Recreation
Pack your bag! Know the wild!
One can take one's own vehicle to the park but you are restricted to drive
only on the metalled road till Pandupol and not get down in the kucha. The
best way to see the park is in the official four wheel drives available just
out side the park.
If
you have time book it for the whole day, otherwise go for a shorter version.
The feel of the jungle you get driving through non-existent roads and kucha
is beyond compare. Drive till Pandupol and then come back and turn towards
Kankanwadi for and Neelkanth where the real action is and also the chances
of Tiger sightings and other wild life are higher. The lake around
Kankanwadi has a rich bird life too. Take a guide along, though jeep drivers
too are quiet knowledgeable about the jungle. Wait around water hole to
increase you chances of sightings specially around dawn and dusk. Remember
to take your binoculars, some packed food, sun glasses, a cap and some
insect repellant cream if you want to stay in the jungle for a longer
period.
Sightseeing
» Wild life : At the onset let me warn you that
tiger sightings are rare in the jungle here because of the undulating
terrain,the vastness of the jungle and the dwindling Tiger numbers. Though
you will be able to see other animals like chital, hyena, neel gai, wild
boar, hyena and leopard. Sambar, jackals and langurs can be seen in large
numbers in certain areas.
The forest also has a rich bird life specially around various waterholes
and the lakes in the area. Crested Hawkeagle,Goldenback woodpecker,Pied
Kingfisher, Lapwings etc are some of the avian population recorde here.
» Forts and temples : The forest is dotted with old
forts and temples, most of them now in ruins except the Sariska Palace
situated just outside the forest gate and now converted into a five star
hotel. Inside the century there is a temple dedicated to Hanuman at
Pandupol, which the folklore has it was created by the Gada of Bhima of
Mahabharata when he struck it on a cliff to make way for the Pandavas. The
huge fort ok Kankanwadi is worth a visit, it was built by Aurangzeb and his
brother Dara Shikoh was kept a prisoner here. The view from the top of the
fort is breathtaking. The temples of Neelkanth are a little ahead of the
fort and dedicated to Shiva, though mostly in ruins now.
