What to know

One of the newest tiger reserves of the state, Nandhaur was declared a sanctuary in 2012 and opened its gates to visitors in 2015. Sprawled over an area of 270 sq km, it home to tiger, wild elephant, leopard, jungle cat, nilgai, small Indian civet, jackal, wild boar, flying foxes and sloth bears, as well as over 200 species of birds. If you are lucky, you might even spot the rare great pied hornbill, along with grey and red jungle fowls, partridges, brahminy ducks, darters, rosy pelicans, pin tails, storks, the great Indian horned owl, mallards and herons. The sanctuary boasts thick forests of sal trees and the perennial Nandhaur river that flows throughout. For more adventure, you can opt to stay at one of the three Forest Rest Houses located inside the sanctuary premises. You will, however, require a permit from the SDO, Forest Division at Haldwani to visit.

Best time to visit

The sanctuary is open between October and June. Winter months, however, are the most comfortable although it can get quite chilly at night.