Bandipur National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary

Bandipur National Park, situated at the foothills of the Nilgiris, is one of the most well-known wildlife reserves of the south Indian state of Karnataka. Famed for being home to some rare wildlife species, Bandipur is the perfect place to interact with the animals and birds in their natural surroundings. Declared a tiger reserve in 1973, Bandipur is an extension of the Venugopal Wildlife Park that was founded by the Maharajas of Mysore in 1931. The Park has a moderate temperature all round the year which ranges from 11 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius.

• Location: Mysore-Ooty Highway in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka
• Area: 880 sq. Km.
• Nearest Town: Gundelpet (20 kms)
• Nearest Airport: Mysore (80 kms)
• Nearest Railway Station: Nanjungud (55 kms) and Mysore (80 kms)
• Safari: Elephant and Jeep Safari
• Entry Fee: INR 25 for Indians and INR 150 for Foreigners (Still camera is free but pays extra for video cameras)
• Best Time to Visit: Between March - July and September - November
• Prime wildlife: Elephant, Sambar, partridges, peafowl, quail, giant squirrel, Hornbill and barking deer.
• Number of avifauna Species: Approximately 230 species of birds

The well-laid roads make it easy for the visitor to travel inside the park. Observing the animals grazing or just enjoying the rays of the sun is simply amazing. You can opt for a jeep safari or an elephant safari as per your liking. However, an elephant safari might be a more interesting option. The authorities manage safaris two times in a day- early morning (6:00 am-9:00 am) and late afternoon (4:00 pm-6:30). You must carry your identity proof at the time of entry into the park.

The park features species like gaurs, Indian elephants, tigers, muggers, sloth bears, Indian rock pythons, four-horned antelopes and dholes in good numbers.

• Mammals: Commonly found mammals in Bandipur are chital, elephants, gray langurs, and Indian giant squirrels.
• Birds : Bandipur is known as a paradise for birdwatchers as it is home to more than 200 avifauna species, like drongos, crows and junglefowl being the most common one. The other birds that are commonly found here are changeable hawk-eagles, hoopoes, honey buzzards, brown fish owls, Indian vultures and more.
• Reptile : Reptile species at Bandipur include flying lizards, Indian pond terrapin, spectacled cobra, vipers, rat snake, Indian chameleon, agamids, Indian rock python and more.
• Butterflies : Bandipur features innumerable species of butterflies. Crimson Rose, Red Helen, Lepcha Bushbrown, Lemon Pansy,  Banded Blue Pierrot, Common Castor Aridane merione, Striped Tiger/ Common Tiger, Colour Sergeant, Common Evening Brown, Metallic Cerulean, and much more.
• Ant species : Along with some unidentified ones, Bandipur features a large number of various ant species including Anenictus sp1, Polyrhachis exercita, Lophomyrmex quadripinosus, Tetraponera rufonigra, Leptogenys chinesis, Oligomyrmex wroughtonii, Pheidologeton diverus, Monomorium indicum, and so on.
• Dung beetles : The variety of dung beetles including some rare ones is unending along with some unidentified species. Caccobius gallinus, Onthophagus rufulgens, Catharsius granulates, Caccobius meridionalis, Heliocopris dominus are some of the species.

Bandipur National Park boasts of a rich flora including scrubs, evergreen forests, and deciduous forests. The flora in the park constitutes a vast variety of timber trees such as Indian Kino Tree, the Clumping Bamboo, Grewia tiliaefolia, Indian-laurel etc. a number of fruiting  as well as flowering trees can also be found here including Flame of the Forest, Golden Shower tree, Black Cutch, Satinwood and more.

There are a number of tourist destinations around the park including Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, around 19 kilometers from the park. You can also explore the beautiful Mysore city that is at a distance of 80 kilometers. Other interesting options are Gopalaswamy Hills, around 20 kilometers from Bandipur and lastly Ooty, famous as ‘Queens of Hill Stations, around 79 kms away and is one of the most famous hill stations of Southern India.

For the visitors, options of accommodation are innumerable including Bandipur Safari Lodge, Ambuja Farms, Mc Resort, Bush Betta Wildlife Resort, Tusker Trails Hotel and more. You enjoy a comfortable stay, close to nature while availing all modern facilities.

• By Air: The nearest airport is in Mysore, which is 80 kilometers away.
• By Rail: The nearest railway station is around 55 kms away in Nanjangud.
• By Road: There are regular buses between Mysore and Ooty, which halt at Bandipur. The distance between Bandipur and other nearby destinations- 78 kms from Ooty, 80 from Mysore and 220 kms from Bangalore.

• Pack light cotton clothing in summers
• Carry light woolen garments in winters
• Must pack your raincoats during monsoon

• The timings of the park - 6:00 am to 9:00 am and 3.30 pm to 6.30 pm
• The entry fee for an adult is INR50 while for a foreigner is INR 150
• An elephant ride costs INR 50 per person for one hour
• You need to pay extra for vehicles and video camera but carrying a still camera is free
• The safari bus fare of the forest department for an adult is INR 25 but and for a child is INR, per trip for one hour
• Please take note a tourist needs special entry permits from the forest department office at the entrance before going inside

• Littering should be avoided inside the park
• Do not use radio or cassette players as this might be disturbing for the animals
• Coming out of the vehicle while spotting wildlife is a no-no
• Pets and firearms do not get an entry inside the park
• Campfires, horns and consumption of alcohol are prohibited