Mount Harriet National Park, <em>Port Blair</em>
Port Blair

Mount Harriet National Park, Port Blair

About Mount Harriet National Park

The pride of Port Blair, Mount Harriet National Park is a gathering of several mountains adorned with wilderness and greenery that attracts a lot of flora and fauna to this little paradise. The park has been carved out of a nearby forest area to make it more accessible for tourists to enjoy the splendid beauty of nature. The highest peak in the Andaman group of Islands, Mount Harriet is enveloped with dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forest making for jaw-dropping landscapes. Mount Harriet takes pride in being featured on every Indian currency of 20 rupees.


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The peak offers an enviable view of the picturesque surrounding embellished with the gifts of nature. A bird’s eye view offers magnificent sights of the gorgeous Islands dotted all over the ocean in myriad shades of blue and green. Places like the North Bay, Ross Island, Jolly Island and Neil Island look absolutely stunning from the top. On prior booking, Andaman Teal house generally arranges conducted trek on Mount Harriet which is an experience worth a lifetime. One may encounter birds, animals and butterflies of different species while scaling the mountain top as this area is known for its wide variety of animals. The mountain top also has a garden with swings and rides to keep the little visitors engaged.


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How to reach Mount Harriet National Park

From Port Blair


Mount Harriet can be approached from Port Blair both by road and then by water. The 55 odd km can be traversed through road in an hour and 20 minutes via Ferrargunj and the remaining 15km in a ferry from the Chatham jetty. The Sea route is from Marine jetty to Hope Town and then by road to Mount Harriet.


From Havelock Island


The journey from Havelock Island to Mount Harriet national park normally takes a little less than 5 hours by travelling through both road and by water, the majority being by the sea.


1. Places to visit near Mount Harriet National Park


Madhuban Beach- out of the several options to explore and visit near Mount Harriet National park the first is to Madhuban beach which is a 10km long beach with flawless scenic beauty. Once an elephant training camp of the forest department is now a beautiful tourist spot which can be accessed by boat from Port Blair or in a Dinghy.


Lighthouse – A looming structure with a swirl of red and white visible from a distance is the lighthouse on North Bay Island which offers a striking view of the surrounding islands of Andaman and Nicobar.


Havelock Island – One of the most popular tourist destinations in Andaman, with silver sand and azure blue water, the Island is barely inhabited and focuses majorly on tourism.


Fisheries Museum – One can witness several exotic marine creatures including the skeleton of a sperm whale.


Rajiv Gandhi water activities centre – One of the best attractions on North Bay beach is house to a water theme park with several exciting adventure sports including Kayaking, water ski and rides. Teal Bhawan and the Zoological Survey of India for scientifically valuable marine wildlife exhibits are also worth a visit.


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2. Things/ Activities to do in Mount Harriet National Park


Trekking - One can visit Madhuban from Mount Harriet by trekking through meandering paths of the jungle treading 16 Kms. A nature trail from Hope Town to the park of approximately 4 km can also be explored.


Picnic – Locals usually spend a day with friends and family having a good time at the exotic environs of the spot.


Photography – A favourite activity for professionals and amateur indulging in taking shots of the breathtaking landscape.


Bird watching – The mountain area is blessed with an abundant reservoir of exotic birds and animals which can be captured to create lifelong memories.


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3. Places to eat in and near Mount Harriet National Park


After a hectic trekking and an adventurous day at the national park, it is obvious to get hunger pangs. There are a couple of options to eat nearby the National park, like Amaya, Icy Spicy, Lighthouse restaurant and Annapurna eatery which dishes out decent Indian and multi-cuisine dishes. Food cooked at these eateries is generally fresh and pocket-friendly.



4. Places to stay near Mount Harriet National Park



There is no accommodation available in close proximity to Mount Harriet national park, the closest places to find decent stay options are Hope Town, Port Blair, North Bay Island and Marine Hill. Hotels and Resorts of every budget are available in these areas.


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5. Medical Facilities in Mount Harriet National Park


There are a few medical facilities closeby to the national park like a Government hospital in Bamboo flat, Marm Ayurveda Hospital and a few dispensaries in and around Chatham. It is advisable to visit the GBP Government Hospital at Port Blair if time permits.


6. Best time to visit Mount Harriet National Park



The weather is Andaman is typically hot and humid given the sea surrounding the Islands, but the national park is cooler than other areas. Summers tend to be a little hot but travellers who love outdoor and can brave the heat can explore the National park with ease. Monsoons are not the best time to visit the area as it gets difficult to explore the area to its maximum potential.


The number of leeches and other creepy crawly creatures too increases making trekking and other outdoor activities difficult.The best season to visit Mount Harriet and Andaman, in general, is during the winters, from November to May.


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7. Mobile Connectivity in Mount Harriet National Park


Most of the places in the Andaman group of Islands have sluggish mobile connectivity. BSNL is the only mobile network which has decent connectivity.


8. Travellers' Tip before visiting Mount Harriet National Park


A trip to Mount Harriet is a different experience than the rest of the Island as it involves trekking and nature trail. Thus one needs to wear comfortable shoes for walking and trekking, pack food for quick bites, carry sunblock and glasses as it might be sunny during the day and carry water bottles to beat the heat. Beware of leeches while trekking, so wear fully covered clothes and carry a packet of salt and antiseptic along.


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9. Entry Fee and Photography allowance in Mount Harriet National Park


Adult: Rs25/- 

Children: 10/-

Foreigners: 250/- 

Camera: 25/- 

Vehicles: 10/-


10. Visiting Time & Duration for Mount Harriet National Park


Harriet National park can be accessed from sunrise to sunset and visitors normally spend 2-6 hours in the area depending on the kind of activity that one wants to indulge in.


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