Adventures in India

The Sanjay Gandhi National Park is located between longitude 72°53` to 72°58`E & latitude 19°08` to 19°21` N covering an area of approx. 104 sq. km. The park occupies a large part of the northern suburbs of Mumbai. To the west lie Goregaon, Malad, Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar and on the east are Bhandup and Mulund. The lush green Aarey Milk Colony lies on the South, while the Thane district contains the northern areas of the park.

The region is hilly with altitudes ranging from 30 m to 468 m above sea level. The Park serves as a cachement area to two two lakes, Vihar Lake and Tulsi Lake, which meet about 5% of the city's total water requirements. The park is said to be the lungs of the city as it purifies most of the pollution over the city.

The land comprises mainly of basic lava flows, typical of the “Deccan Trap” and are part of the largest plateau basalt of the upper Cretaceous Eocans times (45 to 60 million yrs.)

The temperatures around the park are relatively stable round the year sue to its close proximity to the sea. A mean annual temperature is 27°C with a range of 15°C - 35°C and humidity is about 60% with a range of about 50% in the winter and 80% in the monsoon. Rainfall in this region is quite heavy, but restricted to a clearly defined season, due to seasonal wind movements. The mean annual rainfall is 2500 mm and occurs in the monsoon season from June to September, with clear weather for the rest of the year.