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Simbalbara Sanctuary
Simbalbara sanctuary is located in the Paonta valley of Sirmour district in the Himachal Pradesh. The Paonta valley is the most picturesque and beautiful area in the Shiwalik hills and has beautiful dense Sal forests with grassy glades. A perennial stream also runs in the area. There is a forest rest house in this sanctuary which is connected by a fair weather road from Puruwala and provides a beautiful view of the valley. Goral, Sambhar and Cheetal are the various animals which can be easily seen in this sanctuary. Winter is the best season to visit this sanctuary. There are walking trails in the quiet adjoining forests.

Manali Sanctuary
The Manali Sanctuary starts about 2 km from Manali town. It forms the catchment of Manalsu khad. A bridle path from Manali log huts and Dhoongri temple passes through dense Deodar, Kail, Horse chestnut, Walnut and Maple forests. This sanctuary covers an area of 3,180 hectares. The sanctuary was notified on 26th February 1954, under the Punjab Birds and Wild Animals Protection Act, 1933. Night stay in tents at Lambadug or Gallant thatch is an unforgettable experience. Alpine lush green pastures and glaciers beyond Galant thatch are a great attraction for the enthusiastic but enduring visitors. Musk deer, Monal, Brown Bear, Leopard, Snow leopard can be seen here. Those who venture up to snows can see herds of Ibex in the glacier zone in summers.

Daranghati Sanctuary
Daranghati Sanctuary is located in the upper area of Shimla District. This has undisturbed forest area with plenty of wildlife. Monal, Tragopan, Koklas and Kalij are the pheasants found here. The area also has Musk deer, Goral and Thar. There is a network of bridle paths and inspection paths in the sanctuary. The area is ideal for those who love to trek along mountain heights.

Great Himalayan National Park
The Great Himalayan National Park with an area of 620 square km. is located in Kullu District and has the representative area of temperate and alpine forests of Himachal. It has some the virgin coniferous forests of the State. Vast areas of alpine pastures and glaciers cap this park. This area has many important wildlife species of Western Himalayas like Musk deer, Brown bear, Goral, Thar, Leopard, Snow leopard, Bharal, Serow, Monal, Kalij, Koklas, Cheer, Tragopan, Snow cock etc. Trekking of Rakti-Sar, origin of Sainj river and Tirath, the origin of Tirthan river and camping in alpine partures is unforgettable. Camping equipment and guides are provided by the Forests Department.

Pin Valley National Park
The Pin Valley National Park is situated in the cold desert of Spiti Valley. In this area visitors come across large herds of Ibex and Bharal. Snow leopard is found in this park. This area can be visited only by those who have tough leg muscles and strong lungs. The area is closed to foreign visitors. Indian visitors are also required to obtain a permit for entry from Deputy Commissioner Shimla or Sub Divisional Magistrate Rampur.

rock pigeon, peafowl, red jungle fowl, jungle crow, golden oriole, white cheeked bulbul. The best time to view the mammals is from September to March and for birds is March to May. The nearest airport and railway station is located in Jammu which is 8 kms from the sanctuary.

Kishtwar High Altitude National Park
Kishtwar High Altitude National Park is situated only 248 kms. away from Jammu city. This national park occupies an area of 400 square km and has an altitudinal range of 1,700 to 4,800 meters above sea level. The area is characterized by marked variations in topography, climate and altitude as a result of which different types of forest vegetation occur. The principal tree species are Cedrus deodara, Pinus gerardiana, Pinus wallichiana, Quercus spp., Juglans regia, Ulmus spp., etc. The major herbs include Primula spp., Brachypodium spp., Anemone spp., Dipsacus mitis, Artemisia vulgaris, etc. The park contains 15 species of mammals including the musk deer, Himalayan black and brown bear, hangul, markhor, goral, langur, leopard, etc. There are about 50 species of birds like the Himalayan jungle crow, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, flycatcher, golden oriole, white cheeked bulbul and Indian Mynah. The best season to view the birds is from March to May and for animals mammal is September to March. The nearest airport and railway station is in Jammu, which is 250 kms away.

Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary
Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary is situated about 26 kms from Jammu. This wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of 33 square km. and has been named after Nandni village. Nandini Wildlife Sanctuary is characterized by stunning locale and varied topography. This sanctuary is the home of a large number of rare and endangered species of mammals and birds. There are about eight mammal species in the area. The main species are leopard, wild boar, rhesus monkey, goral, grey langur etc. The sanctuary is also known for the wonderful species of pheasants. The common birds are Indian mynah, blue rock pigeon, peafowl, red jungle fowl, chir pheasants, chakor etc. The best season to view the birds is from March to May and for animals is September to March. The nearest airport and railway station is in Jammu, which is 28 kms away.

Surinsar Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary
Surinsar Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary has been named after the two lakes located on each corner of the sanctuary. This sanctuary comprises an area of 98 square km. and located about 56 kms away from the Jammu city. The vegetation consists of the mixed scrub forest with broad leaved species mixed with stands of Pinus gerardiana. The common broad leaved species are Acacia spp., Mallotus phillipensis, dalbergia sissii, ficus religiosa, bahunia variegata. This wildlife sanctuary supports 8 species of mammals and 15 species of birds. The mammals found in the sanctuary are Goral, wild boar, barking deer, leopard. There is multitude of birds like black partridge, red jungle fowl, peafowl, grey partridge, green pigeon, blue rock pigeon, rufus turtle dove. The best season to view the mammals is from September to March and for birds is March to May. The nearest airport and railway station is located in Jammu which is 58 kms from the sanctuary.

Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary
Jasrota Wildlife Sanctuary is situated right on the banks of Ujh river, north of Jasrota village. This wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of 10 square km. The entire area is mainly dominated by bamboo plantations. The other broad leaved species are Acacia Catechu A.Arabica, Dalbergia Sissoo, Lannea Grandis etc. The main shrubs are Lantana camara, Carisa spinarum, Dodonea Visacosa. Cheetal, Barking deer, wild boar and rhesus monkey are the main animals which are found in the sanctuary. There is rich variety of pheasants and other migratory and resident birds. The principal species are peafowl, red jungle fowl, jungle bush quail, green pigeon and blue rock pigeon. The best season to view the mammals is from September to March and for birds is March to May. The nearest airport and railway station is located in Jammu which is 65 kms from the sanctuary.

Dachigam National Park
Dachigam National Park is situated about 22 kms. from Srinagar. Dachigam National Park forms almost half of the Dal Lake's catchment area and is one of the famous natural reserves in India. This park covers an area of 141 square kms. and situated at an altitude of 1700 to 4000 meters above sea level. The dense forests of Dachigam offers a brilliant view along with a Glacier fed rivulet flowing right through the middle. There are over fifty species of trees, twenty of shrubs and five hundred species of herbs. The principal tree species are Pinus griffithii, Abies pindrow, Juglans regia, Morus alba, Betula utilis, Salix spp., Populus spp., Prunus armeniaca, Corylus colurna, Quercus robur, Ulmus wallichiana, Aesculus indica, etc. This park is the home of the endangered Hangul Stag, the species of the red deer in the country. The various other mammals include Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, langur, Himalayan marmot, leopard etc. There are over 150 species of birds. The principal species are monal, koklas, bearded vulture, griffon vulture, golden eagle, grey heron, starling, golden oriole, paradise flycatcher, western yellow-billed blue magpie, kestrel, peregrine falcon, black bulbul, etc. There is also a Trout fish farm in Dachigam. In order to explore the park you will have to obtain permission from the wildlife authorities. The best season to view the birds is from March to May and for animals is September to March. The nearest airport is located in Srinagar which is about 32 kms from Dachigam National Park.

Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve
Gulmarg Biosphere Reserve is located about 48 kms. to its south-west of Srinagar. This reserve covers an area of 180 square kms and situated at an altitude of 2400 to 4300 meters above sea level. The sanctuary is of particular interest to ornithologists. The area holds a rich cover of vegetation and consists of conifers which account for over 90% of area. The principal species are Cedrus deodara, Pinus griffithii, Abies pindrow, Aesculus indica etc. The ground cover is very rich and dicotyledonus herbs dominate that comprises of Rumex patientia, Primula spp., anemone spp., etc. It is famous for retaining several rare and endangered species of animals like the musk deer, hangul, serow, brown bear, Leopard, black bear and red fox etc. The reserve also houses a good population of pheasants and resident and migratory birds. The common birds are griffon vulture, monal, snow cock, koklas, blue rock pigeon, Kashmir roller, European hoopoe, jungle crow etc. The best time to view the birds is from the month of March to May and for animals is from September to March. The nearest airport is located in Srinagar, about 57 kms from the reserve.

large numbers in the Sathiana and Kakraha blocks. Tiger, one-horned rhinoceros, sloth bear, ratel, civet, jackal, fishing cat, jungle cat, leopard cat, hog deer and barking deer are the other animals which can be seen in this park. Bird life is also abundant in Dudhwa National Park. The best time to visit this national park is between October and March.

Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary
Chandraprabha Wildlife Sanctuary is situated about 70 km. from Varanasi. It is a breathtakingly beautiful picnic spot in the Chandraprabha forests and located on Naugarh and Vijaigarh hillocks in Vindhya forest range, in Chandauli district. This wildlife sanctuary was established in 1957 and sprawls over an area of 78 sqaure kms. The sanctuary is rich in varied types of flora and fauna and a perfect treat for the nature lover. It serves as an ideal habitat for various animals like Panther, Leopard, Beer, Chinkara, Cheetal, Sambhar, Chausingha, Hyena, Jackal, Wolf and other animals. This sanctuary is a bird watchers paradise, and one can see around 150 species of birds including partridge and peafowl. The best season to visit this sanctuary is between mid of November to mid of June.

Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1986 in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The Hastinapur Sanctuary covers an area of 2073 square kms. This wildlife sanctuary is inhabited by various types of wild animals like antelope, swamp deer, chital, nilgai, wolf, leopard, hyena, wild cat, gharial, wild boar and different types of birds.

Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary
Kaimoor Wildlife Sanctuary is located on the Uttar Pradesh - Bihar border, about 100 kms. from Varanasi. This wildlife sanctuary was established in 1982 and spread over an area of 500 square km. The vegetation in the sanctuary includes sal, sheesham teak, mahua, jamun, siddha, salai, koraiya and jheengar. The beauty of Sone and Echo valley can be witnessed here. The main species of wild animals found in the sanctuary are antelope, blue bull, wild cat, karakal, leopard, blackbuck, chital, chinkara, ratel, and bijju. There are quite a few varieties of local and migratory birds that form a large part of the wild population. The best season to visit this sanctuary is between November and April.

National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary
National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Etawah, about 70 kms. from Agra. This sanctuary is spread over an area of 635 sq. kms and established in 1979. The sanctuary is presently a part of a large area co-administered by Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. This wildlife sanctuary has a collection of exotic and rarely found species of animals. The main attraction of National Chambal wildlife sanctuary is the gangetic dolphin. The park is inhabited by crocodiles, alligators, chinkara, swamp deer, sambhar, chital, nilgai, wolf, leopard, hyena and wild boar. This sanctuary can be visited thorughout the year.

under Rajaji National Park. The Rajaji National Park covers an area of about 820 square kms. It is known for its pristine scenic beauty and rich bio-diversity. It represents the flora of several zones of the forest, raverine, broad leaf mixed forest, chrpined forest, scrub land and grassy pasture lands. This sanctury offers exciting opportunities of viewing the wild animals in their natural habitat. About 23 species of mammals are found in this national park. The wildlife includes elephant, tiger, leopard, panther, bear, deer, ghoral, barking deer, spotted deer, hog deer, sambar, wild boar, nilgai, python, rhesus monkey, common langur, Leopard cat, Jungle cat, Civet cat, Yellow Throated Martin, hyena, jackal, bengal fox and monitor lizard. About 315 species of birds are found in the park. Some of these birds are peacocks, ducks, teals, cormorants, egrets, lapwing, pond herons, pea fowl, jungle fowl, kaleej pheasant, hornbill, woodpecker, kingfisher, parakeet, warbler, drongo, crows, owlets and nightjars and several species of migratory birds in winter season. 28 species of snakes, 12 species of turtles and tortoises and 9 species of lizards are also being recorded from the park. The best season to visit the park is from November to June. The nearest airport is located in Jolly Grant, Dehradun, about 24 kms from the sanctuary.

