Betla National Park

Betla forms part of the Palamau Tiger Reserve, one of the original nine declared in 1973 when Project Tiger began, covering sal and bamboo forest on the Chota Nagpur plateau. Elephants, gaur, sambar, chital, sloth bear and leopard are present, and Palamau was where the first scientific census of tigers using pug marks was attempted in the 1930s. Two forts of the Chero dynasty, of the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, stand within the reserve, overgrown and reached by forest tracks. Hot springs and the Koel river run through the area. Tiger numbers here fell very low and have been slowly recovering.

What you actually see

• The sal forest - broadleaf and bamboo woodland across the plateau.
• The Chero forts - two overgrown fortresses inside the reserve.
• The elephants - a resident herd using the park and surrounds.
• The Koel river - the watercourse and hot springs within the area.

When to go

November to March; the park closes in the monsoon. Sightings improve from February as water concentrates. Safaris run morning and afternoon with limited vehicle numbers.

Honest expectations

Tiger sightings are effectively nil; the population is very low. Infrastructure is basic compared with the central Indian parks. Parts of Jharkhand carry security advisories worth checking locally.

Nearby

Netarhat lies southeast; Daltonganj is north.