Jim Corbett National Park – A destination guide!

Jim Corbett is one of the most famous national parks in India. Known for its flora and fauna, the park is rich in wild animals as it is home to tigers and elephants along with smaller species. We recently visited the Jim Corbett National Park for a weekend and explored the jungles. Jim Corbett National Park – A destination guide is our attempt to help you plan your visit to this national park and experience the beauty in wildlife there.

Where is Jim Corbett National Park:

Jim Corbett National Park is located in the Ramnagar area under the Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The travel time from Delhi to Jim Corbett is around 5 hours and 30 mins covering a distance of almost 250 km.

How to reach Corbett:

Jim Corbett National Park can be easily reached by train or self-drive vehicles from Delhi. The bus connectivity between Delhi and Ramnagar is not that good so we will not recommend traveling by bus. The driving time between Delhi and Jim Corbett is approximately 6 hours and depends on the individual. The train connectivity is superb as you have a train which takes you from to Jim Corbett in an overnight journey.
Corbett National Park

Best time to visit Corbett:

The best time to visit Jim Corbett is between October to June. The timings for the different ranges or zones in the forest differ. While the Jhirna zone allows visitors to visit Jim Corbett throughout the year, the Dhikala zone allows visitors only from mid-November to mid-June. The best time to visit Jim Corbett is during winters and early summers. However, if you wish to visit Jim Corbett during the non-peak seasons, monsoons are the most favorable for you.

Jeep Safari in Corbett National Park:

Jim Corbett National Park is famous for the Bengal Tigers of India which have been spotted multiple times by the tourists and the locals. The forest department of India organizes jeep safaris for the visitors to explore the jungle and spot the wild animals including the Bengal Tiger. The safaris start at 3000INR per trip with 1 driver and 1 guide provided by the department. These safaris are carried out in green colored gypsy vehicles to camouflage in the forests. No private vehicles are allowed inside the forests and there are checkpoints at every zone to stop the same.
Corbett National Park

Safari Zones in Corbett:

Corbett National park is divided into five zones to maintain the ecotourism. These zones of the Corbett tiger reserve are used to organize jeep safaris by the forest officials for the tourists. The five ecotourism zones of Corbett are:

Dhikala Zone:
Opening Period: 15th November to 15th June
Type of Safari Offered: Day Safari
Safari Type: Canter Vehicles
Dhikala zone is the most famous among the five zones in the Corbett National Park. The zone is famous for the natural landscapes and has the maximum number of tiger sighting reported. As Dhikala is the biggest zone in the Corbett National Park the number of wild animals present here are also the highest. You can easily spot the elephants, deer, wild boar and monkeys during your safari in this zone. Watching the Bengal tiger chasing a deer in the Dhikala zone is considered a rare yet magnificent sight.

Birjani Zone:
Opening Period: 15th October to 15th June
Type of Safari Offered: Day Safari
Safari Type: Jeep Safari, Elephant Safari
Birjani zone is almost as big as the Dhikala zone. The zone is known for its peaceful ambiance and is as beautiful as the Dhikala zone. This zone is also known for its tiger sighting and is quite popular amongst the tourists. The Birjani Zone is also famous for the elephant safaris as it is the only zone which offers elephant safaris in Corbett.
Corbett National Park
Jhirna Zone:
Opening Period: Throughout the year
Type of Safari Offered: Day Safari
Safari Type: Jeep Safari
This is the zone we visited for the safari during our trip to Corbett. The Jhirna Zone entry is located almost 15 km from Ramnagar and was just at 10 mins drive from our resort, the Golden Tusk Resort. The safaris are offered two times during the day. The morning safaris start at 5:30 in the morning and evening safaris start at 3 in the afternoon. We went for the evening safari and were lucky to spot elephants, deer, peacock, wild bear, and monkeys during our journey. However, we couldn’t spot the tiger. The sight of a family of elephants crossing the road or a peacock dancing in full glory was a treat to watch. The closing time of the safari is 7 pm nowadays so one needs to make sure to exit the entry point before 7 to avoid any fine.

