Gir National Park and Girnar Wildlife Sanctuary’s annual jungle safari season has now officially ended. The safari operations are halted until the end of the monsoon season, starting from June 23, 2026. These safaris at Gir are scheduled to reopen and begin for all the visitors from October 16, after the monsoon break. Here’s everything you must know about the Gir annual jungle safari season’s closure.
Gir Annual Jungle Safari Season Comes To An End
The annual jungle safari season of Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary is revered across the globe. This is because it is the only place on the planet where you can easily spot the endangered Asiatic Lions roaming freely in the wild. Along with Asiatic lions, the park also houses 600 species of flora and fauna, and 300 resident and migratory birds. The place is also revered for its diverse landscape.
This year, the Forest Department had extended the safari season by one week, unlike its usual schedule. These safaris generally end by June 15, but this year the tourists were allowed to visit till June 22. The reason behind this extension was the delayed arrival of the monsoon season.
The Gir region received little to no rainfall in this extension period. This helped the tourists and wildlife enthusiasts to visit the forests over an extended period and spot the world-famous Asiatic lions and many other wildlife species.
Also Read: Gir National Park to Introduce Train Safari: A New Way to Experience Asiatic Lions Up Close
A Four-Month Long Closure
All the safari vehicles have now returned from the forest on June 22, which marks the official end of the safari season. Every year, during the monsoon season, the national park and wildlife sanctuary implement this four-month closure. This closure coincides with the breeding period of the Asiatic lions as well as other wildlife species.
This move helps in minimising human disturbance in their natural habitat and protects the forest roads.
Even though the Gir Jungle Safari remains closed, the Devaliya Safari Park and Ambardi Safari Park will be open. These parks remain open throughout the monsoon season. They offer the tourists an opportunity to observe wildlife even in this season.
Also Read: Maharashtra Govt To Unveil New Tiger Reserves, Leopard Safaris By 2029
Also Read: International Day Of Biological Diversity 2026: Best Wildlife Safaris Around The World
Summing Up
The annual jungle safari season at Gir National Park and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary has now ended. It is set to resume from October 16, 2026, after a four-month-long closure period.
