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Tiger reserve · Uttarakhand

Rajaji National Park

Elephant country in the Shivalik foothills, where the Ganga leaves the mountains.

Getting there

~20 min from Haridwar; ~45 min from Rishikesh

Best for

Wild elephants, foothill forest and easy access from the plains

The land

Sal forest and the Shivalik foothills along the Ganga river

Good to know

Lower tiger density than Corbett; strong on elephants and birds

What it is

Rajaji is Corbett's quieter neighbour — elephant country where the Ganga comes out of the hills.

Spread across the Shivalik foothills near Haridwar and Rishikesh, Rajaji is best known for its wild Asian elephants, with sal forest, riverbeds and ridges running down to the Ganga. Tigers are present but at low density and rarely seen; the draw is the elephants, the leopard, the foothill birdlife — including king cobra — and the easy access from the pilgrim towns of the plains. It is part of the same elephant landscape as Corbett, and far less visited.

PhotoWild elephants in a dry riverbed below the Shivalik ridges.

The reason to come

Elephants in the foothills

Rajaji is one of the best places in north India to see wild elephants, which move through its forests and riverbeds in family herds. The Shivalik setting — forested ridges, dry boulder riverbeds, the Ganga nearby — gives the sightings a dramatic frame.

The herds

Family groups of elephants in the sal forest and along the riverbeds, especially around water in the dry months.

The corridor

Rajaji connects to the wider Corbett landscape — an important elephant corridor, when development does not sever it.

The foothill mix

Leopard, goral, and rich birdlife including hornbills and the king cobra, in country where the mountains meet the plains.

An honest note

If your goal is a tiger, Rajaji is not the park — go to Corbett next door. Come here for elephants, for quiet, and for the foothill landscape.

The Ganga leaves the mountains

Where two worlds meet.

Rajaji sits exactly where the Himalaya gives way to the plains, and the Ganga emerges from the hills at Haridwar on its edge. That transition makes it a meeting point of foothill and lowland wildlife, and it puts a major national park within minutes of two of India's most visited pilgrim towns.

PhotoThe Ganga emerging from forested foothills near Haridwar.

When to come — honestly

Elephants over tigers.

March – June

Best

Hot and dry; elephants and game concentrate along the rivers and waterholes, and the forest opens up.

November – February

Good

Cool and clear with foothill views; good elephants and excellent birding.

Core typically closes mid-June to mid-November for the monsoon. Rajaji is steadiest for elephants and birds; tiger sightings are rare and should not be the reason you come.

Pilgrims and elephants

A park beside the holy towns

Rajaji wraps around Haridwar and Rishikesh, two of Hinduism's most important pilgrimage centres, and the pressure of roads, canals, a railway and millions of pilgrims presses on its elephant corridors. Keeping the herds able to move is the central conservation challenge here.

It is a vivid example of Indian wildlife surviving cheek by jowl with intense human use — elephants crossing landscapes shared with one of the busiest pilgrim routes in the country.

We are clear that Rajaji's value is its elephants and its corridor, not a tiger tick. The corridor's survival is the real story.

Beyond the obvious

Three ways to read Rajaji.

PhotoElephant drives

Elephant drives

Riverbed and forest drives for the wild herds, Rajaji's signature.

PhotoFoothill birding

Foothill birding

King cobra country and rich bird forest where the hills meet the plains.

PhotoA Rishikesh pairing

A Rishikesh pairing

An easy wildlife add-on to the yoga and rafting towns on the Ganga.

Why Wild Voyager

We run India on our own ground.

India is one of three countries we run with our own guides and vehicles, not booked through a middleman. In Rajaji National Park that means building around the elephants and the foothill birding, and pairing it cleanly with Corbett or the Ganga towns next door.

We operate it, not a middleman

Our team handles the permits, the zones and the timing, so we answer for your sightings — not a stranger hoping it works out.

We base you in the right zone

Rajaji is best for elephants and quiet, and it sits minutes from Haridwar and Rishikesh. We use that location, pairing the wildlife with Corbett or the river towns so nothing is wasted.

We guide for wildlife, not a checklist

Our naturalists work the alarm calls, the tracks and the light — they would rather earn you one real sighting than tick a list.

Journeys

Trips through Rajaji National Park

12 Days · 11 Nights

North India Birding Grand Tour

Where to stay

Where you’ll stay in Rajaji National Park

Signature Collection

PhotoAalia Resort

Signature

Aalia Resort

A standout safari resort at Rajaji, within reach of the Shivalik forest and the elephants.

Luxury Collection

PhotoAntalya Resort

Luxury

Antalya Resort

A polished safari resort, within reach of the Shivalik forest and the elephants.

Classic Collection

PhotoMPT Chilla

Classic

MPT Chilla

A dependable lodge, within reach of the Shivalik forest and the elephants.

Wildlife you may see

Birds Elephants Leopard Tiger

Pair Rajaji's elephants
with Corbett's tigers.

Rajaji for elephants and quiet, Corbett next door for tigers, make a complete Uttarakhand foothills trip. We route the two together, with Rishikesh on the way.

Plan a Rajaji safari

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season