Despite the rough and arid conditions prevailing in the state of Rajasthan, it is home to some of the most magnificent and rare flora and fauna. Rajasthan holds in its heart some of the most exotic national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, where the animals and plants rejoice in their natural habitat. Besides providing a scenic beauty that is elegant and wondrous to all, the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries also make our Royal Rajasthan a popular tourist destination.

Spread over a massive area of 866 sq. km, the Sariska Tiger Reserve,in the Alwar district of Rajasthan is an Indian National Park, formerly a hunting reserve,that was granted the status of a tiger reserve in 1978, post its recognition as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955. Regality prevails in the air of Rajasthan, and this is showcased well in the Sariska Tiger Reserve, which is known all over the world for its grand Royal Bengal Tigers who have been successfully relocated, as is clear from their growing population in the reserve.

Apart from nurturing a plethora of flora and fauna, the Sariska Reserve dates back its story to some of the fascinating anecdotes in Indian history. The Kankwadi fort, originally built by the then king Jai Singh II is centred near the heart of the park. It is said that the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh in the fort, in order to attain the throne, by hook or by crook( which is obvious!). The place is also said to be the retreat of the mighty Pandavas, the sons of King Pandu of Hastinapur, when they were exiled. The Neelkanth temple, the buildings associated with the kings of Alwar, such as the Sariska Palace, a royal hunting lodge of Maharaja Jai Singh.

Coming back again to the point in which we concentrate our discussion, the wildlife and botanical elements of the park, Sariska is home to a variety of exquisite creatures. Starting with the leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, sambhar, nilgai , chinkara- the list just goes on and on. The diverse vegetation that includes the Dhok tree,Sal,Kadaaya,Ber,Gol,Dhak compliment the fauna pretty well.

The spectacular scenic beauty and the calm and tranquil environment is sure to make anyone fall in love with Sariska!!