Rajaji National Park is situated in the state of Uttaranchal, now known as Uttarakhand. It is known for its pristine scenic beauty & rich bio diversity. It offers ample opportunity to nature lovers to enjoy the captivating landscape & wildlife. The majestic river Ganga flows through the national park for a distance of 24 kms besides the innumerable streams & brooks making it rich & diverse in flora as well as fauna. The wildlife of the park is blessed with as many as 23 species of mammals & 315 bird species with elephants, tigers, leopards, deer & ghoral as predominant ones. The abundance of nature's bounties heaped in & around the park is bound to attract nature lovers as well as wildlife conversationalists.
Rajaji National Park, also known as Chilla Park, is situated along the hills & foothills of Shiwalik ranges in the Himalayan foothills. It is spread over 820.42 sq. km. & three districts of Uttarakhand- Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal. Rajaji national park has been named after the famous freedom fighter Late C. Raja gopalachari, popularly known as Rajaji. Rajaji was the second and last Governor-General of independent India and one of the first recipients of India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna.
In the year 1983, three wildlife sanctuaries in the area namely-Chilla, Motichur & Rajaji sanctuaries were merged into one. Motichur & Rajaji wildlife sanctuaries lie to the north & south of the Shiwalik Ridge & are dissected by many ravines carrying water which descend from the main ridge, becoming broad streams in the plains. These streams remain dry for most of the year but are flooded with water during the rainy season. The park has a very large land area representing Shiwalik ecosystem. The Shiwalik trail is 10 million years old & is very rich in fossils. The park is thickly foliated predominantly by the Sal Forest. Low Alluvial Savannah Woodlands cover the drier southern margins of the park, in contrast to the Shiwalik Chir-Pine on the higher reaches of the hills.
The major attractions of the park are Wildlife jeep safaris & Elephant rides. There is 34 km. Nature safari trail & drive passing through undulating forest track, hilly terrain, lush green valleys, river beds, dense forests & sprawling grasslands. During this drive visitors can see a large no. of peafowl & peacock dancing especially during the monsoons. Trained Elephants along with their trained mahouts are available for rides & is a lifetime experience. The place has been facing some problems in the recent past in the form of soil erosion & poaching. But despite all the odds, Rajaji national park had been one of the prominent national parks in the country & an important place to observe the flora & fauna of the region.
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