Pilibhit Tiger Reserve Travel Guide: Places of Interest and Activities To Do, How To Reach (2024)
About Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit tiger reserve is one of the most prominent tiger reserves among India’s 50 Project Tiger Reserves. The location of the Pilibhit tiger reserve itself is its major attraction as the area is a part of the Gangetic plain well known for its wide range of wildlife and scenic beauty. Moreover, the Pilibhit tiger reserve location is close to the border zone of Nepal, which are connected by the forest area.
The tiger reserve also falls under the hilly terrains of the Great Himalayas to the northeast. The land area of the Pilibhit tiger reserve mostly consists of the Sal woods, which covers a good part of the tiger reserve. You can also find zones like a swamp and vast grasslands, the major hubs of the man-eaters in the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
Pilibhit tiger reserve covers a quarter of the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, which is known for being a significant portion of this region’s Terai arc. It has a landmass of 800 Sq. km, a home for nearly 65 tigers, and several other wildlife, including different deer species, other mammals, and reptiles.
The government officially approved the tiger reserve in the Pilibhit area in 2014. From then, it has turned to be one of the most famous tourist destinations of the Northern Uttar Pradesh. At present more than 500 varieties of birds, different species of aquatic life reside in the tiger reserve. Several endangered species’ and rare species’ are also part of the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
Pilibhit is also part of the other prominent wildlife sanctuaries of Uttar Pradesh like Dudhwa wildlife sanctuary, Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary, Kishanpur wildlife sanctuary, etc. Now let us peek at some of the significant places of interest and activities to do at Pilibhit tiger reserve.
Places of Interest and Activities To Do At Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Pilibhit tiger reserve is a significant tourist hub that witnesses a massive influx in visitors during the months post monsoon till the end of the winter season. They provide you with a lot of activities and assistance in making sure that you enjoy the visit to the fullest. Read on to find out some of the best places of interest and entertaining activities to do in the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
Spotting Tigers
The major attraction of the Pilibhit tiger reserve is the royal Bengal tigers who own this land. There are various spots in the reserve where you can spot the man-eaters without any difficulty. They belong to the endangered category, and this tiger reserve is home to nearly 65 tigers roaming in the woods.
Sightseeing at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
The Pilibhit tiger reserve is blessed with all the scenic beauty a tourist destination could ask for in the Terai arc of Uttar Pradesh. The blend of Gangetic plains and the foothills of the great Himalayas adds to this landscape’s beauty. There are also watchtowers constructed in the middle of the reserve, suitable for bird watching and sightseeing. 
Jungle Safari
The Pilibhit tiger reserve also offers visitors with private expedition trip on vehicles in to the woods of the reserve to spot all kinds of wildlife, especially the royal Bengal tigers. The visitors are also provided with guides who know about the wildlife spotting in detail. You can also enjoy the vicinity and explore the wonders of the tiger reserve in an open-air vehicle.
Night Stay at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
One of the best things about the Pilibhit tiger reserve is the stay here during the night. There are several guesthouses and cottages available for visitors to stay at the Pilibhit national park, wrapped inside the jungle’s adventures. The nightlife here is excellent and worth an experience whenever you visit Pilibhit tiger reserve.
5 Other Activities at Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
There are a lot of beautiful villages with amazing landscapes in the surroundings of the Pilibhit tiger reserve. You can enjoy a variety of entertainment activities in the communities which are often visited by the tourists who visit the tiger reserve. You can even have a taste of the local cuisine here, which is just mouth-watering.
How To Reach Pilibhit Tiger Reserve?
Pilibhit tiger reserve forms a portion of the Terai arc on the northern border zone of Uttar Pradesh, where it shares its forestlands with Nepal.
Even though the location is a little distant from the major cities and townships of Uttar Pradesh, these are well connected via road. We can look at some of the popular modes of transportation used to reach the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
By Road: The Pilibhit tiger reserve is well connected to the major cities of Uttar Pradesh, like Bareilly, Haldwani, Nainital, Moradabad, etc. Bareilly is one of the closest cities and is 83 km away from the Pilibhit tiger reserve, which is an hour and a half ride. Bareilly would be the best option to travel through to reach the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
By Rail: The Pilibhit railway station is just 33 km away from the Pilibhit tiger reserve. You can quickly get access to many public transport services which connect to the tiger reserve. Most importantly, the Pilibhit railway junction has connections to almost all of the major cities of North India; hence this would be the favorable station you can reach out to.
By Air: The airports of both Lucknow and Delhi are the ones that are in closest proximity to the Pilibhit tiger reserve. The Lucknow airport is nearly 250 km away from the tiger reserve while the airport at Delhi is 264 km away. There are enough public and private modes of transportation that connect them to Bareilly from where you can easily reach the Pilibhit tiger reserve.
Food and Cuisines to Explore In Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
Except for some good quality restaurants and fast food places, there aren’t many food hubs at Pilibhit tiger reserve. Don’t worry as you can always visit the Pilibhit town, which is just 30 minutes away from the tiger reserve where you can find some excellent restaurants. They also serve varieties of Uttar Pradesh cuisines along with all major Indian and International ones.
Shopping in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve
There are not many big shopping markets or malls nearby Pilibhit tiger reserve, but you can ride to Pilibhit town with a bigger market. If you are looking for a much bigger shopping experience, you can also visit Bareilly, one of the biggest marketplaces in North India.
Conclusion
Pilibhit tiger reserve is a recently developed tourist attraction which fulfills your trip to Bareilly or other tourist destinations like Nainital. It is also a perfect weekend getaway location where you can enjoy and get into some real adventures.
