The Palamau National Park is located in the western part of the Chotanagpur plateau in the state of Bihar. The region extends from the latitude 23°25'-23°55' in the North to the longitude 83°50'-84°25' in the East. The park is spread over a core area of 250 square kilometers and is also known as the Betla National Park. Palamau is situated within the Indo-Malayan realm and is rich in flora and fauna, though the area is prone to severe droughts. The Palamau National Park was brought under Project Tiger in the year 1973.

Area:  97, 927 ha
Temperature Maximum: 45°C
Temperature Minimum: 3°C
Best Time to Visit: February to April
Languages: Hindi and English
STD Code: 0656286 (Betla)

Palamau Wildlife National Park

The Palamau National Park is located in the western part of the Chotanagpur plateau in the state of Bihar. The region extends from the latitude 23°25'-23°55' in the North to the longitude 83°50'-84°25' in the East. The park is spread over a core area of 250 square kilometers and is also known as the Betla National Park. Palamau is situated within the Indo-Malayan realm and is rich in flora and fauna, though the area is prone to severe droughts. The Palamau National Park was brought under Project Tiger in the year 1973. It is among the first nine Tiger Reserves of the country. The core area of the park was declared as a National Park in September 1989. 

The vegetation in the sanctuary comprises of the Moist Deciduous and Dry Deciduous Forests. Sal and Bamboo are found in huge number. The western part of the Tiger Reserve has Dry Deciduous Forests and the other part of the forest has Moist Mixed Deciduous Forests. The recently prepared Herbarium by the Tiger Reserve Authorities records a good number of medicinal plants.The world's first tiger-census was done in the Palamau forests in the year 1932. the counting was based on pugmark count. there were around 44 tigers in the park, when the last census was done. Other important wildlife found in the sanctuary are Chital, Chinkara, Common Langur, Dhole (wild dogs), Elephants, Gaur, Hares, Indian porcupine, Nilgai, Monkey, Mouse Deer, Leopard, Pangolin, Panther, Sambar, Sloth Bear, Tiger, Wild Boar and Wolves. Peafowl, Red Jungle Fowl and Partridges are the common birds found here.The tourists can drive through patches of dense forests of Sal and Bamboo in the park. The guide and a jeep can be hired from the forest department. The core region of the forest is not open to tourists. Watch towers and ground hides have been created so that the wildlife can be seen in relative stillness and safety.

Palamau Wildlife National Park Besides the animal and bird kingdom, the tourists can have a look at the two large forts towering deep in the forests. It is believed that the Adivasi kings of the Chero dynasty have built these forts. Raja Medhni Raj, the ruler of Chotanagpur started the construction of the fort but his son Pratap Raj completed it while the father was busy fighting battles with the invaders. The prime picket of the old fort is visible from the top of the hill. The fort had defenses in three directions and three main gates. the largest gate was named Singh Dwar or the Lion Gate. The Nagpuri Gate has two inscriptions in Sanskrit and Persian. The architecture is truly Islamic in style. The British used to pay regular amount for the upkeep of the forests. A lot of excavation and restoration work was also carried out.

Visiting Hours(Hazaribagh National Park) :
The climate in this region is tropical with hot summers and cold winters. Temperature during the summer months touch a high of 41.1'C and a low of 19.4'C. Winter months are better and the temperature ranges between a maximum and minimum of 19.4'C and 7'C. The monsoon months are July to mid-September.

How To Get There (Hazaribagh National Park):

Air: The nearest airport Ranchi (91 km) is connected with Calcutta, Patna, Lucknow and Delhi by regular Indian Airlines flights.

Rail: The nearest railway station is Koderma, which is 59 km away, or alternately one can approach the park from the Hazaribagh Road railway station (67 km) on the Howrah-Delhi Grand Chord line.

Road: Hazaribagh town is connected by road to Ranchi 91 km, Dhanbad 128 km, Gaya 130 km, Patna 235 km, Daltongunj 198 km, and Calcutta (via Asansol-Govindapur-Barhi) 434 km. The Hazaribagh National Park is 19 km from the Hazaribagh town. Regular bus services connect the town with Koderma, Hazaribagh Road railway station, Patna, Gaya, Ranchi, Dhanbad, Daltongunj and other nearby places.

Internal Transport (Hazaribagh National Park):
Unmetered Taxis, Auto Rickshaws, Cycle Rickshaws and Taxis are available for the park from the Hazaribagh town. The approximate charge for a taxi is Rs. 160 for a two-way journey.

Attractions(Hazaribagh National Park) :
Sighting of wild boar, sambar, nilgai, cheetal, and kakar is assured especially near the waterholes at dusk. Tigers being less in number-14 according to the 1991 census-are difficult to sight. The sanctuary stretches over 184 square km of undulating country and steep hills with dense tropical forests and grass meadows.

A 111-km road in the sanctuary takes motorists to the remotest corners and to masonry towers. Strategically located, the road offers excellent opportunities for viewing the wilds. The sanctuary is surrounded by tribal habitation. There are many watchtowers that provide perfect hideouts to see the wildlife in its true natural habitat.

Places Around (Hazaribagh National Park):
The Palamau Forest Reserve is another major wildlife sanctuary in the region. Places of the tourist interest in the vicinity include Canari Hill-5 km, Rajrappa-Falls 89 km, and Suraj Kund hot spring-72 km.

Travel Tips(Hazaribagh National Park) :
A trip to the park starts at 1700 hours from the Divisional Forest Office, West Division, Hazaribagh and it ends at 2200 hours. Charges are Rs.50 per head. Reservation can be made with the Divisional Forest Officer, West Division, Hazaribagh. Entry fees for vehicles inside the park are Bus (full)- Rs.75; Mini Bus- Rs.50; Station Wagon/Car/Jeep/Private Car- Rs.20; Motor Cycle- Rs.10 and Taxi- Rs.25. No charges are levied for guides provided with the tour operators and there is no extra fee for carrying a camera to the park. Firearms are not allowed inside the park.