For the ecologically oriented, Hazaribagh National Park, 115 KM from Ranchi, is the most famous wildlife park in the region. Nestling in low hilly terrain, at an average altitude of 615 m the park has an abundance of wild animals like the wild boar, sambar, nilgai, chital, sloth bear, tiger and panther. The main gate of the national park at Pokharia is 21 kms form Barhi and 16 kms from Hazaribagh. The NH-33 traverses a 111-kms stretch through the wildlife park that takes tourists to the remotest corners and the watchtowers are strategically placed around water holes and artificial salt licks to offer tiger sightings.
Indeed, the name Hazaribagh itself is sometimes considered to imply that it was once home to a thousand tigers.
