India’s 100 national parks and 560 wildlife sanctuaries cover 5 percent of the country’s land area, and are home for a diverse range of animal species, including tigers, elephants, Asiatic lions, leopards, one-horned rhinoceroses, swamp deer, gibbons, crocodiles, and over 1,300 bird species

Punita Malhotra

India’s forest and tree cover spans 827,357 sq. km, accounting for 25.17 percent of the country’s geographical area. In the South, the Western Ghats rise like a living wall, their rainforests — now a UNESCO World Heritage Site — harbouring rich flora and fauna. To the East, the Sundarbans stretch out, a watery labyrinth of mangroves and tidal rivers where tigers slip silently between land and sea. In central India, teak and sal tree jungles stand like sentinels of deep time, their roots entwined with fossil records dating back 200 million years. And far to the North, the Himalayan alpine woods and conifer valleys host rare birdlife and the elusive snow leopard.

India’s 100 national parks and 560 wildlife sanctuaries cover 5 percent of the country’s land area. Classified as one of the world’s 17 ‘megadiverse’ countries which harbour most Earthian species in a relatively small area, India is home for a diverse range of animal species, including tigers, elephants, Asiatic lions, leopards, one-horned rhinoceroses, swamp deer, gibbons, crocodiles, and over 1,300 bird species.

For families — especially with children — stepping into these forests is like entering a living jungle book. Each forest has been shaped by ancient rivers, volcanic eruptions, shifting tectonic plates, and the cumulative impact of generations of human stewardship. Every rustle, footprint, and birdcall is part of a story that began long before the birth of humankind and continues to unfold today.

In this dispatch, I present my shortlist of the country’s five must-visit wildlife sanctuaries, internationally renowned for the wealth of their flora and fauna and the experiences they offer.

1. Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Imagine a forest with a crumbling fortress rising from the undergrowth and ancient temples half-hidden among banyan roots. Ranthambore National Park, in eastern Rajasthan fits this description — a jungle where history and wilderness intertwine seamlessly. Spread across 1,334 sq. km, it was once the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The guns are gone, but the thrill of the wild is as strong as ever.

One of India’s most celebrated tiger reserves, it is home to over 80 tigers whose lives are followed with the devotion of movie stars. Local guides know each one’s trails and traits very often referring to them during safaris — “Arrowhead likes the lake,” a driver might say, or “T-19 hasn’t been seen for two days”. For children, these stories bring tigers to life, each with their own quirks.

Ranthambore is divided into ten safari zones, each with its own distinct landscape and rhythm. In Zone 3, Rajbagh Lake glimmers between thickets of dhok trees, its edges dotted with basking marsh crocodiles and herds of spotted deer.

Zone 6 opens into rocky plains where the horizon is wider and chances of spotting a tiger in the wild are high. Towering over all this is the 10th-century Ranthambore Fort, a Unesco World Heritage Site whose weathered battlements have stood watch over these forests for a thousand years. Ideal to climb after a morning safari.

While tigers are the undisputed stars of Ranthambore, they share their kingdom with a rich supporting cast — elusive caracals, herds of chinkara deer bounding across open ground, and over 300 species of birds whose songs fill the air from dawn till dusk.

Travel tips. The best time to visit is between October and June. Winters are calm and pleasant, while the hotter months of April to June offer the best chance of spotting tigers near waterholes.

The nearest airport, Jaipur, is 180 km away, while Sawai Madhopur railway station is a mere 11 km away.

Entry fee for shared jeep safari is Rs.1,000-1,500 per person, with children under five years often admitted free of charge.

2. Kaziranga National Park, Assam

As one drives into Kaziranga at dawn, the mist lingers low over endless swathes of tall elephant grass. The stillness is broken only by the distant calls of waterbirds and the splash of fish in the wetlands. Then, through the haze, a vast grey shape emerges — the unmistakable silhouette of the one-horned rhinoceros. This Unesco World Heritage Site in the north-east state of Assam shelters 66 percent of the world’s surviving population of this prehistoric-looking giant.

Sprawled over 1,090 sq. km along the floodplains of the Brahmaputra River, Kaziranga is a mosaic of grasslands, marshes, and patches of dense forest. The park’s story is one of the world’s most remarkable conservation success stories.