Govind Wildlife Sanctuary
The Govind Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Uttarkashi district of Uttararanchal. This wildlife sanctuary was established on 1st March, 1955 and spreads over an area of 957.969 square kms. This sanctuary forms the upper catchment of the Tons river, which is the most important tributary of River Yamuna in its upper reaches. The area is very rich in medicinal plants and its large area along with the forests of the neighbouring forest divisions helps in maintaining genetic diversity. The area is a home of over 15 species of mammals and 150 species of birds. The main attraction of this wildlife sanctuary is the Snow leopard. Black bear, Brown bear, Musk deer, Bharal, Himalayan Tahr and Common leopard are the other animals which can be seen in this sanctuary. The birds which can be seen in this sanctuary are Monal pheasant, Koklas pheasant, Western Tragopan, Himalayan Snow cock, Golden eagle, Steppe eagle, Black eagle and Bearded vulture, pigeons, parakeets, cuckoos, owls, minivets, bulbuls, tits, warblers, thrushes, finches, buntings, etc. The best time to visit this wildlife sanctuary is from April to June and September to November. The nearest airport is the Jolly Grant in Dehradun, about 231 kms from the sanctuary.

Valley of Flowers National Park
The world famous Valley of Flowers is situated in the upper expansions of Bhyundar Ganga in the far interior of Garhwal Himalayas in Uttaranchal. The valley of flowers is spread over an area of 87.5 square kms. The rich references of this colouful and eye catching valley can be seen in the Indian History and literature such as the Ramayana and Mahabharat. To conserve the nature’s benevolent gift and to maintain the natural balance of the valley, the valley was declared as a National Park in 1982. The Valley was introduced to the world as the Valley of Flowers by Frank S. Smith, the mountaineer, explorer, botanist who camped here for several weeks in 1937 and did valuable exploratory work. In 1939, Miss Margarate Legge, a botanist arrived at the valley for further studies. While she was traversing some rocky slopes to collect flowers, she slipped off and was lost for ever in the garden of the gods. Her sister later visited the valley and erected a memorial on the spot where she was buried by the locals. According to local people, this valley is the playground of fairies and nymphs, and the Hanuman also collected herbs from this region to revive Laxman. The valley of Flowers National Park starts from Ghangharia but the main valley starts after crossing the gorge and the stream from Nar Parvat, 3 kms. from Ghangharia. In front of the Valley stands the snowclad peak of Ratban Parvat and at the back is the Kunt Khal, the Nar Parvat, which separates the Badrinath valley from this valley is in the left, and the dense Birch forests is on the right side. The river Pushpavati, which emerges from glacial deposits, cuts through the alpine valley. There are also various waterfalls that enhances the beauty of the valley. The region remains snow covered from November to May and the blooming of flowers starts immediately after the melting of snow but the peak blooming period is from mid July to mid of August. Almost 300 species of wild flowers bloom here in natural way. Various species of flowers like Anemone, Anaphalles, Geranium, Marsh marigold, Primulas, Potentilla, Lilium, Brahma Kamal, Campanula, Pedicularis, Impatiens, Ligularia, Anaphalis, Saxifrages, Strawberry, Rhododendrons, herbs and medicinal plants are also found here. The abundance of Asmanda fern in this valley is a rare sight than in other Himalayan valleys. Besides flowers, some species of Butterfly, Musk deer, Blue sheep (Bharal), Himalayan bear, Snow leopard, Himalayan mouse hare and some Himalayan birds are also found in this area. The splendour and the scintillating beauty of the valley attracts tourists from all over the world. The best time to visit the valley of flowers is from mid of July to mid of August.

Nanda Devi National Park
The Nanda Devi National Park is situated in the Chamoli district of Uttaranchal. This park is spread over an area of 630 square kms. and lies in the vicinity of Nanda Devi Peak, the India's second highest mountain peak. This park is regarded as a UNESCO world Heritage site. The park was established in 1980 and includes some of the hightest mountain peaks of the western Himalayas like the Trishul, Dunagiri and Bethartoli peaks. The naturalist WW Garden also made an expedition here in 1883. This park has a unique combination of flora and fauna with 312 species of plants and over 80 species of animals. Some of the animals and birds include snow leopard, brown and Himalayan black bear, bharal, Himalayan tahr, monal and chir pheasants. To visit the park, you need to trek for 50 km, after taking a jeep from Joshimath to the mountain village of Lata.

Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary
Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1972 and spread over an area of 967 square km. in the Garhwal Himalayas. This wildlife sanctuary takes its name from the Kedarnath shrine, a hotspot for Hindu pilgrims. The fascinating Garhwal Himalayas present a spectacular viewing of mountains, valleys, forests, grasslands, butterflies and flowers. Snow leopard, leopard, tahr, goral, snow leopard, black bear, brown bear, snow cock and musk deer are the various animals which have made their habitat in this wildlife sanctuary. Kaleej and monal pheasants are the birds which can be seen here.