The Brilliant Adventure to Blackbuck National Park I Travelogue By Param

The Brilliant Adventure to Blackbuck National Park

By: Param Pachchigar

It was around seven in the morning, and it was soon going to be time that my dad and I would go to Blackbuck National Park in Gujarat, India. I was super excited, as this would be a place that I have never been to and my first time ever visiting a national park in India. My dad
and I started our journey in Surat, Gujarat, where we were going to take a ferry to Bhavnagar. To take the ferry, we drove down to Hazira, a town near the coast, about a thirty-minute to one hour drive from Surat. Eventually, we reached the dock where our ferry would depart. I stared
out at the ocean, which was very beautiful with the sun that had just risen. The ferry would soon leave the port where we were parked. In about three to four hours, we would make it to the city of Bhavnagar. As we entered the ferry, we could already see that there were many things to do. There was an arcade, which had many different arcade games like air hockey, some shooting games, as well as a VR set.

The Ferry Ride

At around nine, it was time that our ferry would leave the dock and hit the waves. Once the we were in the sea, my dad and I really wanted to enjoy the beauty of the ocean. We went to the top-most floor on the ferry which was a nice open deck to view the water. The sea was nice and open and we even spotted some fishermen and cargo ships far off in the distance. The weather was perfect. The temperature was around eighty degrees Fahrenheit with a nice ocean breeze blowing at us. On this ferry, I was really able to enjoy the beauty of the Gulf of Khambhat.

The beautiful view of the Gulf of Khambhat.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

After a little while of chilling on the deck, my dad and I decided that it was time to play some arcade games. We started with a shooting game, where you had to kill different monsters that were coming at you. After some of that, we went to the arcade to play a couple rounds of air hockey which was really fun. This took about an hour of our time so we decided that it was time to have some breakfast. After some food, my dad and I decided to go back to the arcade section of the ferry to have some more fun playing some games. This time, I tried the VR game, which was linked to a motorcycle you had to sit on. The game was about going through a massive race track, avoiding obstacles, and not falling off the edge of the track. It was a pretty fun game and it lasted for five minutes, allowing me to have a lot of fun. We also played that fun air hockey game again and we spent a lot of time playing all those games. We did not even realize it, but this took nearly an hour! It was about eleven and we only had an hour and a half till we reached Bhavnagar. My dad and I decided that we had played enough games and we can go to the room to put all our stuff and rest for a little bit. After about thirty minutes, we were feeling a little bit hungry and we wanted to eat some lunch. So, we went down to the café to get some food. There were not too many options, but we kind of expected that since we were on a ferry, but we ate one of the options they had which was pav bhaji, an Indian food that comes with bread and some orange curry. The food eventually came and we enjoyed it. Out of the window, we could see the bright blue sea. I just could not wait until we reached Blackbuck National Park and see all those animals. After lunch, my dad and I went back up to the deck where we just sat down on the chair and looked out at the sea. Now that there was only about forty-five minutes left, we started seeing some sandbars and islands as we were reaching Bhavnagar. I decided to take a photo of the sea, because even though to some it may look like an endless stretch of water, it is very beautiful. My dad and I sat there for another fifteen minutes, just enjoying the ocean. Out of nowhere, I suddenly saw something that looked like a fin coming out of the water. My dad saw it too. Because it was so far away, we could not identify it. But one thing is for sure: it was some species of marine animal, possibly a shark or dolphin. Before it went back under the surface, I quickly took a photo of it. Cool!

 

The small black dot seems to be the fin of a marine animal, possibly a shark or dolphin.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

About five minutes after the encounter, the crew on the ferry called everyone on the deck to come back inside because we were only about twenty minutes away. My dad and I quickly grabbed all of our stuff and then we waited in the arcade which was near the exit. Soon enough, we could see the harbor where our destination was. After about five minutes, the ferry was parked. Soon, we were out of the ferry and called a car to take us to our hotel so that we can drop off our stuff.