At the start of the 20th century, the one-horned rhinoceros was on the edge of extinction, with barely a dozen left. Thanks to decades of protection, Kaziranga now shelters over 2,400 rhinos — two-thirds of the world’s population. Seeing one up close, with its armour-like folds of skin and calm, is an awe-inspiring sight for adults and children alike.

Rhino apart, the grasslands ripple with herds of swamp deer and wild buffalo, and shaded forest tracks may reveal a wild elephantss herd lording through the trees. For bird lovers, this is paradise. Over 480 species have been recorded, from stately storks and pelicans to the brilliantly coloured Indian roller. And if luck is on your side, you might even spot a tiger padding silently through the tall grass, though its camouflage makes sightings rare and thrilling.

Jeep safaris take visitors deep into the park’s four main ranges — Kohora, Bagori, Agaratoli, and Burapahar — for different terrain and wildlife experiences. Families with children often choose the shorter early morning drives, when the air is cool and animals are most active and easy to spot.

Travel tips. The best time to visit is from November to April, when the weather is dry and the park is open. From May to October, during the monsoon months, the park is closed to visitors.

The nearest airport is Jorhat, 97 km away, while Guwahati is 217 km distant. The closest railway station is Furkating, 75 km from the park. Roads are good, and the drive takes you through scenic tea gardens, bamboo groves, and villages.

Jeep safaris are priced at Rs.1,200-2,000 per vehicle.

3. Gir National Park, Gujarat

The first thing that strikes one in Gir is the golden light spilling across teak and acacia woodlands, casting long shadows over scrubby grasslands. This is the last kingdom of the Asiatic lion — the only place on Earth where these regal cats still roam free. Somewhere in the wilderness, a lion pads silently along a dusty track or lolls in the cool shade of a thorn tree. Once rulers of forests that stretched across Asia and the Middle East, these regals now survive only in the Gir National Park, guarded with fierce pride as the state’s living emblem.

Covering 1,412 sq. km, Gir is a living chapter of history. In the late 19th century, the Asiatic lion was on the brink of extinction, prompting the Nawab of Junagadh to ban hunting. This was followed by intensive conservation measures initiated by government. Now, Gir’s lion population has grown to over 600. Witnessing a lion in the wild is a heart-stopping moment. The muscular frame, tawny coat, and, for the males, a shorter mane than their African cousins, give them an awesome, regal air.

Lions apart, the park also hosts leopards, striped hyenas, golden jackals, and marsh crocodiles. Herds of chital (spotted deer) graze in open clearings, often with langur monkeys nearby, alerting inhabitants to predators with sharp alarm calls. Birdwatchers may spot over 300 species, from crested serpent eagles wheeling overhead to painted storks fishing in shallow pools. The park is a classroom for children to learn about lions and the entire web of life that sustains them.

Gir is divided into several tourism zones, each offering different landscapes and wildlife. Early morning drives are magical, with the cool air scented by flowering trees and the thrill of discovering fresh paw prints in the dust. Guides, many of them local Maldharis (traditional cattle herders who have lived with lions for generations), share stories that make the forest come alive.

Travel tips. The best time to visit Gir is between December and March, when the weather is pleasant. April and May bring hotter days but higher chances of lion sightings as they assemble near waterholes.

The nearest airport is Diu, 63 km away, while Rajkot is 160 km distant. Junagadh and Veraval are the closest railway stations, and road connections from Ahmedabad, Rajkot, and Junagadh are excellent.

Safari rides are priced Rs.800-1,000 per person.

4. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala

Mist curls over emerald-green hills of the Western Ghats, and the air is cool and fragrant with cardamom and wild ginger. Down below, the still waters of Periyar Lake mirror the forested slopes, broken only by the ripple of a swimming otter or the slow movement of an elephant herd ambling to quench its thirst. Welcome to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, where nature moves at an unhurried pace.

Spanning an area of 925 sq. km, Periyar is one of India’s most scenic and accessible wildlife reserves. Established in 1950 and named after the Periyar River, it is famed for its healthy population of Asian elephants, which roam the grassy glades and forested hillsides in large, matriarch-led herds. Seeing these gentle giants splash in the lake or use their trunks like snorkels is unadulterated joy for children.

Periyar also hosts tigers, leopards, Indian giant squirrels, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, and over 300 avian species, including the great hornbill, whose whooshing wingbeats can be heard before it’s even seen.

