Dudhwa National Park

Dudhwa National Park is a protected national park and tiger reserve located in Lakhimpur Kheri district near Palia Kalan, Uttar Pradesh, along the Indo-Nepal border. Covering about 490 sq km of Terai grasslands, dense sal forests and wetlands, it is known for its populations of Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer (barasingha), elephants and diverse birdlife. Established in 1977, it forms part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and is a key wildlife destination in northern India.

Visitors can expect dense sal forests, extensive Terai grasslands, marshes and lakes within the park. Exploration is by guided open jeep safari and elephant safari on designated forest tracks. Sightings may include tigers, greater one-horned rhinoceros, swamp deer, elephants, leopards and over 400 bird species. The park has watchtowers, forest rest houses, and interpretation facilities. The terrain is flat and forested, with safari routes through core and buffer areas.

Dudhwa was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1958 and notified as a National Park in 1977 covering 490.3 sq km. In 1987-88 it was declared a Tiger Reserve under Project Tiger, combining Dudhwa National Park, Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary and Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary. Conservationist Billy Arjan Singh played a key role in its establishment and in the successful reintroduction of the greater one-horned rhinoceros from Assam and Nepal in the 1980s.

The park lies in the Terai region traditionally inhabited by the Tharu tribal community, known for their distinct culture, crafts and traditional knowledge of the forest. The landscape reflects the Terai's agricultural and forest-based lifestyle, and local villages around Palia Kalan maintain cultural connections to the forest ecosystem.