Benog Wildlife Sanctuary Mussoorie - Heaven for Birdwatchers

 

Benog Wildlife Sanctuary is a bird watching haven and a part of famous Rajaji National Park, one of the popular wildlife sanctuaries in India. The Sanctuary is located around 11km distance from the Library End Road in Mussoorie. Benog Wildlife Sanctuary also known as Vinog Mountain Quail Sanctuary. It was established in the year 1993. This beautiful sanctuary spreading across an expanse of about 339 hectares, is a heaven for birdwatchers. It is located in a pine-clad slope and is surrounded by snowcapped peaks of the Himalayan ranges. Set amidst thick forests, Benog Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the top tourist destinations in Mussoorie.

 

 

Sanctuary is surrounded by the benedictory pines, old cedar trees, and medicinal plants that grow in abundance in this area. One can spot several exotic and indigenous birds here including the red-billed blue magpie, mountain quails and White Capped Water Redstart that make this place a paradise for bird watchers. The Wildlife Sanctuary is well known to house rare species of birds and offers an excellent trail of pine-clad slopes surrounded by Himalayan peaks for a refreshing walk. It is an ideal site for bird watching and capturing gorgeous views of the surrounding Chaukhamba and Bandarpunch Peaks. This is also home to a variety of rare and common fauna like Himalayan goat, panther, leopard, deer and bear.

 

 

Timings: All days of the week: 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM

 

Entry Fee: No Entry Free (Rs: 150/- per person for Indians and Rs: 600/- per person for Foreigners only for Rajaji National Park)

 

Location: 4.5 km from Clouds End, Mussorie Range, Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India.

 

How to Reach: The Sanctuary can be reached by hiring buses and taxis that are available from Dehradun and Mussoorie. This sanctuary can also be reached by a 3-4 km uphill trek from Cloud's End. The Sanctuary is open throughout the year; the best time to visit is in the summer months.