Keibul Lamjao National Park
The world's only floating national park, home of the dancing deer
Floating on the southern reaches of Loktak Lake, Keibul Lamjao is the only floating national park in the world — a national park that literally drifts on a thick mat of phumdi vegetation. It exists to protect one species above all: the sangai, the endangered Manipur brow-antlered deer, so light-footed on the springy floating turf that it is known as the 'dancing deer' and celebrated as the state animal.
Once thought extinct, the sangai survives here in a small, carefully guarded population. Watching for them from the park's watchtowers, across the strange springy landscape of the phumdis with the lake shimmering beyond, is a wildlife experience found nowhere else on the planet.
What to see & do
- The rare sangai (dancing deer) from the park watchtowers
- The unique floating phumdi habitat
- Water birds and the wider Loktak wetland
- Sunrise over the lake before a morning of wildlife watching
Getting to Keibul Lamjao National Park
| How to reach | Adjoining Loktak Lake near Moirang, about 50 km from Imphal. |
| Best time | October to March; early morning for the best chance of sangai. |
| Permit | Inner Line Permit required for Manipur; check advisories. Forest entry ticket at the park. |
| Good to know | Combine with a Loktak sunrise and the INA memorial for a full southern-Manipur day. |
More to explore
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Manas National Park
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Namdapha National Park
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India's wildest rainforest, home to four big cats.