Travel Magazine

Photo Essay – Dudhwa Diaries: Nature’s Beauty Beyond Words

By Rashmi Gopal Rao

Home to a number of endangered species of animals and birds, Dudhwa National Park in Uttar Pradesh is an integral part of the Terai landscape.  Established initially as a sanctuary in 1958 for swamp deer (or the Barasingha), the park is part of the Dudhwa Tiger reserve which is rightly known as the Terai Emerald.   With a plethora of landscapes including wetlands and grasslands with the famous elephant grass that grows as tall as 6 meters, Dudhwa National park is located at the foothills of the Himalayas along the Indo-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri district of the state.  Apart from the swamp deer, Dudhwa is synonymous for its unique avifauna, the tiger as well as the one horned rhino.

I recently visited the sanctuary as it was the venue of the 3rd edition of the Uttar Pradesh bird festival and was left totally floored by the colors, beauty and magnificence of nature all around.  Here are some pictures:

Sun rise through the canopy of green
Sun rise through the canopy of green
Capturing the perfect sunrise
Capturing the perfect sunrise
Foggy mornings giving rise to a plethora of evolving colors
Foggy mornings giving rise to a plethora of evolving colors
Paths that beckon
Paths that beckon

BIRD SIGHTINGS:

White-throated kingfisher
White-throated kingfisher
The Great Pied Hornbill
The Great Pied Hornbill
Grey headed parakeet
Grey headed parakeet
Black headed golden oriole
Black headed golden oriole
Indian roller
Indian roller
Greater coucal
Greater coucal
Jungle owlet
Jungle owlet
Marshy wetlands
Marshy wetlands
Gharials glaore
Gharials glaore
Bronze-winged jacana
Bronze-winged jacana
Indian Pond heron
Indian Pond heron
Red wattled lapwing
Red wattled lapwing
Egrets
Egrets
Swamp deer amidst coots and pochards
Swamp deer amidst coots and pochards
In focus!
In focus!
In search of the exlusive butterfly!
In search of the exlusive butterfly!
Finally, one of India's tiniest butterflies
Finally, one of India’s tiniest butterflies
As dusk approaches..
As dusk approaches..
Snacking at sunset
Snacking at sunset
All good things come to an end, time to bid adieu
All good things come to an end, time to bid adieu

Dudhwa National park is about 220 km from Lucknow and 430 km from Delhi by road.  For more details visit the Uttar Pradesh ecotourism website here.


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