Dudhwa Tiger Reserve Opens Early for Winter Season, Entry Fees Increased

Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh). The Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) opened its gates to tourists on Saturday for the winter season, marking an early start to the tourism schedule. The reserve was formally inaugurated by Uttar Pradesh’s Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena.

As per agency report, Dudhwa Tiger Reserve usually opens to tourists on November 15 each year, but this time, it has been opened from November 1. Minister Saxena described the early opening as a “Diwali gift” from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to nature and wildlife enthusiasts.

However, visitors this season will have to pay higher entry charges. The governing body of the Dudhwa Tiger Conservation Foundation (DTCF) decided to revise the tariffs during a meeting held on Friday evening. The entry fee per person has been increased from Rs. 200 to Rs. 250, while the rhino safari zone fee has gone up from Rs. 150 to Rs. 200. The camera fee has also been doubled from Rs. 100 to Rs. 200.

During the event, Minister Saxena made two key announcements to enhance the tourist experience. He informed reporters that two new forest routes have been developed for the Dudhwa safari — one near Nishangarha in Katarniaghat and another as Route No. 23 in Dudhwa itself — offering visitors better opportunities to view wildlife in their natural habitat.

He further said that accommodation facilities within the reserve will be expanded to cater to a larger number of tourists at reasonable rates.

Located along the India-Nepal border in Lakhimpur Kheri and Bahraich districts, the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve is home to a diverse range of species including Royal Bengal tigers, wild elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, swamp deer, reptiles, and numerous bird species, making it one of northern India’s most vibrant wildlife destinations.