India’s very first National Park, established in 1936, largely by the efforts by the great hunter, naturalist, author and humanitarian Col. Jim Corbett and his two friends, Evelyn Smythies and Sir (later Lord) Malcolm Hailey. It is situated roughly 300 kms North east of New Delhi, and the best way to get there is by an airconditioned 4 wheel drive ( I had a Toyota Qualis) with an English speaking driver. I arranged my hotel accommodations, park entrance and the vehicle rental with the driver through a travel agent in Delhi.
We started very early at 6.00 a.m. to avoid traffic congestion on the way. An accident enroute put us behind 2 hours, and had to face the worst traffic in India near Moradabad. The roads were very bad, cluttered with garbage and other wastes, rocks and fallen logs, in addition to millions on foot as well as 1000s of 2-wheel scooters, tractors, donkey and bullock carts, trucks, cars and buses.
You will be lucky to cover 50 kilometers (about 30 miles) in an hour during the day time. Night travel from Delhi to Moradabad is not encouraged due to heavy casualties brought out by numerous accidents caused by untrained drivers. The Uttar Pradesh government clearly ignores any repairs and regular maintenance to these roads, But when you get into the Utranchal state, the roads are fine. The scenic route from Ramnagar to Corbett Park is breath taking.
I arrived at the Claridges Hotel in the afternoon, and within an hour I was enjoying a jungle ride on an elephant.
In the next few days we visited the Corbett park several times. An all day trip to Dhikala and back was memorable. Large herds of elephants in grasslands, chital, hog deer, barking deer, garial (long snouted crocs) and many species of birds.
A visit to Kaladhungi to see Corbett’s old cottage (now a museum with nothing to see, except the building itself and the graves of two of Corbett’s dogs. Naini Tal too is a good place for a visit, as well as the adjacent areas. In Naini Tal, if you stay at the Claridges, make sure the night concert (loud Hindi music) does not bother you. Ask the front desk for details. Also, when I stayed there, there were 2 blackouts at night and the hotel’s generator was out of order too. Otherwise it is a great place to stay, as I will stay there again!
Like many travellers arriving in India from abroad to visit the Corbett park, the nearest International Airport is New Delhi. I stayed at the Radisson, and it was very comfortable with excellent service and good restaurants. The staff were courteous and helpful.
I have been on the trail of Jim Corbett for the past 40 years, travelled to many countries and met most of his surviving friends and relatives including F.W. Champion (author of ’’With a Camera in Tigerland’’ (1927), and ’’Jungle in Sunlight and Shadow’’ (1934), E.P. Gee, Roy Hawkins (Corbett’s Editor at the Oxford University Press), Peter Corbett, Brian Stutchbury, Dorothy Nestor, Geoffrey Beyts and many others. Helped the BBC in their preparation of the docu-drama ’’Man eaters of India’’ in 1985. The Jim Corbett Foundation (Canada) was established in 1994, after restoring his neglected grave in Kenya- today we have members worldwide) , and the book ’’Under the Shadow of Man eaters: The Life & Legend of Jim Corbett’’ was originally published in Canada in 1997 as a limited edition of 1000 copies, and recently in New Delhi by Orient Longman. The Corbett grave was again restored by me in April 2002. I believe that Corbett should be remembered for what he did for the poor all his life, by our next generation. He was a kind, and unselfish, a man with rare qualities. I have all his 7 books, including the little known ’’Jungle Stories’’ he published in 1935, and I enjoy reading them over and over again. Of over 400 books I have read on big game hunting in India, I consider Corbett’s Man eaters of Kumaon is the best, and it will remain the best book on the subject forever. I again enjoyed my trip to Corbett Park.Thank you for looking.
Jerry Jaleel, F.R.G.S.,
Founder/ Director,
The Jim Corbett Foundation,
Canada.