Saddle Peak National Park is located in the Diglipur county of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Built-in 1979, you would love to explore this park that is adorned with beautiful vegetation, tropical forest, lush greeneries, mountain peaks, rich biodiversity, and much more. Here, you can explore nature in its purest form, while introducing yourself to several unique, adorable animals and birds.
The national park remains open from 4 am to 5 pm on all days of the week. The entry fees to explore the park are quite nominal; for adults, it’s Rs.25, for children Rs.10, for foreigners Rs.50, Rs.5 for Indian Students, and Rs.10 for foreign students. You are also required to spend Rs.25 on the video camera and Rs.10 on the still camera.
Owing to its geographical position, the national park observes a moderate to pleasant climate throughout the year, which makes this place apt to be travelled at any time of the year. However, exploring the park during winter, preferably between October to March, would be a great idea. The official timings to visit the park are from 4 am to 5 pm on all days of the week.
History of Saddle Peak National Park
The national park was established in the year 1979 and is spread in an area of 33 square kilometers. Situated at an altitude of 732 meters, the Saddle peak is the highest peak in the archipelago. Saddle Peak National Park is known for many rare species of flora and fauna.
A few popular ones among them are Andaman wild pig, Andaman horseshoe bat, Andaman hill myna, Himalayan palm civet, Whales, and Saltwater Crocodile. Talking about the species of flora - Albizia Procera, Scolopia Pusilla, Horsfieldia Irya, and Lannea Coromandelica are found here, in this national park.
Major Attractions in and Around Saddle Peak National Park
1. Andaman Hill Myna
Get the view of the beautiful Hill myna that is absolutely treated by nature. Roaming around the park and catching such spectacular views will certainly leave you enthralled.
2. Andaman Imperial Pigeon
On your visit to the national park, you might get the chance to admire the beautiful and rare hunky imperial pigeon. An interesting thing about these pigeons is that they feature multiple colour feathers on their bodies. A sight of this rare species of pigeons is enough to enthrall you.
3. Water Creatures
Saddle Peak National Park is home to several water creatures such as a feisty monitor, doodle dolphins, and much more. The park is known among the locals and tourists who visited here for its rich biodiversity and mystical as well as mesmerizing views.
4. Trekking
The Saddle Peak is the highest peak situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at an altitude of 732 meters. Experiencing the birds-eye view of the surroundings from the top can be absolutely fascinating. You need to do almost 8 kilometers of trekking to reach the top of the peak. For trekking, you will have to acquire a permit from the forest department.
How to Reach Saddle Peak National Park
Saddle Peak National Park is a perfect weekend spot to enjoy a sunny day amid lush greenery and witness diverse species of flora and fauna. You can arrive here conveniently via local transport and to reach Andaman and Nicobar Islands you may consider travelling by airways or waterways from mainland India. Here we have penned down some best travel options that you may consider if planning a visit to Andaman.
By Air
First, you need to reach Port Blair Airport which is dedicated to a popular freedom fighter Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The airport is known as Veer Savarkar International airport. There are direct and connecting flights from all the major airports of India and neighboring countries. And, after that, you can look for other local transport services such as a local bus or cab to reach the national park.
You can choose to fly with the following airlines as they run regular non-stop flights to Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Delhi - AirIndia
- Kolkata - Vistara, SpiceJet, IndiGo
- Bengaluru - IndiGo, GoAir
- Chennai - Vistara, AirIndia, SpiceJet, IndiGo, GoAir
- Hyderabad - IndiGo
By Rail
There is no direct rail route to Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The nearest one can go by rail is to Chennai, Kolkata, or Visakhapatnam. From these 3 cities, you can get on a cruise to Port Blair port.
By Sea
The sea route to Andaman and Nicobar Islands from mainland India terminates at the Haddo Wharf Port in Port Blair. After reaching Port Blair via ships, you can commute via local transport to reach the Saddle Peak National Park.
By Road
If you are travelling from Kalipur Beach in North Andamans then the journey to Saddle National park is just a 10-minutes bus ride away. From Port Blair and Diglipur, one has to cover a distance of 300 and 5 km respectively by bus to reach the Saddle Peak National Park.
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here.
