When you land in Delhi, it looks like just another big Indian city. Towering skyscrapers, honking traffic, and a mix of cultures and languages all around you.
But step outside the city, and you will find a different side of India altogether: protected forests, wetlands, and hills that are home to tigers, leopards, elephants, and hundreds of bird species.
From sanctuaries just a short drive from Delhi to national parks worth a longer trip, this region offers a rare mix of wildlife experiences for travelers.
If you’re looking for tourist places near Delhi for wildlife, you’ve come to the right place. This guide covers some of the best sightseeing near Delhi for nature lovers, from quiet bird sanctuaries to some of the most iconic Indian destinations for tiger safaris.
Table of Contents
What are the Best Wildlife Parks in and Around Delhi?
Delhi’s history is not the only thing worth exploring. The city and its outskirts are also home to several protected green spaces. From Okhla Bird Sanctuary to Rajaji National Park, here are some parks to explore the quieter side of Delhi:
1. Okhla Bird Sanctuary
Okhla Bird Sanctuary is located along the Yamuna River at the edge of Delhi. It is spread across roughly 1.35 square miles, and offers one of the best birdwatching travel experiences in India.
It is home to over 400 resident species, and this number increases even further between October and March, when close to 100,000 migratory birds arrive from distant lands to breed.
You can spot species like the Shoveller Duck, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Gadwall Duck, and Blue-winged Teal.
- Location: Noida
- Entry fee for foreign nationals: USD5
- Camera fee for foreign nationals: USD 10
2. Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is on the northern slopes of the Aravalli Hills, just 13.7 miles from Delhi. It offers a peaceful contrast for international travelers in India.
Spread across 12.63 square miles along the Delhi-Haryana border, the sanctuary forms part of the Northern Aravalli Leopard Wildlife Corridor. It even passes near historical attractions like Tughlakabad and Surajkund, making it a nice mix of wildlife and heritage tourism in India for one trip.
The wildlife sanctuary is home to Indian leopards, jackals, sambar deer, and wild boar, along with more than 200 bird species, including the Indian peafowl and crested serpent-eagle.
- Location: Northern side of the Aravalli Hill range, about 13.7 miles from Delhi
- Entry fee for foreign nationals:USD2
3. Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary
Sultanpur National Park and Bird Sanctuary is about 28.6 miles from Delhi in Haryana’s Gurgaon district. It makes for one of the best tourist places near Delhi for bird sightings.
It houses over 320 bird species, with 90 migratory species arriving each winter, including the bar-headed goose, greylag goose, common teal, and northern shoveler. The park also hosts breeding colonies of painted storks.
Beyond birds, you may also spot nilgai, golden jackal, or jungle cat wandering the grounds.
- Open time: 7:00 am to 4:30 pm, closed on Tuesdays.
- Entry fee for foreign nationals: USD5
- Camera fee: USD 10 for DSLR cameras
- Getting there: Gurgaon is 8.7 miles away (35 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic)
4. Sariska National Park
Sariska Tiger Reserve isn’t in Delhi. In fact, it is about 121.2 miles away in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. But if you’re willing to trade a day trip for a proper wildlife excursion, I’d say it would be completely worth your trip.
The park was once a hunting ground for the Maharaja of Alwar before becoming a wildlife reserve in 1955. Later in 1978, it was recognized as a designated Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger.
Spread across 328.2 sq mi of Aravalli hills, grasslands, and dry deciduous forest, the park is also home to leopards, striped hyenas, jungle cats, and nilgai.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 121–124 miles
- Best time to visit: October to June
- Nearest airport: Jaipur International Airport (74.6 miles)
- Nearest railway station: Alwar Junction (23.0 miles)
5. Keoladeo National Park/Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Keoladeo National Park, once known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is around 112–124 miles from Delhi in Rajasthan. It is another destination worth the extra travel time for serious birdwatchers.
Maharaja Suraj Mal originally established it around an artificial wetland. Later, it served as a private duck shooting reserve for the Maharajas of Bharatpur and British officials before becoming a protected sanctuary.
UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the park now shelters over 370 bird species. The national park also sees migratory visitors arriving from as far as Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Siberia.
There are no motorized safaris here. You can get around by cycle, rickshaw, or on foot, which makes the experience feel far more personal.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 112–124 miles
- Best time to visit: October to February
- Nearest airport: Agra Airport (34.8 miles) or Delhi IGI Airport (124.3 miles)
- Nearest railway station: Bharatpur Junction (3.1 miles)
6. Rajaji National Park
Rajaji National Park is near Haridwar and Rishikesh, about 134.8 miles from Delhi. It was formed in 1983, when three separate sanctuaries merged into one: Motichur, Rajaji, and Chilla. The Motichur and Rajaji sections sit next to each other, while the Ganges and Chilla rivers separate them from the Chilla section.
