The Fort at Sariska N.P.

As with most areas in the state of Rajasthan, Sariska too is surrounded by numerous barren hills with forts located atop them. One of these majestic forts, called the Kankwadi Fort, is located within the park's boundaries. This fort was used by the famous Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb, to confine his brother, Dara Shikoh, whom he later had executed to gain control of Hindustan. A trip to this fort is a must at least once. The villages in the amazingly vast surrounding grasslands appear to be lost in the past eras. From the fort they look much like drawings from an Asterix comic book. The overall view from the fort is so vast that it would probably take ten frames with a wide-angle lens to cover it entirely. Although it is quite far from the core area of the park, it is possible to come across wildlife like Blue Bull and Sambar at the fort. The extremely lucky soul might even get to see a tiger. It is approximately a 2 hour drive from the gate if you go easy and enjoy the surroundings enroute. It is advisable not to try the trip unless you're in a 4 Wheel Drive, especially in the monsoon months, even though it can be done in an ordinary car. The route to the fort is to turn right at the checkpoint located inside the park. After a fifteen minutes drive, you will come to a hill road branching off to the right. This road leads straight to the fort. You'll know you've taken the correct route if you pass through a magnificent fort gate just some 500 yards from the main road.