Rajaji National Park — Motichur Safari Zone

The Motichur Safari Zone is one of the western gateways into Rajaji National Park — the sprawling Shivalik tiger reserve that unfurls across the Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal districts of Uttarakhand.

• Motichur was itself a distinct wildlife sanctuary until 1983, when it was amalgamated with the neighbouring Chilla and Rajaji sanctuaries to form the single, contiguous protected area of some 820 sq km that carries the Rajaji name today.
• Motichur sits on the western, Haridwar side of the Ganga, and its safari gate lies just off the Haridwar–Dehradun highway, roughly 9 km from the ghats and temples of Haridwar.
• That proximity makes it the most convenient jungle immersion for pilgrims and travellers already based in the holy city, and a natural half-day counterpoint to the crowds of Har Ki Pauri.
• The zone is characterised by dense stands of Sal (Shorea robusta), interspersed with grassy chaurs (forest clearings), seasonal rau (riverbeds) and mixed broadleaf forest climbing into the Shivalik foothills.
• This mosaic supports a genuinely rich cast of wildlife.
• Motichur is best known for its resident leopards and for the wild Asian elephant herds that move between the forest blocks — Rajaji is one of the most important elephant landscapes in northern India, forming part of a corridor that historically linked the Shivaliks eastward toward the Corbett tract.
• Spotted deer (chital), sambar, barking deer, wild boar, langur and, with patience and luck, the tiger complete the mammal roster.
• For birdwatchers the zone is a treat in its own right: Rajaji records over 300 species, and the Sal forest and river edges here host hornbills, woodpeckers, parakeets, raptors, kingfishers and, in the cooler months, an influx of migrants.
• Access is by open-jeep safari on forest tracks, with a registered gypsy and a permit; independent driving inside the zone is not permitted.
• The park typically operates from around mid-November to mid-June and closes through the monsoon (roughly 15 June to 15 November) when the tracks become impassable — always confirm the current opening dates and any day-wise closures before travelling.
• Morning and afternoon safari slots run to fixed timings that shift with the season.
• As with any wild landscape, sightings are never guaranteed; the reward is the forest itself — the quiet, the birdsong and the possibility.
• On the food front, Motichur Gate sits within the orbit of Haridwar, a Ganga pilgrimage city that is vegetarian and alcohol-free by long custom, so the surrounding food culture is entirely pure-vegetarian and satvik.
• There is little to no reliable food at the gate itself, so carry your own water and snacks for the safari; for a proper meal, plan around Haridwar's celebrated pure-vegetarian institutions a short drive away.