Sundarbans National Park

The story of this place

The Sundarbans lie at the mouth of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, spread across the border of India and West Bengal on one side and Bangladesh on the other. The name is said to come from the sundari tree, the mangrove that grows all across these islands. It is a living, changing land, moulded every day by the rise and fall of the tide, and it works as a natural wall that protects the coast from cyclones.

The Indian part of this great forest was made a National Park, and UNESCO inscribed the Sundarbans on the World Heritage List in 1987. The park is part of a larger Tiger Reserve and Biosphere Reserve, protected by the West Bengal Forest Department. Some 78 kinds of mangrove have been recorded here, making it the richest mangrove forest in the world.

The Sundarbans holds the single largest population of tiger of any single site, and these tigers have learned to live an almost water-borne life, swimming long distances and hunting fish, crab and monitor lizards. The people who live at the edge of the forest, who go in to fish and to collect honey, share this land with the tiger with great care and deep respect, and the goddess Bonbibi is worshipped here as the guardian of the forest.

The wildlife and the boat safaris

You explore the Sundarbans only by boat. There are no jeep safaris here, because the park is a network of water. You board a launch or a boat and move slowly along the wide tidal rivers, watching the muddy banks and the mangrove edge for wildlife.

The star of the forest is the Royal Bengal Tiger, but you must be honest with yourself: the tiger is hard to see in this dense mangrove, and many visitors come away without a sighting. What you will very likely see is the saltwater crocodile basking on the mudbanks, spotted deer, wild boar, water monitor lizards, and if you are lucky, a river dolphin breaking the surface. The Sundarbans is also a paradise for birds, and is famous for its kingfishers, with many colourful species darting along the creeks.

Much of the wildlife watching is done from watch towers built inside the forest. The main ones are at Sajnekhali, which also has a mangrove interpretation centre and the Bonbibi temple, and at Sudhanyakhali and Dobanki, where a raised canopy walk lets you look down into the forest. Boats stop at these towers and you climb up quietly to watch the waterhole below. Please keep silent, because noise drives the animals away.

Permits and how it works

To enter the Sundarbans you need a forest permit from the West Bengal Forest Department, and you must carry a valid photo ID. For Indian visitors the permit is usually arranged quickly, often on the same day. Foreign nationals need a little more time, so the permit should be arranged in advance. Most travellers come on an organised boat package in which the operator arranges the permit, the boat and the guide, and this is by far the easiest way to visit.

The permit and entry formalities are handled through the Sajnekhali range, which is the main gateway range of the tourist zone. Because the rules and the open zones can change, please let your Way to India consultant confirm the current permit position and complete the paperwork for you before the trip.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the Sundarbans is from October to March, when the weather is cool and pleasant and wildlife comes out more often. The winter months are the most comfortable for the long hours on the boat, and the light is clear and lovely.

April and May are hot and humid, though some visitors still come, as crocodiles bask more in the warmth. The monsoon, from June to September, brings heavy rain and rough water, and it is not a comfortable time for a boat trip. So plan your Sundarbans journey between October and March for the best experience.

How to reach

The Sundarbans is reached from Kolkata. The usual route is to drive from Kolkata to the jetty at Godkhali, which is the gateway to the tourist zone, a road journey of roughly 100 to 110 km that takes around three to four hours. From Godkhali you board your boat and enter the world of water.

If you prefer the train, the nearest railhead is Canning, and from there you continue by road and then by boat. The nearest airport is Kolkata. For almost every visitor the simplest plan is to travel down from Kolkata and join a boat at Godkhali, and we will arrange the car, the boat and the permits so that your day begins smoothly.

Tips from our travel experts

Go into the Sundarbans for the whole experience, not only for the tiger. The slow glide through the mangrove creeks, the birds, the crocodiles on the banks and the great silence of the delta are the real reward, and if a tiger appears it is a rare blessing on top.

Keep at least one full day on the boat, and ideally an overnight trip, because the more time you spend on the water the more you will see. Carry drinking water, a hat, sunscreen and mosquito repellent, and wear dull colours. Keep silent at the watch towers. There are entry and boat fees along with camera charges, and these rates change from time to time, so please check the current rates through the official forest department or with your consultant.

Book through a proper operator who arranges the permit, a registered guide and a safe boat. This is a tidal delta, so always follow the boatman and the guide, and never step off onto the forest banks.