Sariska National Park

Nestled in the Aravalli range, Jhalana in Jaipur is India’s first leopard reserve. It covers roughly 23 sq. km and stands out as a top wildlife destination in Rajasthan. Established for leopard conservation in 2017, this wildlife hotspot now shelters approximately 40 adult leopards, along with multiple cubs, offering a rare window to sight these magnificent cats. A 2.5-hour jeep safari in this dry-deciduous forest of Jhalana offers a thrilling experience and is perfect for those looking for short wildlife holidays in Rajasthan. In addition to the leopards, the park is home to striped hyenas, desert foxes, blue bulls, and over 150 bird species.

At a short distance away from the Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Biological Park is a contemporary zoological park that represents Udaipur's commitment to conservation & ecotourism. This purpose-built park is spread across 36 hectares of land and is home to over 60 animals across 21 species, including white tigers, leopards, sloth bears, lions, striped hyenas, and various bird species. Its forested landscape, clean trails, and electric vehicle safaris make this wildlife destination in Rajasthan one of the best. Established in 2015, the park has been a center for education and awareness as part of a broader wildlife tourism initiative in Rajasthan.

Keoladeo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, transforms Bharatpur's 29-square-kilometer wetland into Asia's premier bird sanctuary. Originally a royal duck-hunting reserve, it was declared a national park in 1982 following conservation efforts by Dr. Salim Ali. The park hosts over 370 bird species, including winter migrants like bar-headed geese, pintails, and the critically endangered Siberian crane. Beyond birds, Keoladeo shelters nilgai, jackals, wild boar, crocodiles, and seven turtle species. Its diverse ecosystem, encompassing grasslands, woodlands, and marshes, creates a thriving habitat.

Situated in the Aravalli Range with an area of around 300 sq km, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is a subtropical forest in Rajasthan. Rising from 300 m to its highest point of 1722 m, the sanctuary’s change in altitude leads to a succession of habitats ranging from subtropical thorn scrub to evergreen forests. It shelters over 820 species of 112 plant families. One has a chance to occasionally spot leopards and sloth bears and frequently sight sambar deer and chinkara. Other animals that can be spotted here include the Indian fox, pangolin and striped hyena. There are over 250 varieties of birds, including the grey junglefowl and green avadavat, that can be sighted here.

The sixth oldest zoo in India, Bird Park in Udaipur was initially an integral part of the Sajjan Niwas Garden, also known as Gulab Bagh Zoo. It was established initially in 1878; later, in the year 2016, the Rajasthan Forest Department undertook the task of converting the old zoo premises into a bird park. The total area of 5.11 hectares of Gulab Bagh Zoo was shaped into a bird park with a goal of building 12 enclosures that will house significant numbers of both native and migratory bird species. Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Green Avadavat (Munia), and Rose-ringed Parakeet are among some of the bird species one can see in the Bird Park.

Founded over 122 years ago, Bird Park in Jaipur is among the oldest zoos in India. It once stretched from Ajmeri Gate to Sanganer Gate, Moti Dungri Road and Medical College. Now it occupies 5.23 hectares across two compact sections and functions under the recognition of the Central Zoo Authority. Though the majority of the fauna from here has been relocated to Nahargarh Biological Park, the site houses a number of bird species, including flamingos, pelicans, parakeets, emus, storks, vultures and peacocks, along with reptiles such as crocodiles, gharials, tortoises, and pythons.

A former royal hunting ground converted into a conservation area, Sajjangarh Wildlife Sanctuary is unique amongst the wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan. The sanctuary is situated atop Bansdara Hill and offers gorgeous views of the lakes of Udaipur, as well as the Aravalli ranges. Spread over an area of 5.19 sq km, surrounded by the historical wall of the Kishan Pol, the park is home to panthers, hyenas, jackals, varied species of deer, and over 275 plant species, including the endangered and rare Gugal. What makes it more attractive as a tourist destination in Rajasthan is the close proximity to the magnificent Sajjangarh Palace, also known as Monsoon Palace.

Nahargarh Biological Park, spread across 720 hectares within the larger Nahargarh Sanctuary, is one of Jaipur’s best wildlife getaways. Home to 285+ bird species, including the rare white-naped tit, the park also features spacious enclosures housing Asiatic lions, panthers, and Bengal tigers. The scenic Ram Sagar zone is a favorite among birdwatchers; it offers great views and dedicated observation posts. Travelers can even stay within the park at Ganga Vilas, Gopal Vilas, or Lalit Vilas, the heritage lodges once used by the maharajas during hunting expeditions, now restored as comfortable forest retreats.

Khetri Bansiyal Conservation Reserve, located in Neem ka Thana in Jhunjhunu district, is a 7,018.34-hectare protected area. It was declared a conservation reserve in 2017 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The reserve’s rugged hills, seasonal nallahs and dry-deciduous habitat support rich herbal flora such as dhok, salar, chural and khair. Wildlife sightings are rewarding here as visitors may encounter blue bulls, Indian foxes, striped hyenas, sambar, wild boars, sloth bears, rhesus macaques and langurs as they move through the reserve’s diverse terrain.

Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan’s fourth tiger reserve, spans 1,501.89 sq. km across Bundi, Kota and Bhilwara districts. The scenic Mez River, a tributary of the Chambal, flows through its hilly stretches and dry deciduous forests. The reserve supports a rich ecosystem of predators, herbivores and 150+ bird species and serves as an important ecological corridor connecting Ranthambore in the northeast with Mukundara Hills in the south, ensuring safe tiger movement and long-term genetic diversity. Key tree species include dhok, khair, amaltas, jamun, tendu, arjun and salar, while tigers, leopards, sloth bears, civets, chital, sambar, nilgai and langurs thrive here.

An impressive population of over 70 tigers makes Ranthambore one of the few places in the world where one can easily sight Bengal tigers. This national park is the most popular wildlife destination in Rajasthan and was first established as Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955 and then included in the Project Tiger reserve in 1973. At present, the park houses over 40 species of mammals, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and hyenas; almost the same number of reptile species; and hundreds of bird species within a landscape dominated by a 10th-century fortress.