OT Staff & Waquar Habib
Periyar in Thekkady is among India’s best spots to watch wild Asian elephants. Herds often gather near the lake, especially during summer, offering excellent boat safari viewing opportunities.
Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Bandipur has a significant elephant population. The Kabini River belt is especially popular for elephant sightings, often during dawn and dusk safaris.
Located in the Western Ghats, Mudumalai is home to over 600 elephants. The Moyar River and surrounding grasslands are prime areas for observing herds in their natural habitat.
Known globally for rhinos, Kaziranga also supports around 1,000 elephants. The park’s wetlands and tall grasslands offer consistent sightings, particularly during elephant-back or jeep safaris in winter.
Spread across the Shivalik range, Rajaji has over 500 elephants. The Chilla Range near Rishikesh is the most reliable zone for encounters, especially between November and June.
Part of the Nilgiri Biosphere, Wayanad shelters large herds. Sightings are frequent near the Muthanga and Tholpetty ranges, with elephants often spotted along forest roads and waterholes.
Also called Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarhole supports a thriving elephant population. The Kabini backwaters provide iconic sightings, with herds frequently gathering on the banks during summer.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Manas hosts over 500 elephants. They are commonly seen in the river valleys and grasslands, often moving in large herds across the forest.
Though more famous for tigers, Satpura also has elephants used for patrolling and safaris. The reserve occasionally records wild elephants migrating from neighbouring forests in Chhattisgarh.
The Nilgiri Hills form one of the largest elephant habitats in India. Herds can be seen near Ooty and Gudalur, moving between Mudumalai, Bandipur, and Wayanad ranges.