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Jaldapara Wild
Life Sanctuary is situated
at the foothills of Eastern Himalayas and on the
bank of river Torsa. Jaldapara, the vast grassland
with patches of riverine forests was declared a
sanctuary in 1943 for protection of the great
variety flora and fauna. The main attraction in
Jaldapara apart form its exquisite natural beauty,
is the Asiatic one horned rhino. The sanctuary
holds the maximum number of rhinos population in
India after Kajiranga National Park in Assam.
Among the other major animals, the elephant,
Indian bison, Royal Bengal Tiger, leopard, spotted
deer and hog deer can be seen here in plenty.
Jaldapara is a paradise for bird watchers. It is
one of the very few places in India, where the
Bengal Florican was sighted. Set out with a
binocular and see the majestic flight of hornbill,
racket-tailed drongo and paradise flycatcher. See
the splendors of sun set beyond the vast grassland
of Jaldapara from your Bungalow deck. |
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An adventurous
elephant ride in the morning will take you deep
inside the grassland for the real excitement. The
sights of rhino in a muddy pond, the herd of
elephants or the running deer are the thrilling
experiences in Jaldapara. Toto Para, adjacent to
the sanctuary is another major attraction for
those interested in ethnic tourism. Toto Para is
the only settlement for the Totos, one of the most
endangered ethnic communities in the world. Their
numbers are now reduced to mere a thousand. Lot of
initiatives has been taken by the governmental and
non-governmental agencies for the uplifting their
living condition. However, to live with them and
to observe their traditional cultures can still be
a precious experience. |
Hidden deep inside the Chilapata
Forests the ruins of a thousand yeas old fort of
Nal King has a tremendous historical and
archeological importance. Built in the 5th century
during the Gupta Empire the ruins still recall the
memories of the Golden Age. Because the site is
not maintained properly, it has now become the
playground for leopards, snakes and other animals.
Accomodation
for the tourists visiting Jaldapara is normally
arranged in the Madarihat tourist bungalow. |
