Bandipur National Park

Abode for Tigers, Asian Elephants and Deers

The Bandipur National Park is located on the Mysore-Ooty road, silently settled in the Western Ghats falling in the Indian State of Karnataka. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve which also includes Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala), Mudumalai National Park (Tamil Nadu) and Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka).This biosphere reserve is the biggest bio-reserve of India and has further helped in deepening India's commitment towards eco-conservation. The Bandipur National Park was established in 1974 as a Tiger Reserve under the project Tiger of 1973.

History reveals that the Bandipur National Park was once treated as a personal wildlife reserve by the Maharaja of Mysore. It was later re-named as Venugopala Wilflife sanctuary. The Moyar and Kabini rivers flank the national park from both the sides while the Nugu River crosses the territory of the park. Currently, Bandipur National Park is known for protecting approximately 100 species of mammals like tiger, leopard, elephant, Indian bison, langur and sambar.

Following are the main tourist attractions of Bandipur National Park:

Flora: Grassy woodlands, scrub jungles, evergreen forests along with dry deciduous trees make up the main flora of the Bandipur National Park. Scrub jungles are normally spread in the eastern part of the Bandipur National Park. One can spot the tropical mixed deciduous forests towards the north western part of the park. The large meadows attract an impressive number of Gaurs and elephants, thereby maintaining the rich diversity of the park. The commonly grown trees in the Bandipur National Park are Bamboo, Mathi, Honne, Gulmohar, Banyan, Mango and Jamun. Teak and Rosewood are few of the most valuable timbre providing trees of India are grown in Bandipur National Park.

Fauna: Currently, more than 70 Bengal tigers can be found in the Bandipur National Park which makes it one of hotspots for wildlife aficionados in Southern India. The other predators that are found in the Bandipur National park include elephants, jackals, barking deers, four horned antelopes, common langurs and smooth coated otter.  There are more than 200 different varieties of birds present in the Bandipur National Park, the most common ones being the Peafowls, Pompadour Green Pigeon, Red Headed Vulture, Brown Hawk, Honey Buzzard, Malabar Trogon and Little Spider Hunter. One can spot waders, teals, ducks and herons in the Kabini backwaters.

The Jeep and Elephant safaris are the main attractions of the Bandipur national park. Those who love bird watching normally opt for the elephant safari. Both these safaris are available to the tourists twice in a day.

Excursions from Bandipur National Park:
Tourists can travel the following destinations like Gundlupet (20 km), Nanjangud (55 km), Ooty (80 km), Mysore (80 km) and Bangalore  (220 km). The other interesting areas include:

Gopalswamy Betta: It is known for being the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. It provides a breathtakingly and enrapturing view of Karnataka and is thronged by tourists from several parts of the world.

Wildlife aficionados can also tour the following mentioned places such as

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary:  It is located around 8 km away from the Bandipur National Park and is known for the spotting tigers, deers, sloth bears and raptors.

Nagarhole National Park: It is located around 123 km away from the Bandipur National Park. Tigers, elephants and Indian bisons are the main attractions of this national park.

When to reach:
Wildlife aficionados and adventure lovers visit the Bandipur National Park during the hot months of May and March. The rainy months from June to September are ideal to spot the Asian elephants. At times,  the national park might be closed due to the fear of forest fires in the months of March and April.

How to reach
Air: The nearest airport to the Bandipur National Park is the Bangalore Airport. It is around 220 km away from the national park.
Rail: The nearest railway station is at Mysore which is located at the distance of 80 km.
Road: The national park is connected with the major cities in Karnataka through well maintained roads. There are state buses that run from Mysore and Bangalore to Bandipur.