Have a long weekend ahead and planning to relax with the wild and woods? Betla could be the perfect destination if you belong to any of the neighboring states of Jharkhand. Betla is situated at a distance of 170 K.M from Ranchi (Capital of Jharkhand). Betla National Park is known for providing opportunities to observe varieties of the wild from a close range. It was one of the first Indian national parks to become a tiger reserve under Project Tiger.

A snap from entrance of Betla national park

“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.” ~Albert Einstein

Best time to be at Betla

November to May is considered to be the best time to visit Betla National Park for the welcoming weather. Summer months are better for wildlife viewing purposes. It’s advisable to not to visit during monsoon months as the national park closes its door during July to Mid September.

How to reach Betla

Train: Barwadih Jn (BRWD) is the nearest railway station. The National Park is at only 14 k.m. distance from here. Just outside the station, you would find several options to reach to the Betla like Auto-Rickshaw, rented vehicles etc. It is better to pre-book a cab (Talk to your hotel in advance) in case train reaches midnight.

Another option is to get down at Daltonganj (DTO) railway station and arrange a cab from outside of the station premises. It is around 24 k.m from the national park.

Air: the Nearest airport is Ranchi (IXR) at 180 k.m distance from Betla. You can book prepaid/postpaid cabs to reach the national park. It is also a good idea to book a package with cab providers to cover your entire itinerary @ Betla including journey and return.

Accommodations in Betla

There are not many options if you want to stay near to the National Park. “Van Vihar” – Jharkhand State Tourism Development Hotel is the best among available options. It is recommended to book rooms at least 60 days prior to the actual visit as high demand causes unavailability of rooms at a later point.

Inside the national park campus, left side you would find a nice tree house with two rooms maintained by the forest department. Online booking options are available, again recommended to book 60 days prior.

There is also a private hotel named “Hotel Debjani” just opposite to the national park entrance. Though location wise it also seems to be a good option but room conditions are not too good due to poor maintenance. Hence the availability of rooms is better than the above-mentioned options.

You could also choose to stay near Daltonganj as well but in that case, you need to travel around 24 k.m to reach to the park. Also, you would miss the overwhelming experience to spend the evening in this fantastic place.

Weather at Betla

The temperature difference between day and night is quite on the higher side. Winter wears are only necessary during late November to early March. For more information visit Betla Weather.

Suggestions while at Betla

• Keep your travel documents and Government provided identity cards handy at all time.
• A full moon night at Betla national park can be an amazing experience.Try to plan your trip well in advance.
• It is a good idea to carry a binocular which helps to visualize the wild from a close range.
• Elephant safari might sound lucrative but generally, it only covers a certain area with very minimal chances of a sight of wild other than deer.
• Book Safari either in early morning or at evening around 16:00 to 18:00
• For customized homely food options, you can reach out to local shop owners.
• Carrying necessary cash while on Betla a good idea as the place does not have much operational ATM service available.
• Beware of the price while booking the site-seeing packages from locals. Bargaining skills would help to reduce the said rates.