Mukundra Hills National Park

History

The Mukundra Hills National Park is located in Rajasthan. It is sometimes called the Darrah National Park. The term Darrah means a ‘pass’ in local language. It is has history of providing asylum to the British soldiers and Rajput warriors during wartime, because the region is covered with dense forests and thickets. The exact location of the park is in between Mukundra hills and Gagrola Mountains. Several years ago The Maharaja of Kota used the region as his regal hunting ground.

The region got its formal status of National Park in the year 2006. It is administered by the Forest Department of Rajasthan, primarily. Indian Government funds its operations, too. Many decades ago, in the year 1955 to be particular, the park was declared as a wildlife sanctuary, due to its immensely intriguing flora and fauna species, marking a unique biodiversity. 

In 2013, the park came under purview of the ‘National Tiger Conservation Authority’ or NTCA. With the declaration, the park became the 3rd Tiger Reserve in the state of Rajasthan. The boundaries of the park are strictly maintained, and any kind of grazing and forestry activity is completely illegal, as per the regulations of concerned authorities.

Useful Information

Total area – 759 sq km 

Core area – 200.54 sq km

Latitude –  24°52′05″N

Longitude – 75°51′22″E

Nearest river – Chambal River, Chandrabhaga River 

Flora of Mukundra Hills National Park

You would be totally enamored by the dense bushes and huge trees of Mukundra Hills National Park. There are many varieties of exotic and common flora species in the park. For example, this is the region where you would find the unique Acacia nilotica trees while enjoying your Mukundra Hills tour packages. They are spread across the park in abundance. You can also spot plants such as Anthocephalus and Aegle marmelos in the park. If you are a wildlife enthusiast with a special focus on plant life, then you would be amazed by the population of Bombax ceiba and Cassia fistula plants in the park. 

Spotting trees like Atrocarpus heterophyllus is also not uncommon in the park. Another common plan found in abundance in the region is Azadirachta indica. You can also see Citrus aurantifolia plants among the bushes in the expansive premises of the park, availing your Mukundra Hills holiday packages. If you explore the huge area of the park more, then you would come across trees such as Dalbegria sissoo and Delonix regia. It is also engaging to find trees like Phyllanthus emblica. Generally, the notion is it is impossible to find several types of green trees in desert regions. But, with Mukundra Hills National Park, the notion does not hold, as the park is nicely nestled within a square marked region, marked by four rivers. You can also spot lovely trees like Ficus glomerata and Ficus benghalensis at various regions in the park. 

Fauna of Mukundra Hills National Park

The main attraction of the Mukundra Hills National Park is of course the family of Big Cats. Bengal tigers are the supreme animal in the park for which tourists from various places in the country and world flock throughout the year, availing their Mukundra Hills wildlife packages. Spotting Indian leopards is also not uncommon, especially during the dry seasons when the animals arrive at the banks of rivers to quench thirst. 

Those among you who are yet to witness Indian wolves can get good opportunities at Mukundra Hills National Park to watch those wonderful animals availing your Mukundra Hills adventure packages. The tigers and wolvers form the major category of carnivorous animals in the park. Among the prey species, you could see chital and Sambar deer in your Mukundra Hills affordable packages. They have a large population. There are also wild boars and Nilgai roaming in packs in different areas of the park. 

Mukundra Hills National Park is also an abode to sloth bears. You could spot Chinkara in the forests, too, when you avail top-rated Mukundra Hills sightseeing packages. The beautiful park is also home to mugger crocodiles and Gharials. 

Climate of Mukundra Hills National Park

When you consider about climactic conditions of any destination, planning for the trip becomes easier. You get a clear picture of how to design your itinerary for the tour, in order to experience an enjoyable trip. When you decide to visit the Mukundra Hills National Park, it is hugely important to take a note of its climate, throughout the year. 

The winter season starts from the month of October and usually lasts till middle weeks of March. The breeze becomes very chilling, especially during December and January. Temperature can drop till the level of 5 degree Celsius very easily. There is very less amount of moisture in the atmosphere. The wind is dry in nature due to low humidity. 

