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Uttarakhand

Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)

India's oldest tiger reserve, entered from Ramnagar town

Wildlife

Best time to visit Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)

peak shoulder off-season avoid

  • Go: December to March
  • Shoulder: April to June and October to November, quieter, and the weather is less of a sure thing
  • Skip: July to September

Planning a specific month? JanuaryFebruaryMarchDecember

Jim Corbett (Ramnagar) season by season

Winter December to February Prime time

December-February is 5-24C with fog until nine; Dhikala's grasslands are open and elephant sightings are close to certain.

Summer March to May Prime time

April-June gives the best tiger odds at the shrinking water holes, but it is 40-43C by noon and Dhikala shuts around 15 June.

Monsoon June to September Shoulder

July-September the core zones close for breeding and the Ramganga floods; only the Jhirna and Dhela buffers stay open.

Autumn October to November Shoulder

Bijrani reopens on 15 October and Dhikala on 15 November, and the sal forest is at its greenest and cleanest after the rains.

What Jim Corbett (Ramnagar) is actually like

Safari-lodge country where a solo traveller must share a gypsy; Ramnagar has cheap hotels and the booking office

Things to do in Jim Corbett

The local places worth your time in and around Jim Corbett, with how far each sits from the centre. Tap a name to open it in Google Maps.

  • Dhikala Zone

    Wildlife · 45 km out

    Core grassland zone with the best tiger odds; day visitors only on the canter tour, forest rest house beds go months out

  • Bijrani Zone

    Wildlife · 2 km out

    Sal forest zone entered at Amdanda near town, the easy morning jeep out of Ramnagar; shut through the monsoon months

  • Garjiya Devi Temple

    Temple · 14 km out

    Shrine on a rock island in the Kosi, up steep steps from the bank; evening aarti, the river runs high in monsoon

  • Jhirna Zone

    Wildlife · 16 km out

    The zone that stays open all year, sloth bear and deer more than tiger; the fallback when the core is shut in rains

  • Sitabani Forest Reserve

    Wildlife · 20 km out

    Buffer forest outside the reserve booking system, good for birds and an old Ram temple; tracks are rough after rain

  • Corbett Falls

    Waterfall · 25 km out

    Small fall in sal forest off the Kaladhungi road, five minutes from the gate; thin outside monsoon, small ticket

  • Corbett Museum

    Museum · 26 km out

    Jim Corbett's winter bungalow at Kaladhungi, now a museum of his guns, letters and photographs; small ticket, an hour

Getting to Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)

Ramnagar takes overnight Delhi trains in 6 h and buses from Haldwani 65 km; book Dhikala permits online early

Practical ways in: trainroad

Trip facts

How long to stay
2 days
Budget
Mid-range
How busy
Busy at its peak
Solo travel
Doable solo with some planning
Altitude
370 m
State
Uttarakhand
Coordinates
29.3950, 79.1264

Common questions

When is the best time to visit Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)?

December to March is peak season in Jim Corbett (Ramnagar). April to June and October to November is shoulder season: thinner crowds, a bit more risk in the weather. Avoid July to September. December-February is 5-24C with fog until nine; Dhikala's grasslands are open and elephant sightings are close to certain.

How many days do you need in Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)?

2 days is the usual stay. Safari-lodge country where a solo traveller must share a gypsy; Ramnagar has cheap hotels and the booking office.

How do you get to Jim Corbett (Ramnagar)?

Ramnagar takes overnight Delhi trains in 6 h and buses from Haldwani 65 km; book Dhikala permits online early. Practical ways in: train and road.

Is Jim Corbett (Ramnagar) expensive, and does it get crowded?

Mid-range by Indian travel standards, and it runs busy at the busiest time of year. Doable solo with some planning.

What are the best things to do in Jim Corbett?

Dhikala Zone, Bijrani Zone, Garjiya Devi Temple, Jhirna Zone, Sitabani Forest Reserve and Corbett Falls, and more. Core grassland zone with the best tiger odds; day visitors only on the canter tour, forest rest house beds go months out.

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