5 Top Ecotourism Destinations In India

The Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans National Park is a national park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve located in India’s Eastern State, West Bengal. The national park is a part of Sundarbans on the Ganges delta, and adjacent to the Sundarban Reserve Forest located in India’s neighbouring country, Bangladesh.

UNESCO has recognised Sunderbans as a world heritage site spread on an area of around 1,330 kilometers. The flora and fauna in the region is unique when compared with other parts of the country.

In the Sunderbans you may get an opportunity to see the Leopards, Foxes, Macaques, Jungle cat, Wild Boar, and many others. Endangered species such as, Olive Ridley Turtles, Horseshoe Crabs, Ganges River Dolphin, and others also seen in the region.

The Sunderbans National Park is a large, mostly muddy land and is made up of several rivers, tributaries, water channels, forests, and islands that together form a massive estuarine delta.

Sunderbans is located around 150 kilometer away from Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal.

Chilka Lake

Chilika Lake is the world’s second largest coastal lagoon located in India’s Eastern state, Odisha. Chilka lake is spread across on an area of 3, 500 kilometer and is a home to attractive Irrawaddy Dolphins, Spoon-billed Sandpiper, Indo-Pacific Tarpon, Egrets, Grey and Purple Herons, and many others.

Over 700 species of plant varieties are hosted by the lake along with a huge variety of reptiles and amphibians. Chilka lake is just 60 kilometers away from Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.

Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park is located at India’s North Eastern state of Assam. The world heritage site is spread over 430 square kilometer and is home to the One-horned Rhino.

Kaziranga has recognised as a major bird area by BirdLife International as it is a land of numerous rare bird species and migratory birds that seasonally come in.

Tall elephant grass, dense broad leaf forests and marshlands, One-horned Rhino, Elephants, Fishing Cat, Assamese Macaque, and many others are the major tourist affectations of the national park.

Kaziranga is also the land of tigers which thrive in the thick moisture-laden forests. The national park is 250 kilometers away from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam.

Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve

Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve is located in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand and is spread over 630 square kilometer. Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers together constitute the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is also UNESCO World Heritage site.

As an eco-tourist you can visit the place in March and September. The complete beauty of abundant greenery nestled around beautiful mountains make the region into a heaven in the tiny Himalayan state. Trekking is a major tourist attraction of the region and you can come across rare, unique Himalayan bird species, flowers, and wildlife when you indulge in trekking.

Nanda Devi Biosphere is a sanctuary for Himalayan Musk, Deer and Tahr, Himalayan Snow Leopard, Grey Mountain Langur, and others. Nanda Devi is a home for over 312 floral species and 114 bird species. Nanda Devi biosphere is 350 kilometers away from New Delhi.

Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park is one of the largest national parks in Northern India and is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of Northern Rajasthan state. The national park is located around 125 kilometer away from Jaipur, the state capital city.

The national park is regarded as one of the renowned and former hunting land of the Maharajas of Jaipur. At present, the park attracts thousands of visitors each year. It is spread over an area of 392 square kilometer along with its nearby sanctuaries such as, the Mansingh Sanctuary and the Kaila Devi Sanctuary.

The park is well-known for its tigers and is one of the biggest locations in India to see the majestic predators in its natural habitat. Ranthambhore Fort built in the 10^th century lies within the park, towers over the entire park area. The fort stands 700 feet above the surrounding plain giving and enchanting view to the visitors.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images).