In the Lap of Nature: Van Vihar National Park

Declared a national park in January 1983, Van Vihar National Park covers an area of about 4.45sqkm. It is located on the bank of Bhojtal (formerly known as Upper Lake) and is also one of the smallest national parks in India. Van Vihar combines the thrill of a jungle and the learning experience of a zoo. Although it has the status of a national park, the tourist zone of Van Vihar is operated as a modern zoological park. It also houses rescue centre to take care of orphaned animals and a conservation breeding centre.

Sightseeing around the park is quite easy as visitors can access it through a road, named after the famous birdman of India, Dr Salim Ali. The park has an aviary, snake park, deer park, tiger point, leopard point, and crocodile point. The park houses at least 700 species of plants, 210 species of birds, 60 species of butterflies and a large number of carnivores and herbivores.

Entry to the park is INR 20 per person and tourists have an option to rent a cycle at the park gate for INR 10 per hour or alternatively take battery-operated golf cart. Overall, Van Vihar National Park is a real treasure of nature and wildlife to be explored by both the wildlife enthusiasts as well as casual tourists. A must-stop next time you visit Bhopal.

Abhinav Kakkar