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Dudhwa National Park

Dudhwa National Park
Area: 49,029 hectares / 614 sq. km.

Established: 1958 as a wildlife sanctuary
1977 as a national park, 1988 as a tiger reserve.

About Dudhwa National Park:
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve lies on the India-Nepal border in the foothills of the Himalaya and the plains of the ‘terai’. The
mainattractions of the park are its Swamp Deer (population over 1,600) and tiger (population 98 in 1995). The park is famous for the untiring efforts of ‘Billy’ Arjan Singh, one of India’s leading conservationists, who was instrumental in the creation of Dudhwa as a sanctuary of the Swamp Deer. Later he successfully hand-reared and re-introduced zoo-born Tigers and Leopards into the wilds of Dudhwa.

The forests here are reminiscent of the forests of Bardia on the Nepal side, with huge Sal trees, tall termite mounds, patches of riverine forests and large open grasslands. Its lakes offer excellent opportunities for observing Swamp Deer and birds from ‘machans’. In the mid 1980s, Indian Rhinoceros was reintroduced into Dudhwa from Assam and Nepal. The park has a rich bird life, with over 350 species, including the Swamp Partridge, Slaty-backed Woodpecker and Bengal Florican.

Excursion(Dudhwa Tiger Reserve)
En route to Dudhwa, the unique Frog Temple at Oyal can also be visited. The only one of its kind in India, it was built by the former Maharajas of the Oyal state in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the base of the stone temple is built in the shape of a large frog. The temple is at a distance of 10 km from Hargaon on the route to Lakhimpur-Kheri and Dudhwa.

Built in the Indo-Saracenic style by the rulers of the Singhai state, Surat Bhawan Palace is one of the famous palaces of the Terai area. Not far from the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve on the Lakhimpur-Nighasan-Dudhwa route, the palace is set in a large green, nine-acre retreat. Expanses of lush lawns, fountains, a swimming pool and interesting architectural details make a visit to the palace worthwhile.

Season(Dudhwa National Park)
Mid November-mid June, the best period being February-April.

General Details (Dudhwa Tiger Reserve)

Headquarters : Lakhimpur (Kheri), UP, India

Altitude: 150-183 meters Nearest Town: Palia (10 km.) Nearest petrol pump! Hospital / market /bank / Post & Telegraph Office are at Palia

Climate (Dudhwa National Park):
Like the rest of north India, Dudhwa also has an extreme type of climate. Summers are hot with the temperature rising up to 40 C. During winters, the temperature hovers between 20 C and 30 C. The average annual rainfall is 1,600 mm.

Clothing(Dudhwa National Park)
Summer: Cottons
Winter: Light woolens preferably 'khaki', olive green, gray or other inconspicuous clothing which does not alarm or scare away the animals.

Travel Info(Dudhwa Tiger Reserve)
Drive from Delhi (8-9 hours) or take the train to Shahjehanpur and drive to Dudhwa (3 hours). Alternatively fly to Lucknow and drive to Dudhwa (245 km, 6 hours).

Nearest Railway Station:
Dudhwa (4 km.), Palia (10 km.), Mailani (37 km.)

Nearest Airport: Lucknow, Dhangarhi (Nepal, 35 km.)

Indian Wildlife Tourism

Dudhwa National Park