Forests in India are more beautiful than those in most parts of the world. The dense greenery and changing landscapes makes Indian forests appealing to the eyes. The mystery and magic of these forests are further enhanced by the presence of the majestic predators like the Royal Bengal tiger. Also, the other denizens of these forests are no less interesting. Thus, a visit to an Indian forest becomes an essential part of our vacation plans every year. Hence, before we lost 2018, we decided to visit the Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh to add another Indian forest to our list of annual visits.
Dudhwa National Park encompasses an area 490.3 square kilometres in U.P.’s Terai region on the Indo-Nepal border in the state’s Lakhimpur Kheri District. The park was established in 1958 as a wildlife sanctuary for swamp deer. In 1977, Billy Arjan Singh, a renowned conservationist, and author played a significant role in converting the sanctuary to a national park. A decade later, the park was declared to be a part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (which also included the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary and the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary).
Dudhwa is close to the capital city of Uttar Pradesh which is Lucknow. Hence, we decided to extend our tour to include Lucknow as part of the itinerary. The city, famous for its rich culture and long history will be discussed in another travelogue. Here, we will focus on the Dudhwa National Park instead.
On a crisp winter morning in December, we set out for Dudhwa after enjoying the sights and sounds of the “City of Nawabs” or Lucknow. It took us around four and a half hours by car from Lucknow to reach Dudhwa National Park. We had made an online booking at the Dudhwa Forest Rest House three months earlier. We had also booked two safaris in the national park. Remember, both must be booked as early as possible as they are on high demand.
We took the route as follows: Lucknow —- Sitapur—-Lakhimpur—-Palia Kalan—-Dudhwa Forest Rest House.
On our way, we stopped at the Palia Kalan forest ranger’s office to get the proper directions to the FRH. We were informed that the FRH is located inside the gates of the national park about 10km from the Palia Kalan town. We took a right turn from the Forest Office and, as informed, entered the forest in search of the FRH.
The Dudhwa FRH was located in the buffer area of the Dudhwa National Park. It had a massive area comprising of many cottages bordering large open spaces in the middle, a canteen, the quarters of the forest guards, a veterinary clinic, an elephant shed, and more.
We were shown into our cottages at the rest house. They were large and spacious. However, not everything was top-class as some locks and handles were broken and not working. Still, we found it to be quite nice overall. A member of the staff was assigned to take care of our needs and he served us the welcome tea.
Our morning and evening safaris at the park were extremely exciting. A road at the back of the FRH leads into the forest. When you look at it, it will appear to you to be a gateway to a mystical natural kingdom. Tall trees flank the road on either side and all of it soon disappears into a thick mist.
We got a very well-informed guide and driver to take us into the forest. The open-air safari vehicle was perfect for viewing wildlife. We were lucky enough to spot the rare and elusive fishing cat, the jungle cat, swamp deer, spotted deer, crocodiles, langurs, and the wild boar.
The landscape also changed vastly. It ranged from dense sal forests to tall grasslands and marshy areas. Each area had its specific fauna. We also spotted the fresh footprints of a male and female tiger and followed them. However, they decided not to bless us with their appearance.
The rare sight of a fishing cat on the prowl in a weltand habitat of Dudhwa National Park
These two small wild cat species are extremely difficult to observe in the wild. I had read about these cats in books but seeing them in full action in their home was a different feeling altogether.
Important Notes:
1. Lucknow to Dudhwa National Park
Time: Around 4:30 minutes one way.
Route: Lucknow —- Sitapur—-Lakhimpur—-Palia Kalan—-Dudhwa Forest Rest House.
2. Online Booking Site
https://www.upecotourism.in
3. For information on the tariff of accommodation and safari: https://www.upecotourism.in/DudhwaTariff.aspx
4. Book as early as possible as seats fill out fast.
5. Not all bookings can be done online. Dudhwa National Park also has other forest rest houses like the Sonaripur FRH, Sathiyana FRH, etc. The bookings at these FRH’s has to be done offline at Lucknow or Palia Kalan or through some contact at the national park.
6. If you are traveling in winter and going on an open vehicle morning safari, please know that it is bone-chilling cold. We were wearing jackets that we wore at sub-zero temperatures in Canada but still, we were literally shivering as the jeep moved through the jungle. Take as many precautions as possible to protect yourself from the cold.
7. Food in the canteen is vegetarian but eggs are also offered. In Sonaripur bungalow, no canteen is available but you can bring your own food that will be cooked by a cook stationed there.
8. It is not safe to roam outside your cottage room at night as wild animals may be around. Just remain alert while going to the canteen from your rooms to avoid unexpected encounters with wildlife.
On top of it all, enjoy your stay in the forest and respect its inhabitants like you would expect a guest visiting your home to behave.
All images are by Arijit Nag.
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