Jaldapara National Park
Bengal's great grassland of the one-horned rhino
About Jaldapara National Park
Spread over 216 sq km along the Torsa river, Jaldapara protects the largest population of Indian one-horned rhinoceros in West Bengal. The landscape is classic Terai — waist-high savannah grass broken by patches of riverine forest and shifting river channels fed by the Himalayas.
Jaldapara is one of the few places in India where dawn elephant-back safaris still operate, departing from the Hollong bungalow deep inside the park. Leopard, sambar, hog deer, wild boar and the rare Bengal florican all occur here.
Why visit
- The largest concentration of one-horned rhino in West Bengal
- Dawn elephant safaris departing from inside the forest
- Bengal florican and over 240 recorded bird species
- Stay at Hollong, the legendary timber forest bungalow
Things to do & experiences
How to reach
Bagdogra Airport (IXB) is the nearest airport, 2–4 hours by road depending on the destination.
Madarihat and Hasimara stations; New Alipurduar for long-distance trains.
Madarihat gate is on NH-17, about 125 km from Siliguri and 25 km from Birpara.
Best time to visit
October to April, when skies are clear, forests are open and wildlife sightings peak.
