Shoolpaneshwar wildlife sanctuary is nestled in the district of Narmada in Gujarat. It was established in the year 1982. The sanctuary is named after the famous temple of Lord Shiva that is believed to have once existed within the sanctuary area along the banks of Narmada River.

Flora
Vegetation cover: deciduous vegetation with semi-evergreen trees. Trees: khair, timru, bamboo, sadad, mahuda, amaltas, herde, bor, tanachh, karanj, etc.

Fauna
Leopard, tortoise, flying squirrel, common mongoose, Sloth bear, Indian porcupine, barking deer, pangolin, etc.

Avian Fauna
Great-horned owl, crested serpent eagle, sparrow hawk, shikra, gray hornbill, gray and red jungle fowls, great-horned owl, etc.

Getting there
Vadodara airport (90 km) and the Ahmedabad airport (260 km) are the nearby airports. The closest railway station to Shoolpaneshwar wildlife sanctuary is at Bharuch (80 Km). The nearest bus terminal is at about 60 km away at Ankleshwar.

Tourist information
Rest houses at Dediapada, Sagai, Bharuch, Kewadia and Rajpipla provide quality accommodation to visitors. They can also choose to stay at the Panchayat and PWD guesthouses with prior bookings.
There are some exotic waterfalls located within the sanctuary. However, permission of the Forest Officer is required for visiting the falls. The tourists will have to trek from the parking place to reach the waterfall. The tourists are advised to carry light luggage and wear proper sports’ shoes as most part of this path is filled with slippery rocks.
The other places of visit in and around the sanctuary are Rupgadh Fort, Sardar Sarovar dam, Ninai Waterfall, Shoolpaneshwar temple (Rajpipla), Wadia Palace at Rajpipla and Interpretation Centre at Kevadia.

Additional information Location: Shoolpaneshwar wildlife sanctuary,Bharuch, Gujarat
Area: approximately 607.70sq Km
Best visiting time: November to March
© Arked