The summer season in the park properly becomes from the month of April. It lasts till June. In months of April, May and June, you could feel hot, dry wind blowing throughout the park. Summers in these regions also don’t have huge moisture content in the atmosphere. Small water bodies in the park could dry up to a significant extent at some places. Maximum temperature could reach 43 degree Celsius.

July marks the beginning of monsoon in the Mukundra Hills National Park. The rainy season lasts tills the month of September. Atmosphere becomes cooler. A visibly lush green vista appears in the terrains of the park, adding to its beauty. 

Best Time to Visit Mukundra Hills National Park

Determining the best time to visit the park is one of the more strategic decisions you need to make while planning your itinerary for the trip. In most years, it has been observed that tourists prefer the months between February and May to visit Mukundra Hills National Park. The influx of tourists during this period is maximum, as per the records. This is due to two separate facts. In months of February and March, the temperature in the Park becomes more soothing, and it is comfortable exploring the terrain. 

Also, in months of April and May, in-spite of the scorching sun and temperatures touching mid-forties, the probability of catching glimpses of Big Cats is much higher in your Mukundra Hills safari tours. This encourages the tourists and wildlife enthusiasts to visit the park. 

One of the features of Mukundra Hills National Park is it is not open throughout the year, for tourists. Hence, you can’t plan the trip on any month. 

Keep in mind that traveling through the park and exploring it during monsoon months could be an ardent task, anyway. 

How to Reach Mukundra Hills National Park

Reaching Mukundra Hills National Park is not a difficult task, when you plan ahead properly. The key here is to weigh and assess all the available options in transportation, your original location and budget, when you take a final decision about traveling to the park. 

By road – The bus stoppage closes to the Mukundra Hills National Park in Darrah is in Kota. It is located in the Bundi Road. You can simply book tickets for private or public bus from this place. There are many buses all through the day, and each day of the year, plying passengers to the park at reasonable rates. The stoppage is closer to the eastern banks of the famous Chambal River, which marks one of the borders of the park. It is also possible to reach the destination by bus or car from other Rajasthan cities such as Ajmer, Jaipur, etc. 

By rail – You also have the option of railways to reach the park. The Kota Railway Station is at a distance of 50 km from the park. You can book train tickets from any of the major Rajasthan city to Kota, and then take a bus or hire a car from there. Also, there are major trains from different parts of India that have a stoppage in Kota. Railways are a quite good option when you want to travel at a small budget, availing your Mukundra Hills weekend tour packages. 

By air – There is also a flexibility of choosing the air route if you want to reach the Mukundra Hills National Park from a far-off Indian city, for availing your Mukundra Hills family packages. The Udaipur Airport is about 300 km from Kota. You can purchase plane tickets till Udaipur. After landing, it is wise to rent a private car to reach the destination. Keep in mind to keep the budget on the higher side in this case. You would reach the park via Kota. 

Connectivity & Distances

Railway station: Kota

Bus Stand: Kota

Airport: Udaipur

Nearest city/town: Kota 

Places to Visit Near Mukundra Hills National Park

When you visit Mukundra Hills National Park, you would be completely elated to come across various options of exploring tourist interest places in and around the park. Never miss including the following list of place in your Mukundra Hills National Park itinerary in order to enrich your trip at the park. 

Jhalawar Fort – There is an old fort in the vicinity of the park, called the Jhalawar fort, which you can conveniently visit on your weekend trip. The fort was constructed by the Marathas, when they used to rule the region. It beautifully depicts the marvels of architecture from old times, a few centuries back. It is a major tourist attraction.

Jhalara Patan – Jhalara Patan is yet another intriguing place near the Mukundra Hills National Park where you can visit on a weekend getaway tour. The structure was built way back in 10 century AD. The architecture marks the remains of Sun Temple. 

River Chandrabhaga – The River Chandrabhaga has an immense religious and cultural significance for the local people. Thousands of local folks participate in rituals each year on the banks of this river. As a passionate admirer of nature, ensure visiting the river on your trip.