What to Know Before You Go Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan

On the main highway to Jaipur 34 km (21 miles) south of Alwar, lays the Sariska Tiger Reserve and National Park. Sariska is one of the few remaining pockets of forest in the Aravalli range of hills and the area now consisting of 800 sq. km (308 sq. miles) is the core area. The reserve has been under Project Tiger since 1979 and before that, since 1955, a smaller sanctuary. But earlier still it was a hunting area for the Maharajas of Alwar and was strictly protected. 

The forest is mainly hilly with two extensive plateaus, Kankwari and Kiraska, and a wide valley starting at the Baran Tal Gate and running south to Thana Gazi. At the northeastern corner, just off the road between Alwar and Sariska, is the Silliserh Lake. Although there are few large mammals to be seen near the lake, crocodiles are often spotted and, during the winter, there are many migrant water birds. 

In spring, the surrounding hillsides are filled with colour as the "flame of the forest" and other flowering trees bloom. In the summer the park is parched and brown but with the arrival of monsoon becomes Lush and green. In the few more moist areas, bamboo is found and, along the banks of streams, jamun and arjan. 

Among the undulating hills and wide valleys of Sariska is a rare combination of natural history and archaeology. The ruined temples found in Neelkanth (32 km/20 miles from Sariska) are from the 6th to 10th centuries. The medieval fort of Kankwari was used throughout the Mughal period. 

At Sariska, opposite the Baran Tal Gate of the reserve, is a large palace built in 1902 by Maharaj Jai Singh of Alwar as a base for his elaborate shoots. The palace has now been converted into a hotel.

Sariska has a good network of metalled roads. From these main arteries, forest tracks lead into side valleys. 

With a low average rainfall of 650 mm (25 inches), water becomes a major limiting factor for the animals. The forest department has provided many artificial water holes along the main roads which attract the animals and make wildlife observation from vehicles in the morning or evening comparatively easy. Because of the scarcity of water, viewing from hides overlooking waterholes at Salopka and Kalighati offers numerous opportunities to watch photograph and study many of the species, especially during the late afternoon in the summer months of April, May and June.

The dry, open deciduous and thorn forests support increasing populations of ungulates including sambar, nilgai, chinkara, chausingha and chital. As well as tigers, the predators include leopard, hyena, jungle cat and jackal. Also found are porcupine, wild boar and, occasionally, ratel. With the exception of the jungle cat, the carnivores are nocturnal and rarely spotted since there is no nighttime access to the reserve, although daytime tiger sightings are becoming more frequent. Sariska has large populations of rhesus macaque and langur monkeys. 

The range of habitat also supports a rich variety of birds including shrike, parakeet, gray partridge, golden backed woodpecker, peafowl, owls and the crested serpent eagle. Babblers, tree pies and bulbuls are often seen from hides and around the forest department buildings. 

For more information on what to know before you go Sariska Tiger Reserve Rajasthan and Rajasthan tour packages contact Swan Tours, one of the leading travel agents in Connaught place New Delhi India.