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Guides for thoughtful travel to India's wild landscapes
38 Travel
The Guide: Malvan Marine Sanctuary
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The Guide: Malvan Marine Sanctuary
Sumer Rao
The turbid nearshore waters of the Konkan coast harbour a little-known ecosystem. Come for the beaches and delicious food, and leave with a newfound appreciation for the resilient and diverse reefs of India’s southwestern coastline
The Guide: Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
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The Guide: Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary
Prathap Nair
There are plenty of birds and animals in Aralam, one of the lesser-known sanctuaries in northern Kerala, but the main attraction is undoubtedly its abundance of butterflies
Bugun Liocichla: A Quest to See this Rare Gem of the Northeast
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Bugun Liocichla: A Quest to See this Rare Gem of the Northeast
Vinita Agarwal
The first new bird species to be discovered in India after independence is found only in a tiny, protected area of Arunachal Pradesh
Geoheritage of the Kutch District
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Geoheritage of the Kutch District
Dr Asad Rahmani
Dhritiman Mukherjee
Numerous sites, from the Lyari riverbed to fossils on Dhinodhar Hill, highlight the rich geological heritage of India, to be preserved and appreciated for posterity
The Guide: Purna Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
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The Guide: Purna Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat
Anita Rao-Kashi
An obscure wildlife sanctuary in South Gujarat is a haven for birdwatchers and nature lovers
The Guide: Desert National Park
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The Guide: Desert National Park
Saloni Sawant
Far from empty, this park in Rajasthan has a wealth of birds, reptiles, mammals, and even flowering plants
Marine National Park: A Walk in the Intertidal Zone at Narara
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Marine National Park: A Walk in the Intertidal Zone at Narara
Manan Dhuldhoya
Dhritiman Mukherjee
Explore a landscape that is usually underwater when the tide recedes several kilometres and exposes Narara’s rich intertidal zone
The Guide: Vansda National Park, Gujarat
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The Guide: Vansda National Park, Gujarat
Anita Rao-Kashi
Trees and birds hold sway in this little-known protected area in south Gujarat, tucked into the northernmost end of the Western Ghats
The Guide: Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
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The Guide: Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park
Malavika Bhattacharya
Goa’s largest protected area is home to a wealth of plant and animal life – and it is under threat
The Guide: Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
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The Guide: Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary
Malavika Bhattacharya
In Goa’s Western Ghats, the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary supports a wealth of reptile and amphibian life
Gajoldoba: Bird Haven for All Seasons
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Gajoldoba: Bird Haven for All Seasons
Anirudh Nair
Dhritiman Mukherjee
Avian residents and migrant stragglers delight birdwatchers at this small hamlet in northern West Bengal even after the winter visitors have left
The Guide: Walking Trails in Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve
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The Guide: Walking Trails in Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve
Radhika Raj
Sanjay Sondhi
Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve offers visitors a rare opportunity to take long, meandering walks through an enchanting sal forest
The Guide: Kanger Valley National Park, Bastar
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The Guide: Kanger Valley National Park, Bastar
Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
Visit this beautiful landscape in Chhatisgarh for its dense forests, the mighty Tirathgarh waterfall, and mysterious limestone caves
The Guide: Singalila National Park
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The Guide: Singalila National Park
Anirudh Nair
Located in West Bengal along India’s international border with Nepal, this national park holds many charms even if you’re not an intrepid trekker
The Guide: Where to Find the Aravallis in and around Delhi-NCR
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The Guide: Where to Find the Aravallis in and around Delhi-NCR
Radhika Raj
The Aravallis were once a contiguous mountain range that ran through Delhi-NCR. Though fragmented, you can still find pockets of wilderness that provide a much-needed green respite from the concrete capital
The Guide: Bor Tiger Reserve
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The Guide: Bor Tiger Reserve
Shashank Birla
In Maharshatra’s Wardha district, a little-known tiger reserve harbours big surprises
The Guide: Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
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The Guide: Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Anita Rao-Kashi
Shreeram MV
Every summer, the river waters recede to reveal tiny islands that welcome the sanctuary’s biggest attraction — large congregations of graceful and gregarious river terns
The Guide: Ken Gharial Sanctuary
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The Guide: Ken Gharial Sanctuary
Anita Rao-Kashi
Come for the gharials, but stay for the vultures, the spectacular waterfalls, colourful rocks, and dramatic canyon
Fringe Ford and the Scoop on Poop
