National Chambal Sanctuary

The National Chambal Sanctuary protects one of India's cleanest and least-polluted rivers, and a boat safari along its calm, clear waters is among the finest wildlife experiences near Kota. The Chambal is a stronghold of the critically endangered gharial, the slender-snouted fish-eating crocodile, which basks in numbers on its sandy banks alongside the bulkier mugger crocodile.

The river also shelters the rare Gangetic river dolphin, smooth-coated otters, freshwater turtles and a spectacular array of birds, including skimmers, terns, storks and, in winter, migratory waterfowl. Drifting downstream in a boat, watching crocodiles slide into the water and birds wheel overhead, is a wonderfully peaceful and photogenic outing.

The sanctuary spans parts of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, and its Kota-side reaches make it one of the most special wildlife day trips from Kota and a jewel of Hadoti tourism.

History of National Chambal Sanctuary

The National Chambal Sanctuary was established in 1979 as a tri-state protected area to conserve the gharial and the wider riverine ecosystem, at a time when the gharial had been pushed to the brink of extinction. It has since become one of the most important gharial habitats in the world.

Conservation programmes along the Chambal have helped stabilise gharial numbers and protect the river dolphin and other threatened species, making the sanctuary a conservation success story of national importance.

Highlights

• Critically endangered gharial crocodiles
• Mugger crocodiles and river turtles
• Gangetic river dolphins
• Rich riverine birdlife
• Peaceful boat safaris