Welcome to Velavadar

The hotel we were living in was actually right next to the national park and in a small village. In about an hour and a half, we reached Velavadar. Velavadar is where we were going to stay for the night, in a homestay in the center of the village. Surrounding this area are many miles of grasslands and plains, giving us the chance to see some wildlife right from where we were going to live. We decided to have a snack and some locally made tea. Soon, it was going to be first safari in Blackbuck. Around three, it was time to get in the open jeep for our short drive to the entrance gate of the park. In about five minutes, we had reached the gate and we were ready to check in. This is where my dad and I met our guide.

Evening Safari

Once everything was done, we were ready to head off into the grasslands. In the first few minutes of our safari, our guide introduced us to some of the native wildlife that can be found here, including nilgai, jackals, jungle cats, all sorts of birds, the Indian wolf, and the species the park is named after, the iconic blackbuck. I personally wanted to see the wolf and the jungle cat, because I knew that we would see lots of blackbucks. Just down the road, we spotted something that was very cool. It was the nests of weaver birds, a species that makes its nest by tying and weaving grass and twigs with its beak and claws. It was a remarkable sight, and something that is unique to this part of the world. On the tree, there were several of these nests, and it is truly a piece of art made by nature.

These pipe-like objects hanging from the tree are the nests of weaver birds.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

Once we passed the nests of the weaver birds, our guide showed us the iconic blackbuck. There were dozens of them, and you can tell the males from the females because of the males have horns and a distinct black color to their body. Along with the blackbucks, we also spotted some female nilgais off in the distance. They were an amazing sight and we really took in the beauty of these antelopes.

Blackbucks are the iconic antelope that this national park is named after.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

After a little bit of observing them, we moved on to the wetland side of the park. In the wetland side of the park, there are lesser chances to see any of the bigger mammals, but rather a place to observe birds like cranes, herons, pelicans, kingfishers, and even flamingos. As soon as we entered the area, a cool bird flew to a tree really fast. Our guide told us that this species, the hoopoe, is the national bird of the country of Israel. Cool! This showed us how diverse this location is for different species of birds. Soon, we reached the area where we could view the lake. It is one of the places in the national park where you can actually get down from the open jeep, as getting out of your vehicle anytime in the safari other than viewpoints is not permitted. As we got down from the jeep, our guide showed us several species, like common coots, white-throated kingfishers, great white pelicans, and even a couple of greater flamingos. This was so cool! I was impressed because there were just so many species! Along with the birds, we even saw an Indian flap-shell turtle plop into the water. Our guide told us that we had come in the best season to view wildlife, which is winter.

These wetlands are great spots to see many different species of birds.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

Jungle Cat

As we went ahead, we saw a bunch of jeeps parked and they looked like they were watching something. What could it be? We sped ahead to where the jeeps were and asked the people about what was there. They said that it was a jungle cat and this got me excited. However, the jungle cat was hidden somewhere in the tall grass. Soon, the other jeeps left. But our guide said that if we wait a little bit more, it could come out so we did just that. After a few minutes, it emerged. There it was, right in front of my eyes, the jungle cat. It was so beautiful, just standing on a pile of logs right in the sunlight. This was my first time ever seeing a jungle cat in the wild, and certainly an encounter that I will not forget. I took some photos of it and watched it with binoculars as it slowly walked away and disappeared in the tall grass.

 

Jungle cats like this can camouflage incredibly well in the tall grass of the grasslands.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

Harriers

After that jungle cat encounter, our guide showed us some other birds that are found in these grasslands. During the winter, when I was visiting, the bird species we saw the most was the harrier. We mainly saw three species of these magnificent raptors, which were the marsh harrier, pallid harrier, and the Montagu’s harrier. Blackbuck National Park is known for being the largest roosting site for harriers in the entire world. We probably saw dozens of them perching on the trees or hunting for small prey. In the winter season when I visited the park, this was without question the most common bird species. Even though we saw many of them, each time we saw one, it was just a thing of beauty.

Blackbuck National Park has over three harrier species, including this pallid harrier.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

More Wildlife

As we moved on, we were welcomed with another jungle cat. This one however, was much harder to observe. It quickly ran off into the bushes and tall grass. Our guide told us that this one was a younger individual, and he identified it by its tail. Very cool! After driving a little bit down the road, we reached a watch tower where we could spot some wildlife if we were lucky. We parked our jeep in the spot and then headed up the tower. That’s where we had to jump over the biggest pile of poop I have ever seen! It was from a nilgai, and it was not surprising, as they are the largest species of antelope in Asia. We jumped over it, and then went up the stairs of the watch tower to find a wonderful view of the sunset waiting for us. It was absolutely beautiful. But as the sun was setting, the visibility was going down, so we quickly took out our binoculars and started scanning the grasslands. All we spotted was some blackbucks and nilgais in the distance, so we decided to just enjoy the sunset, which was a bright orange ball. I just could not stop myself from taking photos. It was just amazing.

