Spread over an area of 78 sq km in the Vindhya mountains, the forest of the Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary has been named after the Chandraprabha river, which means the luminescence of moon. The river is a tributary of River Karamnasha and both of them pass through the forest to finally meet River Ganges. The sanctuary was established in 1957 and was once famous for Asiatic lions.

Today, it is home to a wide variety of animals like leopard, hyena, wolf, wild boar, nilgai, sambar deer, chinkara, chital, blackbuck, gharial, python and many species of birds. With waterfalls like Devdari and Rajdari and several trekking paths, the sanctuary is ideal for a day's getaway from Varanasi. In addition, its many caves and mountains make it a hotspot for adventure travel. Visitors can also view beautiful cave paintings, parks, watchtowers, the sunset point and rock shelters.

The forest is also home to an indigenous tribal population, which celebrates with native forms of dance and music that convey the untold tales of the tribes. One can spend an evening here listening to the rhythms of the community. The best time to visit the place is from July to February and the entry gate is located at Chandraprabha Dam. The Chandra Prabha Wildlife Sanctuary is located about 70 km from Varanasi.

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