The Asian elephant is the park’s best-known animal. You may also spot leopards, sloth bears, Himalayan black bears, and striped hyenas, along with deer like chital and sambar. More than 300 bird species live in the park too, including hornbills, kingfishers, and woodpeckers, and many more arrive during winter.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 134.8 miles
- Nearest towns: Haridwar (5.0 miles away), Rishikesh (13.0 miles away), and Dehradun (34.2 miles away)
7. Jim Corbett National Park
Jim Corbett National Park is about 162.2 miles from Delhi and holds the title of India’s oldest national park. Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park, it was renamed Ramganga National Park after independence. In 1956, it was again renamed after Jim Corbett, the hunter turned conservationist whose work helped create it.
Spread across 200.8 sq mi, the park is located in the Himalayan foothills. It is home to around 50 tree species, 580 bird species, and 25 reptile species, along with tigers, elephants, leopards, chital, and more.
The Dhikala zone, in particular, is famous for tiger sightings. You can also try jeep safaris, canter safaris, nature walks, birding, and river rafting.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 162.2 miles
- Nearest railway station: Ramnagar (2.5 miles away)
- Nearby town: Nainital (40.4 miles away)
8. Dudhwa National Park
Dudhwa National Park is home to swamp deer. The government first protected the area for this species back in 1958, adding tiger protection twenty years later in 1978.
Located along the Indo-Nepal border in the Terai belt of northern Uttar Pradesh, the park is part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, with reserved forest buffers on both its northern and southern edges.
It is one of the last strongholds for the Royal Bengal Tiger in the state, alongside swamp deer, the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, and the elusive hispid hare.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 267.2 miles
- Nearest airport: Lucknow (136.7 miles)
- Nearest town:Palia Kalan (6.2 miles)
9. Ranthambore National Park
Ranthambore National Park is about 228.7 miles from Delhi and ranks among the country’s most famous wildlife reserves for Royal Bengal tigers.
The Government of India first set it up as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary in 1955. In 1974, it was brought under Project Tiger and declared a national park in 1981. Spread across 151.4 sq mi, Ranthambore is one of the best places in India to watch tigers in the wild.
Beyond tigers, you can also spot sloth bears, leopards, caracals, jackals, hyenas, chital, sambar deer, nilgai, langurs, and marsh crocodiles, along with an old fort and temple ruins.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 228.7 miles
- Best time to visit: November to April
- Nearest railway station: Sawai Madhopur
10. Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is in the Vindhya Hills of Madhya Pradesh, roughly 485–497 miles from Delhi. It has the highest density of Royal Bengal tigers found anywhere in the world.
Beyond tigers, the park is home to leopards, sloth bears, sambar, chital, barking deer, gaur, and nilgai. It’s also an excellent place for birdwatching, with species such as hornbills, crested serpent eagles, and changeable hawk-eagles.
The park has three main gates, Tala, Magadhi, and Khitauli, with Tala offering the best odds of a tiger sighting. Jeep safaris run through all three zones, while canter safaris are only available in Magadhi and Khitauli.
- Distance from Delhi: Approximately 485–497 miles
- Best time to visit: October to January for birds, January to April for tigers
- Nearest railway station:Umaria
- Nearest airport: Jabalpur
The Bottom Line
Delhi is not just about monuments and markets. Within an hour or two, you can spot migratory birds at Okhla, leopards at Asola Bhatti, or painted storks at Sultanpur. And if you are willing to travel a bit further, tigers, elephants, and rhinos await at Sariska, Keoladeo, Rajaji, Jim Corbett, Dudhwa, Ranthambore, and Bandhavgarh.
Whether you have a weekend or a couple of weeks, Delhi is perfect for travelers looking for a genuine wildlife experience.
Is spotting a tiger in the wild on your India bucket list? Book a guided tiger safari with Jungle Revives and let our local experts plan a trip you won’t forget.
FAQs
1. What are the best wildlife parks near Delhi?
Some of the best options include Okhla Bird Sanctuary, Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, and Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. If you have more time, Sariska, Ranthambore, and Jim Corbett National Parks are well worth the journey.
2. Which wildlife park is closest to Delhi?
Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is the closest, just 13.7 miles from the city.
3. Where can I spot tigers near Delhi?
Sariska Tiger Reserve, about 121.2 miles away, is the closest tiger reserve to Delhi. Ranthambore, Jim Corbett, Dudhwa, and Bandhavgarh National Parks are also known for tiger sightings, though they involve longer trips.
4. How to plan a perfect one-day trip from Delhi?
Sariska National Park makes for a great one-day trip from Delhi if you leave early. Book your safari slot in advance so you don’t waste time waiting once you arrive. Remember, the drive from Delhi to Sariska National Park takes about 4 to 5 hours one way, which makes for a long day of travel. So, factor in rest stops along the way and a realistic return time to Delhi.
