The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary covers much of the plateau’s ridge and slopes around the town. Unlike the sandy deserts of much of Rajasthan, here you walk or drive through evergreen and deciduous forests, with bamboo groves, orchids, and grasslands, plus views down steep rocky valleys. The sanctuary is home to animals like leopards (rarely seen), sloth bears, sambar, wild boar and many bird species, and it’s especially rich in flora—wild roses, bryophytes, and medicinal plants that thrive in the relatively cool, moist microclimate. Scenic spots like Honeymoon Point and Sunset Point sit on the sanctuary edge, looking over the plains below.
About this place
History & highlights
The area was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1960, primarily to protect the unique ecology of the Arbuda hills—Mount Abu’s local range—whose heights receive more rainfall and support denser vegetation than the surrounding desert. Historically the forests here were hunting grounds and timber sources for local rulers and the British, leading to deforestation and wildlife decline. Sanctuary status brought restrictions on hunting and regulated grazing, and subsequent decades saw efforts at reforestation and habitat protection, although pressures from tourism, road building and encroachment remain. Today the sanctuary is considered an important biodiversity hotspot in Rajasthan, and conservationists emphasise its role as a green island in the semi-arid landscape as well as a buffer protecting the watersheds that feed lakes like Nakki and the Dilwara–Gaumukh streams.
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