With cheetahs returning to India after nearly 70 years and two wildlife documentaries from the country-All That Breathes and The Elephant Whisperers-making it to the Oscars, there's renewed interest in India's extremely diverse fauna. However, most popular wildlife parks often have long queues and are expensive. Namrata Dadwal lists five lesser-known sanctuaries that you can explore at a more reasonable price.
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary Rajasthan
Spread over 578 acres in the Aravalli range, the sanctuary is near the famous Kumbalgarh Fort, which boasts the world's second longest wall after the Great Wall of China. It is also more af- fordable than its popular counterpart, Ranthambore, as the entry ticket is 75- 100 per head and the cost of a safari is around 2,500 for six people while at Ranthambore, a safari costs 1,200-
1,800 per person and the entry ticket is *600-700 per person.
NEAREST CITY
BEST WAY TO EXPLORE
AVERAGE TARIFF (PER NIGHT)
COST OF SAFARI
BEST KNOWN FOR
BEST TIME TO VISIT
National Chambal Sanctuary
Madhya Pradesh
The 5,400 sq km sanctuary spills over into Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and is the only one in India with three keystone species-Ganges river dolphin, ghariyal and red-crowned roof turtle-along with eight rare turtle species and about 300 species of migratory and resident birds.
NEAREST CITY
Agra and Gwalior
BEST WAY TO EXPOLRE
BY boat
AVERAGE TARIFF ( PER NIGHT )
₹2,500-5,000 for hotels in Agra, Gwalior and kota.
COST OF BOAT RIDE
₹1,800 per person
BEST KNOWN FOR
Ganges river dolphin, ghariyal and sarus crane
BEST TIME TO VISIT
November to March
Manas National Park Assam
Less famous than its more illustrious cousin, Kaziranga, this sanctuary is a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. It is home to the threatened Indian Rhinoceros and other rare species like the Red Panda, Golden Langur and Pygmy Hog, and is is also a Project Tiger Reserve and an elephant reserve with around 55 species of mammals, 450 species of birds and 50 species of reptiles.
NEAREST CITY
Guwahati
BEST WAY TO EXPLORE
Jeep safari, elephant safari and river rafting
AVERAGE TARIFF (PER NIGHT)
2,000-3,500 in jungle camps and resorts inside or near the park
COST OF SAFARI
1,150 per head on elephant safari, 24,400 for a jeep with four people, 8,200 per person to 10,600 for six people in a boat
BEST KNOWN FOR
Indian rhinoceros, red panda, tiger, golden langur and pygmy hog
BEST TIME TO VISIT
October to May
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Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary Andhra Pradesh
While the Sunderbans in West Bengal is India's most popular mangrove forest, an equally spectacular one is Coringa, which is also the second largest one in the country. It is a birder's paradise and is also home to otters, jackals, fishing cats and estuarine crocodiles. Endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles nest here during January-March every year.
NEAREST CITY
Kakinada
COST OF BOAT RIDE
₹400-2,500
AVERAGE TARIFF
₹1,000-1,500 per night for the Forest Rest House
BEST WAY TO EXPLORE
Boat or by foot
BEST KNOWN FOR
The endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles
BEST TIME TO VISIT
November to February
Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park Tamil Nadu
The park has 21 islets and three distinct coastal eco- systems-coral reef, seagrass bed and mangroves- with over 4,200 species of plants and animals. It is home to the largest endangered marine mammal Dugong and is also the last refuge of the unique 'living fossil' Balanoglossus that links vertebrates and invertebrates.
NEAREST CITIES
Rameshwaram and Madurai
BEST WAY TO EXPLORE
By boat
AVERAGE TARIFF
3,500-5,000 per night in hotels
COST OF BOAT RIDE
₹200-400 per person in a glass- bottomed boat for 90 minutes
BEST KNOWN FOR
Dugong, spinner dolphins, green turtles and humpback whales
BEST TIME TO VISIT
October to March
