Tucked into the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas in West Bengal's Alipurduar District, Jaldapara National Park is West Bengal’s answer to Kaziranga and a verdant theatre of the wild where the pre-historic, armour-plated one-horned rhinoceros reigns supreme.
Spanning 216 sq km, this pristine reserve straddles the banks of the Torsa River and offers a mosaic of riverine forests and tall elephant grass, so tall, in fact, that it can hide a full-grown elephant until you are just feet away. Unlike the dense, shy forests of other reserves, Jaldapara offers a thrillingly high probability of sightings, making it one of India’s most rewarding wildlife stops.
Jaldapara began life as a protected sanctuary for the one-horned rhinoceros and has since been elevated to National Park status. It is one of the Dooars’ defining wild spaces, where floodplains, grass and woodland collide at the Himalayan foothills.
Why Go?
The Rhinos: Jaldapara is one of India’s great rhino landscapes: home to West Bengal’s largest population of the one-horned rhinoceros, with recent counts placing the park in the low 300s.
The Grasslands: The savannah-like landscape is unique in West Bengal, offering wide vistas and dramatic photography opportunities.
Accessibility: It is one of the most accessible wildlife parks in the region, sitting right off the highway.