Dhela Zone:
Opening Period: Throughout the year
Type of Safari Offered: Day Safari
Safari Type: Jeep Safari, Elephant Safari
Dhela Zone remains open throughout the year like the Jhirna Zone. The zone is famous for the dense forest of Sal trees along with grassland and water streams. Dhela Zone is also a house for the Bengal tiger, leopard, and elephants among other wild animals.

Durga Devi Zone
Opening Period: 15th November to 15th June
Type of Safari Offered: Day Safari
Safari Type: Jeep Safari
Durga Devi Zone is located in the northeast region of the Corbett National Park. The zone is famous for bird watching along with the wild animal presence as it has different species of birds. There are two rivers streams namely Ramaganga River and Mandal River which makes it look more pristine with the presence of water bodies. The zone is in a hilly area which makes it a perfect zone for the nature lovers who want to enjoy the natural beauty along spotting the tiger.
Corbett National Park

Places to stay in Corbett National Park:

As the Corbett National Park is a famous tourist destination both in India and abroad, the stay options near the national park are umpteen. Ranging from budget hotels to luxury resorts near the forest there are many hotels near the different zones. There are also forest guest houses inside the zones which can be booked by the forest officials or with proper permissions by the tourists.
Corbett National Park
During our visit to the Corbett National Park, we stayed at the Golden Tusk Resort near the Jhirna Zone. The Golden Tusk Resort is one of the best places to stay in Corbett as it offers a comfortable stay in the lap of nature. The resort is surrounded by village and forest on both sides and is at a distance of only 15kms from the Ramnagar Railway Station. Ours was a 2N3D trip to Corbett where we spent most of the time at the resort as it was a complete destination in itself.

Rooms at The Golden Tusk Resort:

The resort offers deluxe category rooms, luxury tents, and villa category rooms. The deluxe category rooms are spacious, are facing the pool and are comfortable for a stay. The villa category rooms are individual villas which offer large sized rooms with a living area along with attached washrooms. We stayed in the Villa Grande which was a luxurious stay option for us. The room offers wifi connectivity with television and a living area with a mini bar to just enjoy your vacation. The tents offered by the Golden Tusk Resort are stays to get the complete feel of being in the jungle.
Corbett National Park

Spa and Other Adventure Activities at The Golden Tusk Resort:

The Golden Tusk Resort also has a spa and two swimming pools for you to relax and rejuvenate. The staff at the spa is trained, professional and helps you in relieving all your fatigue with their experienced hands. They have a whole lot of massages offered. The messages include Swedish massage and Balinese Massage among other massages listed in the catalog. We enjoyed a couple Balinese massage by the trained masseuse at their spa. The duration of the massages varies between 60 to 90 mins depending on the individual.
Corbett National Park
The resort also offers a bunch of adventure activities like zip lining, wall climbing and cycling all within the premises. There are play areas for the kids, basketball courts, football, and other indoor sports like table tennis and carrom.

The food at The Golden Tusk Resort:

The Golden Tusk resort has a multi-cuisine buffet restaurant which offers both vegetarian and nonvegetarian dishes along with a live counter. The concept of water dining by the resort is an exceptional concept which provides a memorable experience for a couple. In the water dining the resort organizes a candlelight dinner set up for a couple in a kids pool where you end up half submerged in water during your meal.
Corbett National Park

This is once in a lifetime kind of experience and should not be missed. The preparations for the same start post lunch so it is advisable to inform the management 1day in advance to the dinner date. Water Dining charges are Rs. 750+ taxes per person exclusive of the meals. In case the meal is included in the guest package, the same meal can be served during Water Dining else a-la-carte order can be placed by the guest. The water dining is most over desirable activity in the Golden Tusk.

Corbett National Park

The resort offers both MAP and CP plans for buffet meals. You can also order ala carte dishes from the restaurant’s menu. The bar at the restaurant of Golden Tusk serves amazing cocktails and mocktails and is a perfect choice for these enjoying with the friends or family. For CP and MAP plans for Villa Grande, guest can contact us at reservations@thegoldentusk.com or 01140540540.

Overall stay at the Golden Tusk Resort was very comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable due to the staff and service making it a highly recommended stay option in Corbett.