Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary

The famed Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary is located in Gujarat’s south-central part and has Vadodara as its nearest city at about 70kms from the city. Tourists visiting places like Champaner and Pavagadh should not miss the chance to visit this noteworthy wildlife sanctuary of Gujarat located at a stone’s throw distance from those two tourist spots. The sanctuary falls within Gujarat’s Panchmahal district and sprawls across an area of about 130.38 sq km. The sanctuary came into being in the month of May of the year 1990. The area of the sanctuary is fed by two major water reservoirs; i.e. Targol and Kada which not only add to the scenic beauty of the place but also make the reasons for the diversity of wildlife habitat in the region.

Prior to independence Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary area was under the Jambughoda princely state of Gujarat. The region has an undulating topography and the small hillocks around the region are thickly forested and are dotted with tiny tribal hamlets.

Entry Fees and Timings

Per head entry fee for the park is Rs 50. The park opens in the morning at 6 am and remains open until 7 pm in the evening.

Address: Mota Raska, Zand Hanuman Road, Jambughoda, Panchmahal, Gujarat 391761
Hours: Open Every Days · 6:00am – 7:00pm
Phone: 0265 242 5136

Fauna and Flora

Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary is covered with vegetation that offers the ideal shelter for wildlife therein. The major trees to be found in the area are Dhav, Bili, Shisham, Sadad, Bamboo, Khair, Dudhalo teak, Mahuda, Sag, and Timaru etc. Grasslands, water-borne plants, medicinal herbs, dry southern tropical rain forests, dry deciduous mixed and secondary forests, dry scrubs of the deciduous type make up for the various flora categories at the sanctuary.

The fauna at the sanctuary consists of a wide variety of animals some of which are predators while some preys. Also, there are various types of reptiles, rodents, and avifauna at the sanctuary. Some of the most notable animals at the sanctuary are a leopard, wolf, hyena, wild boar, jungle cat, barking deer, sloth bear, Indian civet, blue bull, four horned antelope, porcupine, Indian civet, mongoose, jungle fowl, python, cobra, crocodile, and mongoose. So, once you are at the sanctuary you can expect to come face to face with these wild creatures.

How to Reach

You can reach the sanctuary by means of road route, rail route, and air route.

If you are planning to travel by road you can hire buses, cabs to the sanctuary from the towns of Vadodara (70kms away from the sanctuary), Champaner (20kms away from the sanctuary), and Shivrajpur (1kms). Road connectivity between these cities and sanctuary is excellent.
Those who wish to travel by flight can take a flight to Vadodara airport at about 70kms away from the sanctuary. On reaching airport you can cover the rest of the distance by cab.
Shivrajpur rail head falls nearest to the Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary. On reaching Shivrajpur railway station you can cover the rest of the journey by means of the cab.

Best Time to Visit

The ideal time to visit the sanctuary is between the winter months spanning between November and March. Strolling comfortably into the sanctuary and getting to spot wildlife most abundantly is an opportunity you get during the winter travel season. Traveling during the summer months can be pretty uncomfortable as summer temperatures remain pretty high in that part of the region.

Food and Accommodation

There are many accommodations in and around the sanctuary area. TG Stays, The Caravan Serai resort are two of the nearest hotels in the area. The nearest town of Vadodara too has many good hotels with decent facilities. Hotel Royal Orchid Central, Hotel Suba Elite, Hotel Alpha are some of the famed hotels of Vadodara. Vananchal Jungle resort is another accommodation option that you have. By availing the resort stay option, you can stay amid the forest ambiance and enjoy the wildlife from the vicinity. There are many food joints around the area where you can sample authentic Gujarati food such as the ‘Gujarat thali’ and snacks such as gathiya, samosa, dhokla etc.

Travel Tips

You may take into account the following travel tips when you are planning to visit the Jambughoda national park-

Don’t forget your binoculars and camera. You actually need to capture some memorable wildlife shots worth cherishing all through life.
Don’t go astray when you are within the sanctuary campus.
When you have plans to stay in the forest resort, advance booking is a must.
On your Jambughoda forest tour, you will do best if you hire a well-informed guide along with you.
To catch the best glimpse of wildlife you must set out on a tour of the park by the early morning hours.

Things to Do

The top things to do at Jambughoda wildlife sanctuary are-

Bird watching is one prominent activity you can indulge in at Jambughoda. Bird watchers can catch a glimpse of nearly 25 to 30 species at a single bird watching tour and it proves to be a delightful experience indeed.
Exploring the wildlife at the sanctuary is one major activity you should not miss out on.
Embarking on a tribal tour around the area is one activity you can indulge in. during that tour, you can visit the nearby tribal villages of Bayaka and Bhilala and have the sneak peek into the very authentic tribal culture and way of life. Also, you may visit the tribal fair or heat at Chhota Udaipur in the course of such a tour.
You may also set out on a memorable cultural heritage tour of Pavagadh and Champaner; a world heritage site; the two most important historical places of Gujarat lying in close proximity to Jambughoda.
Hiking and camping are two major adventurous activities that can be undertaken by passionate adventure lovers at Jambughoda. The forests within the sanctuary area have some wonderful hiking trails and also there are some wonderful camping sites within the belt. For those who are not very enthusiastic about camping, the option of putting up at a rest house amid the forest ambiance is available. The rest house stands by the idyllic Kada reservoir.