Jim Corbett
India's Oldest National Park and Tiger Country
Overview
Jim Corbett National Park, in Uttarakhand's Nainital and Pauri Garhwal districts, is India's oldest national park, established in 1936 as Hailey National Park and renamed in 1957 after the hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett. In 1973 it became the launch site of Project Tiger. Its sal forests, grasslands, and the Ramganga river shelter Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, gharial, and more than 500 bird species. Safaris run by jeep and canter through zones such as Dhikala, Bijrani, and Jhirna; the core zones close during the monsoon and tiger sightings are never guaranteed. MyTripMyTravel operates Corbett as a chauffeured wildlife mission with permitted safaris and forest-edge lodges.
Jim Corbett is where India's conservation story begins. Set in the Himalayan foothills where the Ramganga river braids through sal forest, grassland, and ravine, it was declared the country's first national park in 1936 and, in 1973, became the founding reserve of Project Tiger. The landscape shifts constantly, dense forest, open chaur grasslands, and the wide river bed, which is exactly why it holds one of the densest tiger populations in the country alongside elephants, leopards, and gharial.
The park is entered through the gateway town of Ramnagar and divided into tourism zones, each with its own gate, permit, and character. Dhikala, deep in the core, is the most coveted for its grasslands and requires advance booking, often as an overnight forest-lodge stay; Bijrani and Jhirna are day-safari zones, and Jhirna and Dhela stay open through much of the year. A safari here is genuine wildlife-watching, not a guaranteed encounter, the reward is the whole forest, and a tiger, when it comes, is a gift.
MyTripMyTravel runs Corbett as a properly sequenced wildlife mission. We secure zone permits and Gypsy safaris in the right slots, place guests in forest-edge or riverside lodges, and pair experienced naturalists who read alarm calls and pug marks. The chauffeured leg from Delhi or Pantnagar is handled end to end, so the only decision left is the pre-dawn coffee before the gate opens.
At a glance
Jim Corbett in brief
When to visit
November to June
The prime window is November to June, when weather is stable and animals concentrate near water as the season dries, March to June offers the best odds of a tiger sighting, though days grow hot. The premier Dhikala and Bijrani core zones generally open from around mid-October to mid-June and close during the monsoon (roughly July to mid-October), when the Ramganga floods and tracks wash out; the Jhirna and Dhela zones stay open for much of the year. Dhikala must be booked well in advance. Whatever the season, sightings are never guaranteed, this is wild forest, not a park with fixed viewings.
Things to do
Experiences in Jim Corbett
Jeep safari in Bijrani or Jhirna
A permitted open-Gypsy safari with a naturalist and forest guide through the day-visit zones, tracking tigers, elephants, and deer.
Dhikala grassland zone
The park's most prized core zone of vast chaurs and river views, accessed by advance permit and best combined with a forest rest-house night.
Ramganga river and birdlife
The river corridor draws elephants, gharial, and mahseer, and Corbett's tally of over 500 bird species makes it a serious birding destination.
Corbett Museum at Kaladhungi
The former home of Jim Corbett, now a museum, giving context to the hunter-naturalist who lent the park his name.
Sitabani buffer and nature walks
The Sitabani forest buffer, outside the core, allows guided walks and quieter birding where full safaris are not permitted inside the park.
Riverside lodge and slow evenings
Down-time at a forest-edge lodge, a spa treatment, a river deck, and the sounds of the jungle at dusk between safaris.
Getting there
How to reach Jim Corbett
Pantnagar Airport (PGH) is the closest, about 80 km, with limited flights; Dehradun (DED) at roughly 160 km and Delhi at about 250 km are the practical alternatives, and we manage the fleet handover.
Ramnagar is the gateway railway station on the doorstep of the park, connected to Delhi by direct trains; we handle station transfers to your lodge.
The drive from Delhi is roughly 250 km via the highway to Ramnagar, a comfortable chauffeured leg of five to six hours.
Our GPS-tracked, orthopedic-grade vehicles cover the Delhi or Pantnagar transfer; open-Gypsy safari vehicles inside the park are the licensed forest ones we book with your permits.
Where to stay
Premium forest-edge and riverside lodges around Dhikuli and the Ramganga with spa wings, naturalists, and private safari coordination.
The government forest lodges inside zones such as Dhikala, basic but unmatched for waking up within the core; booked well ahead.
Design-led smaller stays and orchard properties on the park's fringe for guests pairing wildlife with quiet down-time.
Where to eat
Most dining is at your lodge, multi-cuisine buffets and grills timed around the pre-dawn and dusk safari runs.
Regional dishes such as aloo ke gutke, bhatt ki churkani, and madua (ragi) roti, arranged at lodges that cook local.
Open-air grills and bonfire dinners on the Ramganga fringe, a relaxed close to a full safari day.
Good to know
Jim Corbett, your questions
Am I guaranteed to see a tiger in Corbett?
No. Corbett has a strong tiger density, but it is genuinely wild forest and sightings are never guaranteed on any single safari. We improve the odds with the right zones, seasons, and experienced naturalists, and treat the whole ecosystem, elephants, birds, the river, as the experience.
How many safaris and nights should I plan?
Two nights with three to four safaris across different zones is the sensible minimum to give the forest a fair chance. Serious wildlife guests often add a night, which we build around zone permits and Gypsy availability.
Which zone is best, and can I stay inside the park?
Dhikala is the most prized core zone and can be combined with an overnight at its forest rest-house, but both need advance booking; Bijrani and Jhirna are excellent day-safari zones. We advise the mix based on your dates and secure the permits.
When is the park closed?
The premier core zones, including Dhikala and Bijrani, typically close during the monsoon from around July to mid-October when the Ramganga floods; Jhirna and Dhela remain open for much of the year. We plan the itinerary around the zones open on your dates.
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Tell us your dates and what you love. Our travel desk builds a private, chauffeured itinerary around Jim Corbett and the wider North India, with handpicked hotels and a transparent quote, usually within a few hours.
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