Jaisamand Sanctuary Tour
Jaisamand Sanctuary is situated 50 kms south of Udaipur the picturesque city of lakes verdant valleys and hills. It is on the bank of Jaisamand Lake, the second largest artificial Lake in Asia. The sanctuary extends over an area of 52 sq kms of thick forests land.
The leopard, hyena, jungle cat, fox and wolf are among the carnivores of the sanctuary. Other wildlife here includes sambar, chital, langur and chinkara. The Jaisamand lake is the abode of crocodiles, turtles and a variety of fish. Various species of terrestrial and water-birds can also be seen here.
Accommodation and other facilities
Fortunately for tourists, accommodation is not a problem in Udaipur. The town (not the park) has a number of guest houses, forest lodges and hotels, including some luxurious heritage properties. Besides the accommodation in the town, there are two forest lodges and two restaurants within the park. The restaurants are however, extremely basic and it’s advisable to bring your own food if you plan to spend the entire day within the park
Jaisamand sanctuary was established in the year 1957 with an area of 160 sq.kms. The Jaisamand Sanctuary is famous fordeer, wild boar, panther, four horned antelope, chital, chinkara and numerous avian species. The sanctuary is located besides an artificial lake, whichis popularly referred to as Dhevar Lake. Legend has it that Rana Jai Singh constructed the Dhevar lake which is 15 ´ 10 kms. and is easily one of the largest lakes in Asia in the year 1691.
He constructed the lake, which would provide a perfect backdrop for a summer retreat - "Rubi Rani Ki Mahal". Today if one were to visit Dhevar Lake, one is sure to fall in love with this rather beautiful lake. For the adventurous tourists, there is an island in the lake where one of the most colorful tribes of Rajasthan - the Bhill tribes dwell.
Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur
This magnificent bird haven in actual came into being paradoxically as a duck shooting preserve for Maharaja Suraj Mull of Bharatpur. He transformed the shallow depression formed by the confluence of River Gambhir and River Banganga into a reservoir by damming the rainwater in monsoons.
Flooding of water created shallow wetland ecosystem causing it to be a perfect habitat for an astounding variety of birds. The park that was a hunting preserve for the Maharaja and the British continued to be so till 1964, after which the hunting was banned.
A forestation policy of planting acacias was vigorously followed. However the ecosystem at the Park continues to be fragile due to pressures of tourism and need for water from surrounding villages. However the environmentalists won the day in 1985 when UNESCO listed it as World Heritage site and earlier in 1982 it was declared as National Park.
And, today the Park is recognised as the most important breeding and feed grounds for the birds in the world. Some species are still endangered and especially the Siberian crane. Visitors are advised to maintain low noise level and avoid littering the park.
Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary
Wildlife Sanctuaries in RajasthanIs located in the most rugged of the Aravali in Pali, Rajsamand and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan. It takes name after the impressive historic fort of Kumbhalgarh, which come into view over the Park. It is 578 sq Kms in area and at an altitude of 500 to 1,300m.
It is home to a very large variety of wild life, some of which are highly endangered species. The wild life includes wolf, leopards, sloth bear, hyena, jackal, jungle cat, smabhar, nilgai, chaisingh (the four horned antelope), chinkara and hare.
The bird life at Kumbhalgarh is also gratifying. The normally shy and untrusted grey jungle fowl can be spotted here. Peacocks and Doves can be sighted regularly feeding on grains scattered by the jungle guards. Bird like the red spur owls, Parakeets, golden Oriole, grey Pigeons, Bulbul, Dove and white breasted kingfisher can also be seen near the water holes.
Mount Abu Sanctuary
The sanctuary comprises the oldest mountain ranges - The Aravali. It was declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1960. Apart from having several sightseeing places this sanctuary is a draw for nature lovers as it has great potential for Eco-tourism, In shape this sanctuary is long and narrow but the top spreads out into a picturesque plateau which is about 19 km. is length and 5-8 km. in breadth.
Attitudinally it varies from 300m. at the foot Mil to 1722m. at Gurashikhar, the highest peak of the Aravali Ranges. The rocks are igneous and due the weathering effect of wind and water, large cavities are common the rocks. This feature is typical of Aravali and particularly of Mt. Abu. Toad Rock in Mount Abu is one such example.
Mount Abu has a very rich floral biodiversity starting with xenomorphic subtropical thorn forest at the foot hills to subtropical evergreen forest along water courses and valleys at higher altitudes. These forests consist of 112 plant families with 449 genera and 820 species.
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