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Fringe Ford and the Scoop on Poop
Prerna Singh Bindra
Lessons in nature’s interconnectedness in Wayanad’s jungles, where poop is serious business. It can bear tidings of who’s in town, and support entire ecosystems
The Guide: Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
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The Guide: Dudhwa Tiger Reserve
Kalpana Sunder
Dhritiman Mukherjee
Dense forests and abundant waterbodies make the three sanctuaries within Dudhwa Tiger Reserve a haven for wildlife
The Guide: Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
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The Guide: Sundarbans Tiger Reserve
Radhika Raj
The world’s largest mangrove forest is a serene landscape that syncs its moods with the changing tide twice every day. The tiger may be its biggest attraction, but the shifting tide is its real protagonist
The Guide: The Backwater of Bhigwan
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The Guide: The Backwater of Bhigwan
Richa Malhotra
A boat safari through this wetland in rural Maharashtra reveals an abundance of resident and migratory birds
The Guide: Keoladeo National Park
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The Guide: Keoladeo National Park
Charukesi Ramadurai
The former hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Bharatpur is now one of India’s most important breeding and feeding grounds for a variety of resident and migratory birds
The Guide: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
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The Guide: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
Shikha Tripathi
Dhritiman Mukherjee
After decades, Maharashtra’s oldest park returns to the spotlight as the hot favourite for wildlife enthusiasts
Avian Windfall at Todgarh-Raoli and Kumbhalgarh
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Avian Windfall at Todgarh-Raoli and Kumbhalgarh
Anirudh Nair
Two underexplored sanctuaries in Rajasthan reveal over 12O bird species over four days, proving they have great potential to be developed as birding destinations
The Guide: Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
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The Guide: Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary
Charukesi Ramadurai
While the migratory birds in winter are the biggest attraction, the lake is home to nearly 25O avian species
The Guide: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
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The Guide: Ranthambore Tiger Reserve
Shashank Birla
Visit for the tigers, stay for the forest.
The Guide: Nagarhole National Park
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The Guide: Nagarhole National Park
Malavika Bhattacharya
One of the few national parks in the country that is open all-year-round, Kabini is rich with big cats, elephants, gaur, dhole, deer, and more
The Guide: Wild Wayanad
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The Guide: Wild Wayanad
Shashank Birla
Kerala’s Wayanad district is a splendid wilderness area that is a hotbed of amazing creatures large and small
The Guide: Gir National Park
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The Guide: Gir National Park
Anita Rao-Kashi
Go for the lions, but stay for the rugged hills, the charming birds, the gregarious langurs, and the gratifying golden sunsets
The Guide: Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary
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The Guide: Dehing Patkai Wildlife Sanctuary
Sutirtha Lahiri
Discover one of the country’s last lowland evergreen forests, teeming with birds and mammals
The Guide: Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
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The Guide: Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary
Trisha Gupta
Whether in the grasslands, wetlands, or on steep snowy Himalayan cliffs, this high-altitude cold desert has a variety of animals and birds well adapted to sub-zero temperatures
The Guide: Bandhavgarh National Park
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The Guide: Bandhavgarh National Park
Malavika Bhattacharya
Cats, big and small, are only a small fraction of the amazing wildlife in this central Indian national park
The Guide: Agumbe, the Exalted Rainforest Paradise
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The Guide: Agumbe, the Exalted Rainforest Paradise
Nisarg Prakash
Contiguous national parks and reserved forests in and around Agumbe make it one of richest and most biodiverse places in the Western Ghats
The Guide: Amboli, an Evergreen Eden
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The Guide: Amboli, an Evergreen Eden
Shashank Birla
On the wildlife travel map, Amboli is a favourite destination for nature lovers and adventurers, who want to experience its staggering biodiversity
Jabarkhet Nature Reserve: A Forest Returns Home
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Jabarkhet Nature Reserve: A Forest Returns Home
Anirudh Nair
Until 2O13, the private reserve suffered from unchecked tree logging and growth of invasive weeds. A little love, and conservation has revived an entire thriving eco-system
The Guide: Kanha National Park
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The Guide: Kanha National Park
Malavika Bhattacharya
One of India’s most famous tiger reserves encompasses diverse habitats which support a huge variety of wildlife including a healthy population of the big cat
The Guide: Pench National Park
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The Guide: Pench National Park
Malavika Bhattacharya
Pench was the inspiration for Kipling’s iconic The Jungle Book. It is still flush with creatures big and small — from predators like tigers and leopards, to over 200 species of birds, and innumerable other critters