Sundarbans National Park, West Bengal

Area : Sundarbans National Park, India, 169,950 hectares (core) and 88,527 hectares (buffer).

Established : 1973 as a tiger reserve, 1984 as a national park.

About Sundarbans National Park

Some believe that the name Sundarbans is derived from 'Sundri' - a plant found in the local mangroves - and 'bans' meaning forest. Others believe the name means 'beautiful forest' ('sunder' = beautiful, and 'bans' = forest). The Sundarbans, extending over an area of 1,000,000 hectares, is the world's largest delta, formed by the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghana rivers. The region has extensive mangrove forests and the contours are in a constant state of flux, caused by the monsoon flooding each year. Roughly a third of the delta is water, consisting of rivers, channels and tidal creeks up to 5 kilometers wide. The Sundarbans falls both within the India and Bangladesh, the latter having the larger share of the delta. On the Indian side there is a national park overlooking the Bay of Bengal.

The Sundarbans West, South and East wildlife sanctuaries in Bangladesh are also at the southern extremities of the delta. The Sundarbans parks are covered in mangrove forests of which there are 3 main zones, depending on the level of salt in the soil and water a freshwater zone, a moderately saline zone, and a saline zone. Fishing, timber extraction and honey collection are the main human activities allowed within the Sundarbans. The four Sundarbans national parks have been lumped together as they all share common features of the estuarine mangrove ecosystem. The main attractions of the Sundarbans are the Tiger, of which the delta harbor large reptiles like the Monitor Lizard, Estuarine Crocodile and the Olive Ridley Turtle, for which there is a conservation programme in the Indian park. The Leopard, Indian Rhinoceros, Javan Rhinoceros, Swamp Deer, Hog Deer and Water Buffalo have all become locally extinct from the delta in recent decades.

Best Season

The best time to visit Sundarbans is during winters between September and March.

Access

The Sundarbans are not easily accessible. To get to the Sundarbans national park in India the nearest airport is Calcutta, the nearest railway station is Canning, and the nearest town is Gosaba. From the park headquarters at Canning take the country motor launch (5 hours) to Sajnekhali.

There are regular bus services from Kolkata (Calcutta) to this place. But the main areas of the sanctuary can only be accessed by riverine waterways. The best and the safest way to visit Sundarbans is on conducted tours. One can also avail the services of the private vessels from Canning, Gosaba or Basanti.

Hotels & Resorts in Sundarbans National Park

Icons Summary Restaurant Internet Service Tea/Coffe Machine Business Centre Swimming pool Travel Desk Doctor on Call Baby Sitting Health club Bar Safe Deposit Amphitheatre Library Std/Isd Money Exchange

Sunderban Mangrove Retreat
	Relish a comfortable stay at Sunderban Mangrove Retreat as it tenderly provides a perfect accommodation option for the holiday seekers who wish to lodge the cheapest, affordable and easily available living.

Sundarbans Tiger Camp
	We generously invite tourists to avail the relaxing and luxurious accommodation amenities of Sunderban Tiger Camp and feel the intensive elegance of exclusively designed interiors of the resort. Perfectly blended with the wilderness.

Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge
	Enjoy the warmth of spending your much awaited holidays at Sunderban National Park with Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge, which provides great marvels of comfort living and gives the most suited accommodation facilities for the tourists.

Wildlife in Sundarbans National Park

Wildlife Animals

Sundarbans national park is home of more than 250 tigers. The Royal Bengal Tigers have developed a unique characteristic of swimming in the saline waters, and are world famous for their man-eating tendencies.

Apart from the Royal Bengal Tiger; Fishing Cats, Jungle Cat, Common Grey Mongoose, Wild Boar, Fox, Flying Fox, Macaques, Chital, Pangolin are also found in abundance in the park.

Birding in Sundarbans National Park

Brahminy Ducks, White Bellied Sea Eagles, Fishing Eagles, Woodpeckers, Red Jungle Fowls, Kingfishers, Brahminy Kite, Gray Herons, Spotted Doves, Jungle Crow, Jungle Babblers, Wood Sandpipers, Rose Ringed Parakeets, Caspian Terns, Paradise Flycatchers, Green Pigeons, Pheasant Tailed Jacanas, Large Egrets, Pariah Kites, Common Mynahs, Herring Gulls, Spotted Billed Pelicans, Little Stints, Eastern Knots, Golden Plovers, Swamp Partridges, Open Billed Storks, Cotton Teals, Black-Tailed Godwits, Pintails, Cormorants, Peregrine falcons, Night Herons, White Eyed Pochards, Common Snipes, Whimprels, Seagulls, Water Hens, Coots are the common birds which can found easily in the national park. Reptiles:

Sundarbans national park is also home of a good number of reptiles like Estuarine Crocodiles, King Cobras, sea snakes, Dog Faced Water Snakes, rat Snakes, Monitor Lizards¸ Salvator Lizards, Mouse Ghekos,, Russels Vipers, Olive Ridley turtles¸ Chameleons, Hard Shelled Batgun Terrapins, Green Turtles, Curviers, Hawks Bill Turtles, Chequered Killbacks, Pythons and etc.

Sundarbans National Park Travel Information

Location : Piyali, West Bengal, India.

Area : 9,630 Sq. Kms.

Climate : Winter Min. 10 degree C & Summer Max 34 degree C

Time to visit : December to February, park also opens from September to March

Established : Ramgarh Gate, Mohand Gate, Ranipur Gate, Motichur Gate, Chila Gate, Kunao Gate, Laldhang Gate

Zone of the Park: Core zone (national park), Afforestation zone, Agri operation zone, Restoration zone

How to Reach Sundarbans National Park

Air : The nearest Airport to the park is located at Dum Dum Kolkata 166 kms.

Rail : The nearest Railway Station to the park is located at Canning 105 kms

Road : The nearest town to the park is Gosaba 50 kms..