Address
Sundarbans National Park
Kolkata, West Bengal 743370
Directions: Google Maps
Support
Phone: 1800 2121 655 (West Bengal tourism)
Phone: 033-2243 6440 /2248 8271
Email: nil
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About Sundarbans National Park
Established in 1869, the Sundarbans National Park is the country’s largest tiger reserves, for Bengal tigers in West Bengal, India. The Sundarbans Delta spreads over 10,000 sq.km, and covers around 40% of mangrove forest belt in India, and the rest in Bangladesh. A protected tiger reserve, the Sundarbans is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and became a National Park in 1984.
Sundarbans Delta is home to the largest mangrove forests in the world, and named after ‘Sundari Tree’ a distinct tropical mangrove species. The delta is abundant with wildlife, mangrove forests, and exquisite flora and fauna, sustained by the merging of the two great Indian Rivers, namely the Brahmaputra and the Ganges.
The Sundarbans has 78 exquisite species of mangrove trees, and comprises of 102 islands, of which 52 islands are human settlements, and the rest are forests that are home to 400 Bengal Tigers, and 30,000 spotted deer, as of 2015.
Wildlife Attractions: The Sundarbans has the highest population of Bengal tigers, spotted deer, and salt-water crocodiles, along with Oliver Ridley Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Ganges River Dolphins, and Mangrove Horseshoe Crabs. Other popular sightings at Sundarbans are the dense Mangrove forest, migratory birds, and the marsh reptiles.
Places of Interest: Tourists can explore Sundarbans through the various watchtowers, namely Sudhanyakali, and Dobanki, and visit the Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary and Bhagatpur Crocodile farm, to spot birds and salt-water crocodiles.
When to Visit: Winters are the best season to visit the Sundarbans Park, from October – March, to spot Bengal Tigers, and best avoided during monsoons and summers, as the weather conditions are not favorable. Sundarbans National Park entry starts from the Godkhali Jetty, and boat safari rides are the only transport medium to explore the forest reserve. The boats are available from 4-seaters to 40-seaters, and designed specifically for sighting wildlife.
Boat safari rides, are best booked through government-operated tour packages, and is inclusive of food, entry permit, boat, guides, lodging and food. The safari rides are from 8:00am – 4:00pm, from Monday-Friday, and remains closed on Saturday and Sunday. All visitors are required to obtain an entry permit, from the Sundarbans Forest Department, and the permit is valid for few hours to one week. It is ideal to choose a large boat size, as the cost per head is less, and the entry fee is INR 60 for Indians and INR 200 for foreigners. The safari rides cost INR 2,650 per head for 1 day, and INR 5,000- 7000 per head, for 3 days.
There are plenty of accommodations for tourists, in and around the Sundarbans Park. The popular lodging options are the Sunderbans Tiger Camp (Luxury Resort), the Sundar Chital Tourist Lodge (30 Bedrooms), the Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge, and the Sunderbans Jungle Camp.
The nearest international airport, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is 120 km from Godkhali Jetty. Hire a cab from the airport to reach the Jetty. The nearest local railway station, Canning is 29 km away from Godkhali Jetty, and the nearest major railway station is at Sealdah, connecting Sundarbans with the rest of the metro cities. The road connectivity from Kolkata is a good 3-hour drive to Godkhali by the Basanti Highway road.
