The Dudhwa National Park is located in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri and is part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. This national park is situated on the Indo-Nepal border from the north and towards the south of the park is river Suheli. The Dudhwa National Park is home to some of the most endangered species in the world and one can see a variety of wildlife like the swamp deer, leopards, tigers, black bucks, elephants, jackals, antelopes and birds too. There is so much to see inside the national park that you might not have time for anything else; but, the region around the Dudhwa National Park is filled with a number of attractions, especially temples that are worth visiting. So here’s a list of the tourist places to visit in Dudhwa National Park.

Located close to Dudhwa National Park in Mailani is the Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary, which is also a part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. This sanctuary is also located in the Lakimpur-Kheri district and is spread over an area of 200 sq km. This sanctuary is home to animals and reptiles like Ghariyal, Wild Boar, Tigers, Leopards, Pythons and other variety of wildlife. This sanctuary is located at a distance of 30 km from Dudhwa National Park and doesn’t take too long travel. The vegetation in this region is also extensive with a variety of plants, trees and flowers. In the water body known as Jhadi Tal, you can find different species of birds and bunches of playful otters. This is a great place to visit to get a similar feel to Dudhwa National Park and get the chance to see more variety of wildlife.

Gola Gokarannath is a tehsil in the district of Lakhimpur-Kheri in Uttar Pradesh and is famous for various temples, out of which the most famous is the Shiv Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple has a lot of history of how it was established; it is believed that during the era of Ramayana, Lord Shiva was pleased by the atonement of Ravan and granted him a wish. Ravan’s wish was that Lord Shiva should come with him to Lanka and make that his final abode; to this Lord Shiva agreed but said that he must place the Shiv Linga directly in Lanka without placing it anywhere in the way. On his way, Ravan felt the need to go urinate and asked a shepherd to carry the Linga; this was no other than Lord Ganesha who placed the Shiv Linga on the ground. After Ravan came back, he was not able to take the Shiva Ling from the ground and that is how the Shiva Linga got placed there permanently. It is interesting to visit this temple and the place sees a lot of Lord Shiva devotees there every year.

The Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary along with Dudhwa National Park and Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary are a part of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. This sanctuary stretches over 400.6 sq km and is strategically connected to the rest of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve and the Bardia National Park in Nepal. The sanctuary is brimming with lush greenery, variety of flora and fauna and a lot of wetlands and swamps. You can spot creatures like Gangetic dolphin, Bengal florican, Long Billed vultures and many more. The Girwa river flows by the the Katarniaghat Wildlife Santuary and you can spot Mugger crocodiles there too. This is one of the many best places to witness a gharial that usually struts around near the Girwa River as well. This is a great sanctuary to visit a learn things about the wildlife.

Pandey Baba Mandir, located in Palia Kalan in Uttar Pradesh is quite close to Dudhwa National Park. This temple is located on the road that leads to Sampurnanagar and is easy to get to. In this beautiful temple is the shrine of Goddess Kali and Sheetla Mata. Legend has it that a long period of time ago, there was an epidemic in this region due to which a lot of people were dying. Amidst all this Pandey Baba prayed a lot to God, asking him to eradicate the disease and finally his prayers were answered and the epidemic of cholera ended. After this incident, this temple was established and a lot of devotees go their every year.

Want to take out some time to relax and enjoy a whole day with your family? Head over to Thapar Resort and Water Park in Palia Kalan to have a memorable time. This place is quite close to Dudhwa National Park, so you can go to the resort on your way to the national park or on our way back. There are a number of things to do inside the water park; you can go swimming in the cool waters of the pool or even go on a leisure boat trip. There are many waterfalls that eventually become pools in which people can relax and have fun. If you are planning to stay there for a night, the water park also has accommodation, which is quite comfortable. There is a good selection of food as well that you can enjoy.

Located at 7 km from Lakhimpur itself is the historical shrine established in the Shiv Temple Devkali. This is a very revered temple amongst the locals and visitors who come every year to offer their prayers. It is said that Janmejayi, King Prikshit’s son used to perform Nag Yagna on that spot after which no snakes ever enter that region. The local people say that the soil is holy and must be worshiped. The main God of the temple is Lord Shiva, but the temple is named after Devkali who is the daughter of Lord Brahma and had done a penance at this very spot.

During the pre freedom era, there was a freedom fighter by the name of Naseeruddin Mauzi Nagar. He was a part of the Khilfat movement in India against the oppression of the British. Naseeruddin Mauzi Nagar happened to kill one of the British officials named Sir Robert William Douglas Willoughby during that time and as a consequence, he was hung in public. Soon after, the East India Company built a memorial hall in memory of their British official and named it Willoughby Memorial Hall in the year 1924. There is also a library that has been established right beside the memorial that has a wide range of books. After India got its freedom, this memorial was renamed Naseeruddin Memorial Hall, commemorating the death of our freedom fighter. This is a great place to visit if you want to learn about the history of the place.

The Kheri Eidgah is a beautiful mosque located near the railway tracks in a place that falls in between Lakhimpur and Kheri. The architecture of this structure is extensive and quite stunning; there are three entrances through which you can reach the main courtyard of the mosque. The main foundation of the mosque was set up in Kheri town. During festivals like Eid, the mosque is decorated with lights that make it look very pretty and also there are numerous food stalls, entertainers and shops from which you can buy various religious as well as non religious items. Visit during the time of Eid to see the mosque at its best.

The Sharda Barrage is a dam that is constructed on the Sharda River, which is located at a short distance from Lakhimpur-Kheri. The barrage is constructed 163.5 km downwards from the upper barrage and is a site that is visited often by tourists. The water that comes to the barrage is the one coming from Karnali by the means of a canal named Sharda Sahayak. This canal is filled with water at all times and is a nice view to witness. Just by the water body are a few water sports that you can enjoy with your family. The best season to visit this place is during winters.

Located in the town of Oel in Lakhimpur is a unique temple known as the Frog Temple, locally known as Menduk Mandir. This temple is primarily devoted to Lord Shiva and is built right behind a giant structure of a frog. This temple is not known by many, but the locals hold it in great regard and tell the story of how it was actually established. After you have walked through the town and finally reach the temple, you will see a small flight of stairs that lead you to the giant frog sitting front of the temple and if you walk further, you can get inside the main temple. The architecture of the temple is structured and based on tantric learnings and the giant frog is regarded as a symbol of prosperity.