Top 10 must see national parks in India

India's national parks bring a thrilling adventure for wildlife lovers, photographers, and nature enthusiasts. Here's a list of the top 10 national parks in India that you should add to your travel bucket list.

1. Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park, with its core zone covering 363 square miles, is the largest national park in central India. Known for its excellent management, this park is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Home to about 105 Bengal tigers, it's a fantastic place to see these majestic cats in their natural habitat. The park includes Shravan Taal from the Ramayana where King Dasharath accidently shoots Shravan Kumar unfolding the rest of the events in Ramayan.

2. Gir National Park

Did you know that India is the only country with native lions, tigers, and bears? Gir National Park in Gujarat is the last natural habitat of the Asiatic lion. It's the only place in the world where you can see lions roaming wild outside of Africa. After hunting reduced the lion population to just 20 in 1913, Gir has been crucial in their recovery.

3. Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park, established in 1936, is India's oldest national park. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, it's famous for being the launch site of Project Tiger in 1973. The park is home to over 200 Bengal tigers, the highest number of any tiger reserve in India. It's also the only Indian national park that allows overnight stays in the core zone.

 4. Kaziranga National Park

Kaziranga National Park in Assam is one of the world's finest wildlife refuges. It's famous for housing the largest population of one-horned rhinos. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a conservation success story, having saved these rhinos from near extinction. The park's wet grasslands, swamps, and pools create a beautiful, undisturbed natural area.

5. Ranthambore National Park

Ranthambore National Park is famous for its picturesque ruins of a crumbling fort, a living temple, and three large lakes. This park, once the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Jaipur, is part of a larger 502 square mile tiger reserve. It's home to around 45 Bengal tigers and is conveniently close to Delhi, making it a popular destination.

6. Sundarbans National Park

Sundarbans National Park, formed by the Ganges and Brahmaputra river deltas, is the world's largest mangrove forest. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most biologically productive ecosystems on the planet. It's home to rare and endangered species like the estuarine crocodile, Gangetic dolphin, olive ridley turtle, king cobra, and Bengal tiger.

7. Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers National Park

High in the Himalayas, Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks are known for their exceptional beauty and biodiversity. Listed as a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site, these parks attract nature lovers, trekkers, and Hindu pilgrims. Nanda Devi, India's second-highest peak, dominates the landscape and helps preserve the region's natural beauty.

8. Periyar National Park

Periyar National Park, located in the Western Ghats of Kerala, is both a tiger reserve and a wildlife sanctuary. Known for its rich biodiversity and scenic beauty, it's a popular park in South India. The park is home to a significant elephant population, rare lion-tailed macaques, sambar deer, leopards, and about 40 Bengal tigers.

9. Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh National Park is a picturesque paradise for photographers and wildlife lovers. With the ruins of an ancient fort as a stunning backdrop, the park spans 40 square miles of core area and 154 square miles of buffer area. It's one of the best places in India to spot a tiger.

10. Nagarhole National Park

Nagarhole National Park in Karnataka is bordered by the pristine Kabini River and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere. Once the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Mysore, it was declared a tiger reserve in 1999. The park is home to the largest concentration of herbivores in Asia and the biggest group of Asiatic elephants in the world.