Jaldapara offers misty elephant safaris through forests teeming with rhinos and elephants.

Not every weekend needs to be a blur of online shopping carts, never-ending errands or yet another binge-watch session. Sometimes, your overworked mind and screen-fatigued eyes crave something more primal, more grounding, like the crunch of leaves underfoot, the distant call of a wild animal or the thrill of a rare sighting in the jungle.

Thankfully, India is blessed with a treasure trove of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that offer just the right dose of nature therapy: no week-long leaves or tedious transit involved. Here are six wildlife destinations that strike the perfect balance – wild enough to spark adventure, yet close enough to make for an easy weekend getaway.

Tucked away in the foothills of the Eastern Himalayas, Jaldapara is a verdant paradise just a few hours from Siliguri or Jalpaiguri. Its vast floodplains and dense sal forests provide a rich habitat for a host of wildlife, from the iconic one-horned rhinoceros to herds of wild elephants and shy barking deer. The best way to soak in the wilderness? An early morning elephant-back safari that takes you deep into the park’s misty core. It’s a surreal, almost cinematic way to start the day.