The vibrant sun sets over Blackbuck National Park’s grasslands.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

More and More Jungle Cats

After enjoying the magnificent sunset over the grasslands, we had to go back to our homestay. As soon as we hit the road from the watch tower, our guide showed us another jungle cat. Wow! Since we did not have much time, we could not stay too long to observe it. Five minutes later, we spotted another one! That was four jungle cats! This is crazy. Soon, the sun was down and it was getting darker. We still had visibility, however, but less of it. Then suddenly, in the middle of the road came another jungle cat. But this one came super close to our jeep. It walked right past where I was in the jeep and then headed down the road. For me, that was an unbelievable encounter, and pretty rare with a wild cat! Then, we saw something outstanding. This young jungle cat seemed to be hunting on the road! We saw it crouch down, and when the moment came, it leaped. It did this a couple of times, but did not catch anything. Though we cannot be sure, we think that the cat was probably hunting for bugs, a small mammal, or maybe a reptile like a lizard. I even managed to get a video of it jumping into the grasses to hunt. This was a crazy encounter with the jungle cat and I will definitely not forget this experience. Eventually, we reached the gate of the national park. Our driver soon dropped us off at our homestay back in Velavadar. On our drive back to the homestay, we even managed to see a sixth jungle cat. This was a crazy safari and we saw a lot of stuff. I could not wait till the morning safari.

This young jungle cat raced past our vehicle.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

The Night Stay

At around six-thirty, we reached our homestay. Right outside where we were living was actually two female peacocks which were making some classic sounds. We went back inside our room and got ready for some dinner. They made us some classic Gujarati food. We sat by a campfire they had outside as the temperature was dropping. After the delicious food, we went back to our room where we decided that it was best that if we went to sleep early so we can wake up early next morning. It was a great day, and we had seen some awesome wildlife. I hoped that the next day, we would see something elusive.

Early Next Morning

Early next morning, I woke up at around six. The people at the homestay brought us some breakfast. Soon, we were getting ready for our first morning safari and our last safari of the trip. The air felt slightly chilly. It was around sixty Fahrenheit outside, and the perfect cool temperature to see some mammals. The morning time tends to be the best times of the day to see wildlife in many locations, so we hoped that we would see something that we may never ever see again.

 

Morning Safari

At around six forty-five, we reached the gate for entering Blackbuck National Park. It took about fifteen minutes for us to check-in and get our guide and assigned vehicle. At about seven, we were off into the wild again. My dad and I told our guide that we should look for more of the elusive species that call Blackbuck National Park home. Our guide said that finding elusive species is much harder, but he said that he would take us to the road where we had the highest chances of encountering some of the predators such as wolves. The morning time made the grasslands of this national park even more beautiful. Some fog rolled around the lone trees and the breeze made it a little bit chilly when the jeep was driving. It felt like perfect conditions to find something crazy. Early on, we encountered lots of different birds like white-throated kingfishers, pallid harriers, and gray francolins, as well as antelopes like the common blackbuck. It felt like we were getting close to a crazy encounter.

This gray francolin easily camouflages in the tall grass.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

Wolf

Then suddenly, our guide got the call. It was not just any call. A ranger had called our guide and told us that he had spotted a wolf right on the road a couple of minutes away from where we were. Our driver quickly sped to the location. In about a minute, we reached there, and we joined some other jeeps. Then suddenly, we saw it. An Indian wolf! It was crouched down in the grass and it looked like it was hunting. We only had a few seconds to view it crouch down in the grass, and then it took off! I quickly took some photos and then started to take a video. We looked in our binoculars and it turned out the wolf was chasing after a herd of blackbucks! Wow! We only had a few seconds to view it, and soon, it ran off and disappeared into the tall grass. It turns out that the wolf did not catch any blackbucks. It still such a cool experience! Even though it did not catch any prey, this was my first time ever seeing an Indian wolf, and seeing one hunting was truly something that was really rare.

