Aravali Hills constitutes the Sariska National Park. It spans over 300 square miles and is found near the Kankwari Fort. The fort used to the ruling palace for the Alwars who reigned over this region. In the year 1955 this whole place was declared as a sanctuary. Sariska is also a very popular Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. The main attraction here are tigers but other animal species are also found in the region like porcupines, caracals, nilgai, hare, wild boar, chital, sambar, hyena, jackal, jungle cat and panther.

Van Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary

Van Vihar is the abode for a variety of species of both flora and fauna. This park is one of those places where animals are allowed to live in their natural habitat and due to this very reason this place attracts a number of tourists. This place provides protective asylum to a number of bird and animal species. Van Vihar and Ram Nagar are the oldest wildlife sanctuaries which included in wildlife reserve in 1955 by the Government of Rajasthan. Van Vihar is situated 18 kilometers away from Dholpur and Ramsagar. It spans across 59.86 square kilometers. Van Vihar is rich in flora too as it is located on the Vindhyan Plateau. Dhok and Khair Trees are highly popular in this region. Tigers were present in this wildlife park but only till 1960. Maharaja Udaybhan Singh, who used to be the King of Dholpur, was so proud of the forest that he personally fed the animals like deer, antelopes, foxes, birds, jackals, etc. The rulers of this region were responsible for its construction and currently its maintenance falls under the State Forest Department. The Ramnagar Sanctuary is also included in Van Vihar. The Ramsagar Lake situated inside Van Vihar houses many aquatic flora and fauna like fishes, crocodiles, water snakes, etc.

Kaladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur

Kaladeo is one of the most renowned bird sanctuaries that you will find in India. In Rajasthan sanctuaries like Bharatpur and Kaladeo allow you to enter into the feathery world of beautiful exotic birds. The Kaladeo Ghana National Park houses varied species of migratory, domestic and water birds. This park is spanned across 29 square kilometers and contains other animals also, like boar, nilgai, chintal, sambar, etc.