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Papikonda National Park – complete detail – updated. Dominant flora and fauna of Papikonda National Park. Papikonda National Park is a beautiful place, located in East Godavari and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam district of Telangana. The Park lies in the River Godavari basin. The forests of the Park cut through the Papikonda hill range. The nearby cities to the Park are Khammam, Suryapet and Warangal.
Total area of the National Park is about 1012.86 km2. It was declared as a National park in the year 2008. The mythological significance attached to the Park is that it was the kingdom of the apes, during the epic time of holy Ramayana. The floral variety of the Park is mainly Eastern Ghats vegetation.
The mythological significance attached to the Park is that it was the kingdom of the apes, during the epic time of holy Ramayana. The erstwhile name of the area was Kishkinda, whose residents had helped Lord Rama to bring back Sita from Lanka.
National park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife & biodiversity, and where activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed.
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Papikonda National Park
Papikonda National Park is a beautiful place, located in East Godavari and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam district of Telangana.
Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary was established in the year 1978. Total area of the Sanctuary is about 591 km2. Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary declared as a National Park in 2008. Total area of the National Park is about 1012.86 km2.
The park lies on the left and right banks of the river Godavari and cuts through the Papikonda hill range of Eastern Ghats. The River Godavari enriches the Papikonda Park with its natural beauty.
Papikonda National Park is one of the main tourist destinations of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The park is the best place to observe nature in her pious form. The park gives the wildlife to regenerate and develop.
Papikonda Wildlife Sanctuary is not only the homeland of the animals but a wide variety of plants and shrubs grow and that make the vegetation of the place rich and vibrant. The birds found in the region are both resident and migratory.
The mythological significance attached to the Park is that it was the kingdom of the apes, during the epic time of holy Ramayana. The erstwhile name of the area was Kishkinda, whose residents had helped Lord Rama to bring back Sita from Lanka.
Geography
The topography of Papikonda supports dense forested hills, deep gorges, valleys, flowing streams and ponds, where the avifaunal life can be sighted.
The sight of mighty Godavari meandering through densely Forested hills with deep gorges & valleys provides an unforgettable experience.
The vicinity of the Park extends to the Rekapalle hills in Khammam district. The floral variety of the Park is mainly Eastern Ghats vegetation. The area consists of dry deciduous tropical forests. A variety of plants and shrubs grow in the Park, adding color to the environment.
Multifarious and varied streams exhaling from the top of the hill makes the forest of Papikonda a fertile vegetative land. All these constitute to make the area into a typical ecological, facinal and geomorphological zone.
The Park lies in the River Godavari basin. The forests of the Park cut through the Papikonda hill range. The nearby cities to the Park are Khammam, Suryapet and Warangal.
Many unique species of flora and fauna is found in the park.
Dominant flora
Latifolia, Albizzia Amara, Albizzia Lebbeck, Tectona Grandis, Terminalias, Tomentosa, Lagerstroemia Lanceolata, Bambusa Arundinacea, Dendrocalamus Strictus, Albizzia Amara, Pterocarpus etc.
Dominant fauna
Tiger, Hyena, Four horned antelope, Spotted deer, Muggers, Sloth bear, Jackals, Panthers, Gharial, Gaur, Sambar, lack Buck, Mouse Deer, Barking Deer, Sloth Bear, Wild Dog, Marsh Crocodile, Sloth Bear, Muggers etc.
Other Attractions
Hill reserve forest – Rekhapalle
Museum at Papikonda National park
Environmental education center at Papikonda National park
A safari ride and a river trip on the River Godavari
Best time to visit
The best time to visit the Park is in the months of October to May.
How to Reach
By Road – Papikonda National Park is well connected to Major Cities and Places by road network. There are a number of government and privately operated vehicles that go to Papikonda National Park at frequent intervals.
By Rail – Nearest railway station is Rajahmundry railway station, lies on Chennai-Kolkata and Chennai-Delhi main line. Rajahmundry railway station is well connected by road to Papikonda National Park.
By Air – Nearest airport is Visakhapatnam airport located About 100 km from the Papikonda National Park. Visakhapatnam has direct flight connectivity with Delhi, Mumbai Chennai and Hyderabad. Visakhapatnam airport is well connected by road to Papikonda National Park.
By water – There is only one way to reach Papikonda by boats From Rajahmundry.
Accommodation
Forest rest houses at Rajahmundry, Maredumilli and Kannapuram. The hotels available in Rajahmundry are River Bay and Anand Regency Hotel.
Important contact
Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife Management), Rajahmundry
Phone:- 0883-2478643
Forest Range Officer, Rampachodavaram
Phone:- 08864-243705.
Official website
www.forest.ap.nic.in
Other National Parks in Andhra Pradesh. Name of National Parks, Year of Notification and Total Area is as follows…
| S. No. | Name of National Park | Year of Notification | Total Area(km²) |
| 1 | Rajiv Gandhi National Park | Andhra Pradesh | 2005 | 2.40 |
| 2 | Sri Venkateswara National Park | Andhra Pradesh | 1989 | 353.62 |
