Visit These Two Corbett Zones for a Rewarding Tiger Safari Experience
Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand is the oldest and one of the most celebrated national parks in India. A popular destination for tiger safari, Corbett National Park has multiple safari zones. Some of them are really popular and attract large tourist crowds because of the higher chances of tiger and other wildlife sightings. Recently, in April 2026, the already popular Jhirna and Dhikala Zones have once again come to the limelight due to high tiger sightings. The tourist footfall has also increased rapidly in these zones.
Due to excellent tiger sightings during the peak tourist season, the Dhikala and Jhirna safari zones have outshone the other Corbett safari zones due to higher visitor influx. In the financial year 2025-26, these zones did not just bring in more visitors; they also played a big role in boosting the national park’s income.
Notable Statistical Increase in Revenue Collection and Tourist Influx
In the financial year 2025-26, the Jhirna and Dhikala zones not only drew a large number of visitors, but they also played an important role in increasing the national park’s overall income. As per government records, around 400,946 tourists visited Corbett Park during this period.
- Indian visitors – 389,997
- Foreign tourists – 10,949
Even though the total number of tourists was lower by nearly 58,400 compared to the previous year, the park still managed to perform well in terms of revenue. During the same time, Corbett National Park earned a total revenue of ₹27.75 crore, which was higher than the set target of ₹26.67 crore. However, if compared to the previous year, the earnings were lower by about ₹2.05 crore.
Visitors coming to this national park usually prefer Corbett jungle safaris and staying inside the forest area at night. In recent times, strong chances of tiger sightings in the Dhikala and Jhirna zones have quickly increased tourist interest in these areas. Among all the zones, Jhirna Zone became the top choice for day safaris, recording 84,725 bookings. This clearly shows how fast its popularity is growing among tourists.
On the other hand, Dhikala Zone remained the most preferred option for night stays, with 15,118 bookings. Many visitors choose Dhikala mainly because of its peaceful surroundings and rich natural beauty, which offers a unique stay experience inside the forest.
Corbett Park has multiple safari zones for tourists – Bijrani, Girija, Dhela, Jhirna, Durgadevi, Sonanadi, and Vatanvasa. Every zone offers a different kind of experience to visitors. Still, in the past year, Jhirna and Dhikala stood out the most and gained special attention from tourists.
Steps Taken to Manage the Increased Tourist Footfall
The concerned authorities of Corbett National Park are constantly crafting and implementing new ideas to boost both tourist footfalls and revenue in a healthy manner.
- To give visitors a different and more exciting jungle experience, elephant safaris have recently been introduced.
- Along with this, work is going on to improve facilities, including building new watch towers and starting full-day safari options for tourists.
- Dr Saket Badola, Director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, shared that every zone in Corbett is important in its own way. However, the Jhirna and Dhikala zones have become more popular because tourists are spotting tigers more frequently there.
- He also mentioned that the national park management will continue working on better facilities and new ideas to attract more tourists in the coming years.
Overall, the Dhikala and Jhirna zones inside Corbett National Park have created a strong identity for themselves. Regular tiger sightings, beautiful natural surroundings, and improved facilities have made these zones a top choice for visitors. Because of this growing popularity, these areas are not only boosting tourism but are also helping increase the state’s revenue in a big way.
