Corbett National Park & Tiger Reserve

Asia's oldest National Park and India's First Tiger Reserve, Corbett National Park lies in two districts Nainital and Pauri in the hill state of Uttaranchal in northern India. It was established as a National Park in 1936 under the United Provinces National Parks Act of India. Then the reserve area, known as Hailey National Park, was renamed in 1954-55 as Ramganga and in 1955-56 was given its present name. 

The park is named after Jim Corbett, a legendary hunter-turned-conservator cum writer, best known for his hunting expeditions of man-eating tigers and leopards in this region in the first half of the 20th century. The original area of the Park was 323.75 sq. km. to which 197.07 sq. km. was added later. The 521 sq. km area of the park together with the near by area of Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary (301.18 sq. km) and Reserve forest areas of Kalagarh Forest Division and the Ramnagar Forest Division forms the Corbett Tiger Reserve covering over 1288 sq. km.

The Park is situated at the junction of two distinct hill regions of Uttaranchal, Garhwal and Kumaon.The altitude of the park is385-1100 m above sea level and the temperature ranges from 4°C in winter to 42°C during summer. The park gets an annual rainfall of about 1400-2800 mm.It is closed during the Monsoon season and opened to tourists after the monsoon, from 15th November to 15th June.

The Park has a remarkably varied landscape with streams, rivers, mountains, hills, forests and grasslands. It covers the majestic ranges of the Himalayas including Patlidoon bordering the river Ramganga and the undulating Shivaliks interspersed with flat plains and savannah grasslands known as 'Chaurs'. Here is a dynamic ecosystem with a variety of cover and trees including Sal, Khair, Sissoo, Kisson, Chaurs etc. capable of sustaining diverse fauna.Sal which grows up to 35 m tall is the main tree species of Corbett and often grows as a dense forest. Khair - Sissoo grow on sandy, gravelly areas mostly near the rivers and streams. Chaurs or savannah grassland is the most unique vegetation habitat of Corbett. Some of the grasslands got submerged when the Ramganga reservoir across the Ramganga river at Kalagarh came into being in 1974, stretching over an area of around 40 sq. km. of the park.