Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve (Darrah National Park)

Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve, created from the former Darrah National Park and neighbouring sanctuaries, is Kota's own slice of wild Rajasthan. Two parallel ranges of the Mukundara hills enclose a valley of dry deciduous forest threaded by the Chambal, Ahu and Kali Sindh rivers, creating a landscape of ridges, gorges and green riverbanks.

The reserve shelters leopards, sloth bears, wolves, hyenas, deer, antelope and a rich variety of birds, and forms part of the ambitious effort to re-establish tigers in the Hadoti region. Scattered through the forest are old hunting lodges, temples and the remains of a historic gateway, adding a layer of heritage to the wilderness.

For a nature-and-safari escape close to the city, Mukundara is one of the most accessible and rewarding wildlife day trips from Kota and a highlight of Hadoti tourism for outdoor lovers.

History of Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve (Darrah National Park)

The core of the reserve was long protected as Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary and later Darrah National Park, once a royal hunting preserve of the Kota rulers, whose lodges and the famous Darrah gate still stand. In 2013 the area was notified as Mukundara Hills Tiger Reserve.

The reserve was established with the goal of creating a new home for tigers relieving pressure on Ranthambore, and it forms part of a wider conservation landscape linking the forests and rivers of the Hadoti region.

Highlights

• Dry deciduous forest and river valleys
• Leopards, sloth bears, wolves and deer
• Rich birdlife
• Historic Darrah gate and hunting lodges
• Tiger reintroduction landscape