Jim Corbett National Park Guide
A practical guide to visiting Jim Corbett National Park with safari booking tips and zone recommendations.
Jim Corbett National Park, India's oldest national park, sits at the edge of Uttarakhand in the Nainital district and remains one of the country's best-known destinations for tiger sighting.
India's First National Park
Established in 1936 as Hailey National Park and later renamed after the hunter-turned-conservationist Jim Corbett, the park was central to launching Project Tiger in 1973 and remains one of India's most important tiger reserves today, alongside healthy populations of elephants, leopards, and over 600 bird species.
Choosing a Safari Zone
Corbett is divided into multiple zones — Dhikala, Bijrani, Jhirna, Dhela, and others — each with different accessibility, terrain, and sighting patterns. Dhikala, the core zone, generally offers the best tiger sighting odds but requires advance permits and often an overnight stay; Bijrani and Jhirna are easier day-trip options from the park's edge.
Getting There from Dehradun
Corbett is roughly 230-250 km from Dehradun depending on the entry gate, typically a 5-6 hour drive — a proper day's travel, so most visitors plan at least one overnight stay near the park rather than a same-day round trip.
Best Time to Visit
The park operates roughly mid-November to mid-June, closed during monsoon. April to June, despite the heat, often produces the best sightings as animals concentrate around remaining water sources — a similar seasonal pattern to Rajaji National Park closer to Dehradun.