This Indian wolf is ready to strike at a herd of blackbucks.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

Jungle Cat

After that crazy wolf encounter, our driver took us into the other section of Blackbuck National Park. As soon as we entered the section, we saw an animal that we saw a lot yesterday. It was none other than the jungle cat! It was quietly resting in the bushes, before walking away and disappearing into the tall grass. For me, this day was turning out as a success as we saw everything that I was here for! Let’s go!

 

Monitor Lizard

Up ahead, we entered a patch of trees and bushes surrounding the road. Since we could not see much through the dense vegetation, we decided that we would quickly drive out of the area and go into the open grasslands. Since we wanted to save some time, our driver sped down the road. Then suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw something that was gray and scaly. I quickly yelled to stop the car. Our driver braked the car and when we looked back, we spotted one of the largest lizards that I had ever seen. Our guide told us that this was a species known as the Bengal monitor lizard. This was so cool! It was a lifer for me and an animal that I had never seen before.

This Bengal monitor lizard is basking in the morning sun.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

More Life of the Grasslands

After a little bit of admiring and observing this magnificent creature, we continued down the road until we reached a pond in the center of the vegetation that surrounded the road. In the pond, there was a Eurasian spoonbill wading through the water. It was yet another beautiful species and it was pretty close by. Next to it, there was a more common cattle egret, a species we had seen a lot of in this area. For a few minutes, we admired them as they plucked fish and other prey out of the water.

 

This Eurasian spoonbill is wading in a pond looking for its prey.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

After watching these birds, we drove a little bit further down the road and we were welcomed with an awesome sighting. Perched on a tree was a beautiful western marsh harrier. As our jeep got closer however, it flew off into the sky. Even for a few seconds, it was something that was truly spectacular. Once the raptor flew away, we entered a clearing where we could see the grasslands as well as some trees. That is where our guide showed something that amazed us. It was a massive eagle, and definitely the largest raptor that we had seen on this trip. Our guide identified it and said that it was a greater spotted eagle. But this encounter was special. The eagle did not mind our jeep that was right next to the tree it was perched on. For at least ten minutes, we really took in the beauty of this animal. Even after we went down the road, the eagle still stayed. Wow! That was so cool! Once we left the eagle, we had entered right into the grassland area that had some sections of wetland ponds. Then suddenly, our guide stopped the car. He told us to look on the right side of the jeep. It was another monitor lizard! This one did not move and it seemed to be basking in the morning sun. I noticed that this one was much larger than the one we saw previously. The lizard was the same species as last time, but much calmer. Wow! What a sight!

 

Just like the first one, this monitor lizard is sunning itself.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

After enjoying this beautiful Bengal monitor, we drove down to an area where there are dense tall grasses and some small bodies of water. Our guide said that if we got lucky, we would get to see some of the iconic species of birds found in the Saurashtra area of Gujarat. It turns out that he was right. On an elevated area off the small pond, a couple of painted storks were standing next to each other. Since I had my binoculars, I was able to closely see the birds. I took some photos as well, and it was just brilliant as we watched them out in the open.

These two painted storks are enjoying the morning.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

Golden Jackal

All of a sudden, our guide got a call. He said that there was a group of golden jackals that were around the area that we were in. Our driver went down the road at a slower speed. Then, we saw them. There was a total of two of them, and this was the first time we saw them today. They only stayed on the road for a few seconds, then quickly ran behind a tree and into the tall grass. At first, I did not get a photo, but then, we saw them again, though the view was not the best. It turns out that they were behind the tree. We Because of the leaves and branches, we were only able to see a little glimpse of them. However, I still got the picture before they vanished into the tall grass around the tree. Our guide said that golden jackals are pretty elusive, so we were pretty lucky to see them. Super cool!

 

It is hard to see, but behind this bush is a golden jackal.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

After the awesome encounter with the golden jackal, we came across a species we had seen a lot in this national park. It was yet another jungle cat! This one was very calm, but kind of shy. It did not really want to show us it’s face and just looked back in the tall grass. We observed it as it chilled during the harsh early-afternoon sun. After a couple minutes, we decided it was best not to disturb it and our driver continued down the road.

