The former hunting reserve of the maharaja of Alwar, the Sariska valley is home to a variety of flora and fauna. The park has populations of tigers, nilgai, sambar, chital etc. One can spot Indian porcupine, striped hyenas, leopards during evenings. The place is a paradise for bird lovers as it shelters a large population of Indian peafowl, crested serpent eagles, sand grouse, golden backed woodpeckers, great Indian horned owls, tree pies, vultures and many others. 

Most of the landscape of the sanctuary is made of dry deciduous forests, which flank the serene Siliserh Lake in the north east. The sanctuary is strewn with ruins of ancient temples dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Some of the highlights are the ruins of the Kankwari Fort and the 10th century Neelkanth temples. The way to the temples is rough but the architecture and the Khajuraho-like carvings will simply leave the visitor in awe of the place. The temples are 30 km inside the reserve wherein one can spot beautiful birds such as peacocks. There is also a monolithic stone statue of the Jain tirthankar, Shantinath, about 100 m away from the temples. Another interesting site of religious importance in the Sariska Sanctuary is the Pandupol, which is believed to be the place where Bhima (the strongest of the Pandavas) defeated the gigantic demon Hidimb and earned the hand of his sister Hidimba. It is also believed that Bhima took refuge here while the Pandavas were on their exile. One can find a number of langurs, peafowl, spur fowls in the area.

Declared as a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1955 , Sariska acquired the status of a National Park in the year 1979. The best time to visit the sanctuary is from October to June.