Sasan Gir National Park

Originally a private hunting reserve for the Nawab of Junagadh, Sasan Gir National Park was established in 1965 to protect the endangered Asiatic lion from extinction. Today, the park’s forested hills and scrub forests are celebrated as the last sanctuary outside of Africa, where you can see the King of the jungle in its natural habitat. This sanctuary boasts a diverse landscape featuring mixed deciduous forests, semi-evergreen and evergreen forests, seasonal streams, scrub jungle, and rocky hills and is home to nearly 600 lions, which makes Sasan Gir National Park – one of the finest reserves with an exceptionally high density of Asiatic lions. In addition to lions, this wildlife reserve provides refuge for leopards, spotted deer, sambar deer, four-horned antelope, chinkara (gazelle), jackal, striped hyena, wild boar, and a rich avian population comprising nearly 300 bird species, including migratory birds like the greater spotted eagle. Reptile enthusiasts would be thrilled to note that this park has the largest population of mugger crocodiles in India. The best time to visit this wildlife reserve is between December and April, with the park typically closed from June to September during the monsoon.