Nightjar

After encountering the jungle cat, our guide said that our safari time was coming to an end and we had to return back to the parking lot and station soon. Most people here get a safari of about three hours. Our guide said that there was still thirty minutes left until we reach the station, and we could still encounter some species ahead if we were lucky. I thought this too, so I kept my eyes peeled. We continued down the road and then made a turn to another road which we went on earlier in the day. Earlier in the day, our guide mentioned that in dry, rocky, and sandy substrates, it is possible to see a nightjar, which is a bird that likes to camouflage in many unusual places for birds, including on the ground and the sides of trees. Looking on the side of the road, I could see that there was a lot of that substrate that nightjars like. Our driver stopped the car so that our guide could spot some of these super hard-to-find birds. After a couple moments of scanning, however, our guide spotted not only one, but two of them! But I could not believe it! They were so incredibly hard to see! Even when I was trying to take a picture, it was very hard to find where it is. Wow!

Nightjars camouflage really well in dry, rocky surfaces.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

Final Luck

After seeing the nightjars, we continued down the road to see our last herds of blackbuck. They were another beautiful sight, and we enjoyed watching them as they grazed in the tall grass or sat down in the shade of a lone tree.

These blackbucks are grazing in the afternoon sun.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 While watching the antelopes, something else also caught our eye. It was a very vibrantly colored bird. It is known as the green bee-eater. Since it was perched on a branch, I was able to get a perfect picture.

This beautiful bird is a green bee-eater.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

Back to the Station

After admiring these awesome animals, our safari had come to an end. My time at Blackbuck National Park was so quick and I saw so many creatures that I had never seen before.

One Last Creature

Back at the station, there was this really tall watch tower that gave a view of the surrounding farms and grasslands. We decided that we would go up there and take in the awesome view. As we got to the top, we saw something quick and slender on the bottom of the watch tower. It was a mongoose! Wow! I could not believe how there was so much wildlife here no matter where you look.

While the image is slightly blurry, the mammal in the center is a gray mongoose.

(Original Photo Taken by Param)

 

Goodbye Blackbuck National Park

Here in Blackbuck National Park in Velavadar, Gujarat, India, I got to witness some of India’s coolest creatures that inhabit the grasslands. From small weaver birds to the largest antelope in Asia, the nilgai, Blackbuck National Park has everything to offer for any animal lover. I would definitely recommend this lesser-known small national park to anyone who visits Gujarat or western India. I will definitely be looking to visit this wonderful national park again and see how much more awesome wildlife I can find.

 

FAQ’s : The Brilliant Adventure to Blackbuck National Park

Where is Blackbuck National Park located?
Blackbuck National Park is located in the state of Gujarat, India, near the town of Velavadar.

How did the author travel to the park?
The author traveled from Surat to Bhavnagar by ferry, starting from Hazira.

What was special about the ferry ride?
The ferry ride included beautiful ocean views of the Gulf of Khambhat, fun arcade games, and even a possible sighting of a marine animal.

What animals can be seen at Blackbuck National Park?
Visitors can spot blackbucks, nilgai, jungle cats, Indian wolves, jackals, monitor lizards, and a wide variety of birds.

Why is the park called Blackbuck National Park?
It is named after the blackbuck, a graceful antelope species commonly found in the park.

What was the most exciting animal sighting in the story?
One of the most thrilling moments was spotting an Indian wolf hunting a herd of blackbucks.

What makes this park unique for bird lovers?
The park is known as one of the largest roosting sites for harrier birds and has a rich variety of species like flamingos, pelicans, and kingfishers.

. What kind of safari experience does the park offer?
Visitors can enjoy jeep safaris through grasslands and wetlands, guided by experts who help spot wildlife.

When is the best time to visit the park?
Winter is considered the best time, as many migratory birds arrive and wildlife sightings are more frequent.

Why did the author enjoy the trip so much?
The trip was filled with adventure, rare wildlife sightings, and unforgettable experiences, making it a memorable journey.

Where can kids read more such travelogue?

You can explore more creative and inspiring travelogues written by young authors on Bookosmia.

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