One of the most populous and vibrant places of Tamil Nadu, the city of Chennai is visited by a number of people for its rich heritage, historic edifices, spectacular scenic views, and delicious food. One such place is the Guindy National Park, which is a small park located in Chennai but promises a lot of mesmerizing scenic views of the diverse flora and fauna and thrilling adventures.
Guindy National Park is the 9th smallest national park in India and was established in 1976 with an area of 2.82sq. kilometers. The park is a part of the grounds that enclose the Raj Bhavan, earlier known as ‘Guindy Lodge’, which is the official dwelling of the Governor of Tamil Nadu. The park is abode to a vibrant and diverse variety of flora and fauna such as spotted deer, blackbuck, river otter, hyena, bonnet monkey, etc., along with beautiful birds such as buzzard, grey partridge, crow pheasant, robins, koels, pariah kite, and many more. Many species of insects, reptiles, and invertebrates like ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, earthworms, etc., also inhabit here in the vegetation consisting of tropical dry evergreen flora which suits their habitat.
The park also has a children’s playground which comprises swings, mini-railway, elephant, pony rides, etc., for the kids. The park also has a mini zoo with a small collection of birds, deer, peacocks, and some insects. Furthermore, there is also a snake park with a variety of snakes present for display. As the park is situated in the middle of the city, commuting there and finding places to stay and eat is not difficult which makes it all the more preferred place by the tourists to spend their day in the lap of nature and enjoy some peaceful time.
The park inhabits over 350 species of plants which includes trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs, and grasses. Amona, Squamosa, Atlanta Monoplylla, Feronia, Limonia, Azadirachta Indica, etc., are some of the tree species which dominate the forests.
Mammals: Blackbuck, Spotted Deer, Small Indian Civet, Jackal, Common Palm Civet, Hyena, Hedgehog, Pangolin, Common Mongoose, Three-striped Palm Squirrel, etc.
Birds: Grey Partridge, Pheasant, Paradise Fly-Catcher, Quail, Black-winged Kite, Pariah Kite, Honey Buzzard, Red-wattled Lapwing, Eagle, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Shrike, Blue-faced Malkoha, Koel, Parakeet, Tailor Bird, Robin, Drongos, Minivet, Barkets, Shrike, etc.
Reptiles: Star Tortoise, Lizards, Geckos, Chameleon, Monitor Lizard, etc.
The park has a tropical dissymmetric climate with the mean annual temperatures of 32.9 degrees Celsius and 24 degrees Celsius and the Rainfall ranges from 522-2135mm. The summers can get a bit uncomfortable to explore the park during the day but the wildlife can be easily spotted during this time. Between June and September, the wet season prevails and after that till March the weather is pleasant.
The best time to visit the park is from October to May.
Nearest Train Station: The nearest railhead is Guindy Railway Station about a kilometer away from the park. The station is well-connected by road network to the national park.
Nearest Airport: The nearest airport is Chennai airport at about 8km from Guindy National Park. The airport is well-connected by a road network and taxis are available from the airport.
Road Accessibility : Port The national park is well-connected to major cities and places by a road network. You can either take your private vehicle or a government operated bus from any city in Tamil Nadu to reach the park.
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