What makes Periyar unique is the experience of wildlife viewing from boats. The artificial lake, formed by construction of the Mullaperiyar Dam in 1895, snakes deep into the forest, creating long inlets where animals converge to sip in the shallows. Families can take guided boat cruises, which offer a peaceful yet exciting way to spot wildlife. This is a perfect option for younger children, as it avoids the long, bumpy jeep safari rides.

The forest is a mix of tropical evergreen and moist deciduous trees, part of the Western Ghats Unesco World Heritage Site, one of the world’s eight biodiversity hotspots. Pepper vines snake around towering teak, orchids bloom in hidden corners, and the forest floor is alive with insects, frogs, and lizards. Local guides, often from the indigenous Mannan and Paliyan tribes, lead nature walks and bamboo rafting adventures, sharing their traditional knowledge of plants and animals with visitors.

Travel tips. The best time to visit Periyar is from October to March. April and May are warmer but offer better sightings.

The nearest airport is Madurai in Tamil Nadu (140 km), with another at Kochi (190 km). The closest major railway station is Kottayam, 114 km distant. Regular buses and taxis connect to Thekkady, the gateway town to Periyar.

Entry fees are priced at Rs.45 (adults) and Rs.15 (children). Boat cruises cost extra, typically Rs.225-300 per person for a 90 minutes ride.

5. Pench National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Visiting Pench National Park feels as if the forest has leapt straight from the pages of a storybook. The rustle of teak leaves, cry of a langur from a forested canopy, the sudden flash of a golden jackal vanishing into tall grass — all seem uncannily familiar. That’s because Pench is widely believed to be the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894), the arena of Mowgli’s adventures and the wild domain of Bagheera, Baloo, Kaa, and Sher Khan.

Straddling the Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra border, Pench covers 1,180 sq. km of forest, grassland, and winding rivers. Its centrepiece is the Pench River, which divides the park. On winter mornings, mist rises off the water and deer come to drink at the edges, while white egrets and woolly-necked storks quietly wade the shallows. In the dry summer months, the river becomes a lifeline, drawing animals from far and wide — just the scene Kipling might have imagined when Mowgli learned the Law of the Jungle.

Wildlife here is as vivid as its fictional residents. Pench is home for over 50 tigers, and while they might be harder to spot than Sher Khan on the prowl, the thrill of a pugmark in the sand or a distant alarm call keeps visitors on the edge of their seats. Other inhabitants include leopards, wild dogs (dholes), sloth bears, jungle cats, and striped hyenas. Herds of chital and sambar graze in sun-dappled clearings, while troops of langur monkeys bound across branches, mischievous Bandar-log. For bird lovers, Pench is a paradise, with more than 300 species, including racket-tailed drongos, Indian pittas, and the majestic crested serpent eagle.

The park is divided into core zones — such as Turia and Karmajhiri — and buffer zones equally rich in wildlife. Turia Gate is the most popular and family-friendly, with easy access and a good chance of sightings. Local guides often pepper safaris with Jungle Book anecdotes. This turns the safari into an interactive treasure hunt for children, connecting animals they see with characters they’ve read about and loved.

Travel tips. The best time to visit Pench is between November and April, when the weather is pleasant and the forest is lush. The summer months from March to May are ideal for wildlife sightings, particularly tigers.

The nearest airport is in Nagpur (130 km), and Seoni is the closest railway station. Well-paved roads connect the park to Nagpur, Jabalpur, and other major cities.

Fees vary between Rs.1,200-1,800 per person for a shared jeep safari.

Recommended hotels

Ranthambore National Park. The Ranthambhore Bagh, rustic charm with garden rooms, homely meals, and easy park access (Rs.5,500 per night).

Kaziranga National Park. IORA — The Retreat: Lush lawns, Assamese cuisine, and spacious family rooms near the park. (Rs.7,100 per night)

Gir National Park. The Fern Gir Forest Resort – Riverfront views, pool, and luxury cottages minutes from park entry (Rs.13,500 per night).

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. Cardamom County by Xandari — Mid-tier resort with spice gardens and a pool. (Rs.5,000 per night).

Pench National Park. Tuli Tiger Corridor — Spacious tents, pool, and easy access to Turia Gate (Rs.4,500-6,000 per night).

Jungle safaris advisory. Safaris must be booked in advance, especially during the winter holidays. Bring hats, sunscreen, plenty of drinking water, and a good camera. Binoculars are a must for spotting wildlife, especially avian species.