Sundarbans National Park

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sundarbans National Park is a magnificent tangle of mangrove forests that's the only one of its kind in the world. It's spread over 54 islands and neighbouring Bangladesh. Part of the Sundarbans is home for a 2,586 sq kilometer (1,606 sq mile) Tiger Reserve, which includes a 1,331 sq kilo meter (826 sq mile) national park.

The Sundarbans has three wildlife sanctuaries, one is the national park at Sajnekhali, south of the park at Lothian Island & Haliday Island. The area is full of  tigers, birds, reptiles, and other animals such as monkeys, wild bear, and deer.

Location:-

At the mouth of the Ganges river, 131 kilometers (80 miles) south east of Kolkata in the West Bengal. The nearest railway station from here is in Canning, and Gosaba is the nearest town. The entrance to the Sundarbans national park, at Sajnekhali, and where entry fees are paid.

Sundarbans Permits:- 

Foreigner needs a permit to visit the national park. This can be get  free from the West Bengal Tourism office, 2/3 BBD Bagh East , Kolkata.

How to Get There by Organised Tour:-

The most hassle free way of seeing the Sundarbans is on a tour. The operations will take care of getting you there, providing the necessary permits & accommodations. Sunderbandeparts by boat from Kolkata. Cheaper options are offered from the Sunderban Tiger Camp and West Bengal Tourism.

If you want to a day to spare, Sundarban Chalo offers for popular small groups day tours to the Sundarbans from Kolkata, best suited to  budget travelers. Their two and three day tours are also very nice, and will give you the opportunity to visit villages as well as forest.

Want to go on a private tour? Then take a look at this 3 day Sundarbans tour offered by Viator. It can be conveniently booked easily online.

How to Get There Independently:-

•        By Road:- Travel from Kolkata to Gosaba (around three hours), then take a boat from Godkhali Port to Sajnekhali (2 hours).

•        By Trains:- From Sealdah station to Canning (around 2 hours) and take a boat to Sajnekhali from there (five hours), or travel by road to Gosaba and take a boat from Godkhali Port.

It's also possible to take a boat to  from Basantito Sajnekhali, on the way to Gosaba. It will take around 3 hours to Sajnekhali.

Boats and are available for excursions through the mangroves from Sajnekhali.

When to Visit:-

In the month of December to February, while the weather is cooler.

How Much Will it Cost:

Boats can be hired for around 600 rupees for half a day and 1000 rupees  for a full day. A guide costs around 300 rupees, and a boat permit 50 rupees. The entrance fee for the national park is 150 rupees, as well as 20 rupees (50 cents) for a camera and 300 rupees for a camera. Tour operators offer fully inclusive packages from 1400 rupees to over 5000 rupees per person, depending on the duration (1 or 2 nights) and standard of accommodations.

Where to Stay:

The Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge, the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation (wbtdc) and located in the national park area, offers basic rooms costing between rupees 600-900 /night. Permission to visit Sundarbans is automatically granted for guests staying here. contact: (03218) 214960. More luxurious options are:- the Sunderban Tiger Camp , located across the river, the award winning eco-tourism Sunderbans Jungle Camp at Bali (Island). Alternatively take a package and stay on the boat.