Introduction
Jaipur is known for its beautiful architecture and scenic views. Jaipur is a well-known tourist location and a lot of people select it as their vacation spot. A lot of tourist attractions are there in Jaipur, one of them is the Jhalana leopard safari.
This safari takes you for a thrilling ride in the wilderness where you can catch sight of a variety of flora and fauna. The safari takes place in the first-ever reserve for leopards in India. The Jhalana reserve is situated at the foothills of the Aravalli hills.
How to reach
To reach the safari you can either come by road, travel by train or flight.
By road
If you are traveling by road then you can come by your private vehicle or a bus. The road connectivity to various cities is very good so traveling in your private vehicle is not a problem.
By bus
The closest bus stop for the park is Narayan Singh Circle which is 10 km away.
By train
If you are thinking of traveling by train then the closest railway station would be the Jaipur railway station. The distance from the railway station to the safari park is about 10-15 km only. You can easily get a taxi from the station till the safari.
By air
The last option would be to travel by flight. Again the closest airport is the Jaipur airport and it is only 20 minutes drive till the safari. The airport is a place where the cabs are easily available. If you are coming from Mumbai or Delhi it would be better if you take a flight or train. A road trip would be a better option if you are living close by.
When safari take place
The safari is divided into 2 slots a day. One slot is in the morning and the other one takes place in the evening. In one slot only 6 jeeps are given permission to enter the park. The maximum limit of people allowed in the jeep is 6. The safari is for two and a half hours. The slot timings vary on the season.
Timing of the safari
In summer the morning safari starts at 5:45 and goes on till 8:15. The evening safari in the summer season starts at 4:45 and is till 7:15. In winter the timings are delayed by half an hour in the morning. The safari begins at 6:15 instead of 5:45 and in the evening it starts at 4:15 instead of 4:45. These timings are set according to the sunrise and sunset timing. As there are limited slots you have to make prior bookings for the safari.
Best Season to visit
The safari is open all round the year, even monsoons. In summers you will spot the animals near the water as they would come to drink water due to heat. While in winters the weather is very pleasant for the safari. In monsoon season you will find lush greenery all around.
Animals that can be spotted
The main animal that you spot is the leopard, but apart from that there are other animals also in the park. Other animals that can be spotted are – Indian civets, Hyena, foxes, jackals, porcupines, monitor lizards, mongooses, deer, Blue Bull. The Indian pitta, eagle and owl are few of the birds that can be spotted.
The park is a dry deciduous forest and remains dry throughout except monsoons. Monsoon season turns the entire area lush green. The dominant plants in the forest are juliflora and khejri.
Few facts of the safari –
The Park has 35 leopards and 4 or 5 cubs. On the safari Shikaar Audhi is a lodge of the royal families of Jaipur made for hunting. It is in the middle of the park and you can also go there to spot animals. The safari in this reserve was started in 2016 for the tourists.
Spotting of leopards is very high here as it is a leopard reserve. You may spot it within 5 minutes of your safari or by the end of it. The first leopard reserve in India is the Jhalana reserve. The area of this reserve is spread across 25 km.
Places around Jaipur-
As Jaipur has a lot of tourist attractions the other places to visit after this are – Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, City palace, Amber palace and the marketplace.
Conclusion
If you go to Jaipur do visit the safari and other places mentioned. Apart from that you also taste the local cuisine which would be available at various places. If you want to go there this is like a complete guide giving all the important guidelines.
