Overview:-
Ever wished for running wild amuk the giant elephants? If yes, there is a place where you can go wild with the forest animals. A paradise for elephants, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is a sanctum for city-dwellers and wildlife enthusiasts. Located very close to the steel city of Jamshedpur, it poses a stupendous option for a weekend getaway.
Lying in the catchment area of Subarnarekha River, Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary is where the wildlife exists in peace and harmony. Many ethnic groups also share the ecosystem of the sanctuary and live symbiotically with the fauna of the region.
History:-
Itinary:-
How to reach:-
Jharkhand is the nearest city to Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary located at a distance of 33 km away on NH-33. There is no direct connectivity to the sanctuary. You can hire a private car or a taxi to reach the sanctuary. The rugged terrain to the sanctuary from Makulakocha Check Post is ideal for SUVs.
Getting to Jamshedpur
By Air
The nearest airport to Jamshedpur is Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi. Ranchi is well connected to Jamshedpur with public transport. You can take a bus to Jamshedpur from Ranchi Bus Station (5 km from the Ranchi airport). There are also direct trains available between the two cities.
By Rail
There are a number of trains that run between Delhi and Jamshedpur junction on weekly basis. Bhubaneshwar Rajdhani is the fastest train that will take you to Jamshedpur from Delhi in 17 hours.
Kolkata is just a 7-hour drive from the wildlife sanctuary. The best way to reach here would be your own car.
Number of days:-
Do’s & don’ts:-
Things to do:-
1. Nature Trails:
There is no Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary safari but you will find wonderful foot trails to explore the region. Dalma Wildlife sanctuary is the first to allow the visitors to explore the wilderness on foot rather than conventional safari. The trails, marked well by the Dalma forest authorities, get you up close and personal with flora and fauna of the region. The wildlife enthusiasts can roam around freely the forests under the supervision of forest guide. There are better chances of having a rare rendezvous with a pachyderm or a giant squirrel.
Timing: Operational only in the mo
2. Visit the Lord Shiva Temple:
An unusual place to find a temple, the wildlife sanctuary is actually a home to a Shiva shrine. The ancient Lord Shiva Temple holds a great importance among the locals and people of Jamshedpur. On the eve of Mahashivratri, people from all walks of life come to worship Lord Shiva. And once you have paid your homage to Lord Shiva, you can also visit the Dalma Mai shrine after whom this sanctuary has been named.
3. Majhlabandh/Nichlabandh
Constructed for irrigation in British Era, these colonial dams are still standing strong. The area was extensively used for Indigo plantations and gold mining in the pre-independence times. Take a moment of respite and introspection beside the water holes formed by the dams. It is a good place to get motivated to weave poetry. You may even get to spot a deer and other wild animals residing in the forest.
4. Museum cum Interpretation center at Makulakocha
Museum cum Interpretation center at Makulakocha will provide you with all the information related to flora and fauna of the region. The center has been established to promote the biological and zoological research of the vegetation and zoological species. So if you want to know how many elephants inhabit the sanctuary and what species they belong to, you know where you can find the relevant information.
Climate:-
Season:-
The best time to visit Dalma Hilltop Wildlife Sanctuary is from October to March. The weather in the winter is pleasant with an average temperature of 26 degrees Celsius during the day. The temperature in the night gets chilly with temperature setting close to 11 degrees Celsius.
Refrain from visiting the park in the months of April to September when the temperature soars to 38 degrees during the day.
Stay here:-
Hotels
1. Pindrabera FRH
The best way to truly experience the beauty and wilderness is by staying a night at Pindrabera Forest Reserve House (FRH). The 2-room rest house is located in the center of the forest. The rest house offers pleasant and comfortable stay along with getting the bird’s eye views of the distant points in Jamshedpur. Enjoy chicken curry cooked on woodfire beneath the stars.
