Blackbuck National Park

Blackbuck National Park Velavadar

Overview

Blackbuck National Park is located at Velavadar in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. Earlier, the park used to be the hunting ground of the Maharaja of the princely state of Bhavnagar for hunting the blackbucks with his famous hunting cheetahs. Today, the national park has been classified as a semi-arid bio-geographical zone. With the Gulf of Khambhat on its south and by wastelands and agricultural fields on the north, the park is spread in a large area of about 34.08 square kms.

Information

Blackbuck National Park attracts a lot of tourists who come to the park in order to witness herds of antelopes and blackbucks in the flat lands and dry grasses. The area mainly has a grassland ecosystem and is a habitat for many endangered flora and fauna of the park. The park is home to the largest population of blackbuck in the country. In addition to the large blackbuck population, the park also has a host of other animals including nilgai, jackal, wolf, jungle cat, and fox. The park is also famous for its beautiful birdlife as it is home to many bird species including Lesser Florican, Sandgrouse, larks, pelicans, flamingos, white and painted storks.

• Size – 34.08 square km
• Forest type – Mainly Grassland habitat, shrub lands, saline plains, and mud flats

Star Species

Blackbucks are the top attraction of the Blackbuck National Park and thus attracts a wide variety of people from all over the world. The best way to get the experience of the wild is by staying in the resorts in Blackbuck National Park as it offers a combination of thrill and luxury to its visitors. If you wish to visit a place that truly quenches your thirst for adventure travel, then Blackbuck National Park is the perfect destination to plan.

• Key Mammals – Blackbucks, wolves, Macqueen’s bustards, hyenas, nilgai, foxes, jackals, jungle cats
• Key Birds – Sandgrouse, larks, pelicans, flamingos, white and painted storks, Lesser Florican

How to Reach

• By train – Blackbuck National Park has good rail connectivity that makes it accessible from major cities in India. The nearest railhead from the park is Dhola which is 55 kms from the park. Another railhead is Bhavnagar railway station that is about 72 kms far from the national park.
• By air – The nearest domestic airport that connects the national park to other major cities of the country is Bhavnagar airport in Gujarat. The closest international airport is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel located in Hansol, Ahmedabad which is 155 kms from the park. One can then hire a cab or taxi to reach the reserve area.
• By road – The nearest town of Vallabhipur is about 30 kms away from the national park. One can also access the park by taking a bus from Bhavnagar as the city enjoys good state bus connectivity. Other major towns that enjoy good road connectivity to the park are Ahmedabad (160 km), Rajkot (315 kms), Mumbai (315 kms) and Delhi is 960 km away.

Safari

Blackbuck National Park is divided into two zones, wetland and grassland and both can be accessed on one entry permit.

Weather

Things to Carry

Clothing tips for the right safari experience:

• Clothes in the earthy colours to be worn which are greens, beige and grey. Black attracts mosquitoes and should be avoided. Shiny or bright colours are a big no.
• Clothes as per expected weather are very important:
  • Summer clothes to be carried should be preferably cotton or cotton blend that is comfortable, breathable.
  • Winter clothes to be packed should be planned for layering over each other when worn. Advisably 4-5 woollen clothes than one heavy item.
• A raincoat or a windcheater is also recommended.
• A hat or a cap as per the weather or season is also prescribed.
• Avoid wearing strong fragrances on the safari.

Gallery – Blackbuck National Park