Top Wildlife Places in Maharashtra

At a distance of 35 km from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), earlier known as Borivali National Park, is a large protected area near Borivali in the northern part of Mumbai. It is one of the prominent places of wildlife in Maharashtra, and among the must include places in Mumbai tour packages.

The park was named Krishnagiri National Park in the pre-independence era. At that time the area of the park was only 20.26 sq. km. In 1969, the park was expanded to 104 Sq. km by acquiring various reserve forest properties adjoining the park and was renamed as Borivali National Park in 1974. In 1981, it was re-dedicated as 'Sanjay Gandhi National Park' in memory of Sanjay Gandhi, the son of ex-Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi, who was killed in an air crash in 1980. It is one of the famous places to visit in Mumbai.

The park is known for its dense forests, vast birdlife, butterflies, and small population of tigers. The Kanheri Caves in the center of the park were an important Buddhist learning center and pilgrimage site sculpted by Buddhist monks between the 9th and the 1st centuries BCE. They were chiseled out of a massive basaltic rock outcropping. There is a Jain Temple with three huge carved idols is situated on the way to the caves. Besides, the ...

Distance from Pune: 174 Kms