Adventure lovers and nature lovers finally have a bike trip that can tick off all the squares on their lists – the bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park. Both gems of Uttarakhand, Rishikesh and Jim Corbett are destinations that deserve to be explored to the fullest. The best way to do this is by hiring a bike; not only is Rishikesh amazing to be explored by bike, but riding from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett is sure to be an unforgettable journey. Read on to know everything about a bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park.
Adventure Capital & Tiger Territory: Rishikesh And Jim Corbett National Park
Known as much for its religious relevance as for its adventure activities, Rishikesh is not a place you visit but a place you experience. There’s always things happening in Rishikesh, with the constant roar of the Ganga river and ringing of aarti bells in the background. Surrounded by nature, this city offers tons of adventure activities like river rafting and hiking. Rishikesh has always been a pilgrimage site for Hindus, but it rose to international fame when the famous band The Beatles came here to experience yoga and healing at an ashram.
The oldest tiger reserve forest in India, the Jim Corbett National Park was founded in 1936. It is named to honour renowned British naturalist Jim Corbett, who was also a tracker and hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards in India. The park has several zones for safaris, on which if you are lucky, you will spot the elusive Bengal Tiger in its natural habitat. Even if the tigers remain hidden, the park has a vast enough range of biodiversity that you are sure to have a great time nonetheless.
Your Route
A bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park will take you around 4.5 hours without breaks. The two destinations are 142 kms apart with loads of stops you can make on the way. You will have to take NH 34, not to be confused with the one in Bengal; it was previously NH 34 but is now NH 12.
There’s a few important things to note about this road trip. For one, private vehicles are not allowed in the park, and only those with a permit for a safari are allowed to enter in the park jeeps. Secondly, Jim Corbett National Park has a number of gates and the route you take will depend on this. What decides your gate entrance is the zone of the park that you have booked with. While we recommend calling in and checking with the park to make sure, we’ve chalked up routes that correspond with the gates and their zones.
Dhikala zone: Dhangadi gate. NH 34
Bijrani zone: Amdanda gate. NH 34 and NH 734
Jhirna zone: Jhirna gate. NH 34 and NH 734
Lohachaur zone: Durga Devi gate. NH 34 and NH 309
As you can see, all the mentioned routes traverse on NH 34 to an extent. Overall, all your routes are fairly well-traversed and of moderate to good road condition. Depending on the route you pick, you can drop in at places like Haridwar, Kotdwar and Lansdowne. Since the ride is long, we recommend getting an early start.
Who Is This Bike Trip For
Your route involves no hairpin bends, nor steep slopes and turns to navigate. Thus anyone, from beginners to professionals, can undertake a bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park. However, follow our recommendation to make it as enjoyable as possible. Beginner and intermediate bikers should travel in a group, or at least with one other biker. Take at least two breaks to relax and refresh yourselves as 4.5 hours is a long time to be on a bike. Additionally, make sure the bike you rent works optimally so as to not give out on you halfway through your bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park.
Best Time To Take A Bike Trip From Rishikesh To Jim Corbett National Park
The Jhirna zone remains open throughout the year for tourists, while the others are only open during certain months and shut during others, depending on the season. However, first and foremost comes your journey, and the season that will best benefit the bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park. We recommend the winter season, as the cool weather and clear skies will make for an unforgettable journey. The park is also worth a visit in this season, and you could spot a tiger.
You could also try making the journey in the monsoons, but avoid peak monsoon months and instead stick to the fringe months. This way, dangers of accidents or cancelled safaris due to heavy showers are minimal. The park is filled with lush greenery and there’s fewer tourists. However, the chances of cancelled safaris due to bad weather is much higher.
March to June sees the summer, and while you can spot animals lounging around waterholes in the park, a 4.5 hour long bike trip will be exhausting. Make your choice wisely.
As with any bike trip, a large extent of how your trip will go depends on the make and condition of your bike. Ensure things like your tyre pressure and brakes are working well, and that your fuel tank is full. The bike trip from Rishikesh to Jim Corbett National Park is sure to be a memorable one, so just rent the right bike and get started on your journey.
Related: Rent a bike in Rishikesh
