Rajaji National Park begins virtually at Rishikesh's southern doorstep, making it one of the most accessible wildlife sanctuaries in India from a major pilgrimage and tourist town. The park covers 820 sq km of the Shivalik hills between Haridwar and Dehradun, protecting mixed deciduous forest, grassland, and riverine habitat along the Ganges and its tributaries.
The main wildlife draw is Asian elephants — the park has a population of over 400, one of the highest densities in the Himalayan foothills. Tigers, leopards, sloth bears, spotted deer, sambar, and a wide variety of birds including hornbills and fish eagles are also present. The Chilla range, east of Haridwar, has the best road infrastructure for wildlife drives. Rishikesh is closer to the Rajaji range entrance, from which short safaris can be arranged through licensed jeep operators. Morning safaris give the best chance of elephant and other large mammal sightings.