Night stay inside
Dhikala Zone
The heart of Corbett — and the only zone you can sleep inside
- Gate
- Dhangarhi Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 18 km to the gate, then 30 km inside
Zone guide
The safari zones of Jim Corbett
Corbett is not one forest with one gate. It is six separate zones, each with its own entry point, its own season, its own animals and its own booking rules — and which one you book decides most of what you will see. Tiger chance below is our own honest read from years of running these safaris, not an official figure. Timings shift each season, so treat them as a guide and confirm with us.
| Zone | Gate | From Ramnagar | Open | Night stay | Tiger chance | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhikala Zone | Dhangarhi Gate | About 18 km to the gate, then 30 km inside | Roughly 15 November – 15 June (closed in monsoon) | Yes | The heart of Corbett — and the only zone you can sleep inside | |
| Bijrani Zone | Amdanda Gate | About 1 km | Roughly 15 October – 30 June (closed in monsoon) | No | Closest to town, and the easiest good safari to get | |
| Jhirna Zone | Jhirna Gate | About 16 km | All year round | No | Open all year, and the best place in Corbett for sloth bear | |
| Dhela Zone | Dhela Gate | About 13 km | All year round | No | The newest zone — open all year and still uncrowded | |
| Durga Devi Zone | Durga Devi Gate | About 28 km | Roughly 15 October – 15 June (closed in monsoon) | No | Hills, river and the best birding in Corbett | |
| Sitabani Forest | Sitabani Gate | About 15 km | All year round | No | No permit rush, no closed season, and wonderful birds |
Zone by zone
Read about each one
Night stay inside
Bijrani Zone
Closest to town, and the easiest good safari to get
- Gate
- Amdanda Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 1 km
Open all year
Jhirna Zone
Open all year, and the best place in Corbett for sloth bear
- Gate
- Jhirna Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 16 km
Open all year
Dhela Zone
The newest zone — open all year and still uncrowded
- Gate
- Dhela Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 13 km
Durga Devi Zone
Hills, river and the best birding in Corbett
- Gate
- Durga Devi Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 28 km
Open all year
Sitabani Forest
No permit rush, no closed season, and wonderful birds
- Gate
- Sitabani Gate
- From Ramnagar
- About 15 km
How to choose
Start with your dates, not with the zone
Most people pick a zone first and then discover it is closed, or fully booked, on the days they can actually travel. It works better the other way round.
If you are travelling July to mid-October
The core zones are shut for the monsoon. Your options are Jhirna, Dhela and Sitabani. That is not a consolation prize — the forest is green, the light is beautiful and there are far fewer vehicles.
If a tiger is the whole point
Dhikala, with a night inside the forest rest house. Book three to four months ahead. If Dhikala is gone, Bijrani is the next best and is much easier to get.
If you are birding
Durga Devi for river and hill species, or Sitabani for sheer variety with no permit stress. Both reward a slow morning far more than a tiger-hunting dash.
If it is your first time and you are unsure
Bijrani. Close to town, genuinely good sightings, easy to book, and it gives you a real sense of what Corbett is before you commit to the harder-to-get zones on a second trip.
Questions
About zones and permits
The pepole of Corbett says Dhikala The heart of Corbett (corbett ka dill). it is famous for its Landscpe,Grassland,Dense Sal forests and the majestic Ramganga river.
Dhikala zone is best for night stay but little bit costly to stay here and bookig procidure is very tough so those pepole who want to nightstay in the lap of neture but cant go for dhikala stay in bijrani is a god option for them.
There are particularly no best zone in corbett. all zone in corbett is best.
It is very dificult to say in the winter Jimcorbett is going to be very foggy & chilly so I personally advice you for the afternoon safari i winter and morning safari in summer.
For tiger sightings, Dhikala — clearly. For a first visit without complicated booking, Bijrani. For monsoon or a last-minute trip, Jhirna or Dhela. For birds, Durga Devi. There is no single best zone; there is a best zone for your dates and what you want to see.
Jhirna, Dhela and Sitabani stay open all year. Dhikala, Bijrani and Durga Devi close for the monsoon, roughly from July to mid-October, because the forest tracks become unusable and it is the animals' breeding season.
A jeep carries six people and you can ask the driver to wait or turn around. A canter is a shared open bus for about sixteen people on a fixed route. Jeeps are better for photography and for actually enjoying a sighting. Canters are cheaper and are the only day-visit option for Dhikala.
No. We book every permit in your name using your ID details, which is a legal requirement inside the park. You just need to carry the same original ID you gave us. We send you the permit copies before you travel.