Compared to its up-country neighbour Corbett, Rajaji National Park comes off, rather unfairly, as it?s poor cousin. Most pilgrims flocking to Haridwar, or trekkers keen on higher altitudes, bypass this undiscovered gem. But there are side benefits to being forgotten, and the light human traffic in Rajaji has meant that the wilderness has blossomed unmolested.
Corbett is India's oldest National Park, whereas Rajaji is a mere youngster that was created just 20 years ago, out of the three adjoining wildlife sanctuaries of Chilla, Rajaji and Motichur. Covered in beautiful rambling forests of sal and amaltas and bisected by the Ganga and its multitude of tributaries, the Park is home to over 500 wild elephants, as well as chital, barking deer, wild boar, jackals and even leopards and bears. The wide, flat river valley which runs through the park is an ideal place to spot animals as they come down to the water's edge to drink, or gather at dusk at their favourite salt lick. Sometimes, the damp ground near the river's edge is transformed into a shimmering carpet as thousands of butterflies gather to drink.