Dudhwa National Park National Park

Address: Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, India

Hours: Open seasonally for visitors (mainly Nov-May); check local park authorities for exact dates

Dudhwa National Park is a protected area in the Terai belt of Uttar Pradesh in northern India and forms the core of the surrounding tiger reserve landscape. It preserves lowland sal forest, grassland and wetland habitats typical of the Terai and supports a range of large mammals and birdlife.

The wider protected complex includes adjacent sanctuaries and forest blocks that together provide habitat continuity for wide-ranging species and riverine ecosystems. Wildlife-viewing activities are concentrated along game trails and river corridors where animals gather in the dry season.

The park and its associated sanctuaries lie in Lakhimpur Kheri district on the Indo-Gangetic plain near the India-Nepal border, within the broader Terai lowland region of northern Uttar Pradesh.

• Best time to visit: Best wildlife viewing months are the drier months from October to March when animals concentrate near rivers and clearings.
• Visitor arrangements: The protected area is part of a larger tiger reserve, so guided safaris and permits are required for most vehicle-based wildlife visits.

What to See#

• Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary: Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary forms the western sector of the reserve and is noted for mixed forest and grassland habitats where sightings of deer and other ungulates are frequent.
• Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary: Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary lies to the east and connects lowland riverine forest with protected grassland, forming part of the wider tiger reserve landscape.
• Dudhwa National Park core: Dudhwa National Park itself comprises the core protected area of the tiger reserve, including riverine and sal forest, grassland and wetland habitats.

Nearest airports: Lucknow (Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport) or Nepalgunj (Nepal) for some approaches; road access from Lakhimpur Kheri and Lucknow. Permits and guides are arranged via Dudhwa Tiger Reserve offices and approved operators.

• Book guided wildlife safaris with accredited operators to increase chances of seeing tigers, swamp deer and gharial (where present).
• Visit in the dry months (Nov-Mar) when wildlife congregates at waterholes and roads are more passable.
• Check permit requirements with the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve office before arrival; some zones require advance permissions and a guide.