Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary

Location: Nestled in the Aravalli hills in Rajasthan
Area: 800 sq km(with a core area of 498 sq km)
Famous For: Indian Tigers
Activities: Sight seeing activity, Jeep safari, Wildlife Photography.

Introduction:
Sariska National Park, one of the celebrated wild abode of Rajasthan, is a place that still very well maintain the centuries old history within it. The history of this park dated back to Mahabharata era when Panvas has stayed here for some days during their exile period.

Nestled in the Aravalli hills in eastern Rajasthan, Sariska National Park is home to various mammals like leopard, sambhar, chital, nilgai, four-horned antelope, wild boar, rhesus macaque, langur, hyena and jungle cat etc. Apart from them Sariska is also popular to have India's largest population of peafowl, and harbours quail, sand grouse, golden- backed woodpeckers and crested serpent eagles, among other species.

Thanks to the conservation campaign of Maharajah Jai Singh, Sariska was converted into a protected area in the 20th century. In the year 1958, Sariska was declared as a Wildlife sanctuary whereas in 1979 it became a part of prestigious Tiger Reserve. But three years later it gained the status of a national park.

Nearby Excursions:
Places around Sariska National Park are good for excursion. Some of the famous nearby excursion to Sariska are

Alwar: Alwar, a beautiful princely state of erstwhile era is located just 36km from Sariska National Park. Rao Pratap Singhji of Macheri has founded this place in 1771 to serve as his capital. Alwar is adorned with a hilltop fort, a palace, some temples, a beautiful garden and a museum.

Deeg: Deeg, once served as a beautiful summer resort of Bharatpur rulers, was built by Maharajah Suraj Mal in 18th century. This beautiful town of eastern Rajasthan is beautified with some magnificent palaces and gardens. This place has seen the bloody battle between Maharajah Suraj Mal and the combined army of Marathas and Mughals.

Siliserh Lake and Palace: Siliserh lake and palace lies very near to Sariska Tiger Reserve, just off the Alwar-Sariska road. The palace was built by Maharajah Vinay Singh in 1845 for his queen Shila. The palace now serves as a tourist reserve and the lake serve as a popular picnic spot. Tourists can even enjoy boating and sailing in this lake.

Best Time To Visit:
As such there is no specific time period to visit Sariska National Park. It can be visited throughout the year, still the best time to visit Sariska is from October to June and January to February. The park remain close during the monsoon and breeding season to safeguard the wildlife.

Activities To Do:
Sariska is a nice place to indulge oneself in different types of activities. Some of the most popular activities in which tourists can indulge themselves are

Sight-Seeing: Sariska National Park is embellished with some historical monuments like Kankawadi Fort and Pandupol. Kankawadi fort was built by Emperor Aurangazeb on the top of a hill. Pandupol is famous as a place where Pandavas has spent some time of their exile period. The park also has an ancient Hanuman temple, dedicated to lord Hanuman( the monkey god).

Jeep Safari: Jeep safari is the best way to peep into the wild world of animals. It will help the onlookers to view the wildlife of the park from a safer distance.

Wildlife Photography: Wildlife photography is another major activity in which most of the wildlife enthusiasts wants to engage themselves. It will help them to capture the beautiful moments and scenic beauty of the park for rest of the life.

Hotels and Wildlife Resorts:
The area near Sariska National Park has some nice hotels and wildlife resorts for staying.

Heritage Hotel: Sariska Palace

Wildlife Jungle Resort: Hotel Tiger Heaven, Hotel Tiger Den,

How To Reach There:
By Road: Sariska National Park is located on the Jaipur-Delhi highway road. It is well connected to all the cities of Rajasthan.

By Rail: Alwar, located at a distance of 37 km(23 miles), is the nearest railway head to Sariska National Park.

By Air: The nearest airport to Sariska is at Jaipur (Sanganer airport). It is located at a distance of 110 km (68.35 miles).