Dudhwa National Park Jeep Safari

The Dudhwa National Park jeep safari takes visitors through the sal forest and open grassland of Dudhwa, in Lakhimpur Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh, close to the Nepal border. The park is part of the Terai Arc landscape and is known for tiger, swamp deer (barasingha), Indian rhinoceros reintroduced in the 1980s, leopard, hog deer and more than 400 bird species. Safaris run in shifts of about three hours, from the park's entry gates near Palia, and are conducted in open or canvas-topped jeeps accompanied by a forest-department guide and driver.

The activity is easy in physical terms. Visitors remain seated in the vehicle, and there is no fitness requirement beyond tolerating dusty, bumpy tracks. There is no formal age limit, but very young children are often kept away because of long silent stretches and the need to stay seated. Binoculars, neutral-coloured clothing and a camera with a telephoto lens are the usual items to carry. The Uttar Pradesh eco-tourism tariff lists about INR 4,000 per vehicle (about USD 41) for the safari, with separate entry and guide charges, and visitors should check current fees before travel. Permits are issued by the park authorities, who set the shift timings and the routes.

The safari is run under the forest department, which enforces rules on speed, noise, leaving the vehicle and feeding animals. Guides carry out the safety briefing at the gate: passengers must remain inside the jeep, avoid loud talk and not approach animals. In an emergency the park's staff and radio contact with the field office provide the evacuation route, and medical facilities are in Palia and Lakhimpur. Getting there is by road, or by rail on the Lakhimpur-Palia line. The park is open from November 15 to June 15, with the best sightings usually in late winter and spring, when the grass is cut or dried and animals come out to water. The monsoon closure, from mid-June to mid-November, is when tracks flood and the park is shut.