Overview
Bandipur National Park was once the hunting reserve for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Established in the year 1974 as a forest tiger reserve under the Project Tiger, Bandipur is the most prominent national park located in the south Indian state of Karnataka and is best known for its varied wildlife boasting different biomes in the dry deciduous forest. It is considered as one of the best managed parks of India.
The park stretches across an area of 874 sq km with a great objective of protecting the endangered species like tigers and elephants in this region along with protecting and restricting the over-usages of the sandalwood trees in the reserve area. Around 80 kms of distance from the city of Mysore on the way towards Ooty, one of the major hotspots of the area, Bandipur National Park brings a warm and comfortable climate throughout the year with a normal temperature range of 24 to 28°C to enjoy the tourists for a marvelous wildlife tour. Monsoon is erratic here but it generally rains from June to September to bring more lushly varieties around the reserve areas.
Significant portion of the Fauna in Bandipur includes Tigers. It has the distinction of being one of the nine tiger reserves which were created in the country after launching of the Project Tiger. Behold the majestic tigers when you visit the Bandipur Wildlife Reserve.
Some of the other important mammals that form an important part of the Fauna in Bandipur are Leopard, Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted deer, Sloth bear, Mouse deer, Wild dog, Four-horned Antelope. Of these mammals, the endangered ones include the Four Horned Antelope, Gaur, Sloth bear, Mouse deer. It is also one of the best and most accessible habitats of the Asiatic elephant.
One can salubriously enjoy lodging and camping in the area while enjoying for the safari tours in Bandipur.
History
The Bandipur Sanctuary was created by the Maharaja of the kingdom of Mysore in the year 1931. It was during that period when only 90 sq km of the area was being used and was named as Venugopala Wildlife Park. In the year 1973 around 800 sq kms of area was introduced to the Venugopala Wildlife Park and was established as Bandipur Tiger Reserve under the tiger project.
Later Bandipur National Park joined its hands with its other neighboring parks, the Nagarhole National Park (643 sq km), Madumalai National Park (320 sq km) and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (344 sq km) together to form the essential part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve making the area as the largest wildlife protected zone.
Wildlife
Bandipur supports a wide range of timber trees including teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian laurel, Indian kino tree, giant clumping bamboo, clumping bamboo and Grewia tibiae folia. Bandipur also holds a good population of endangered and vulnerable species like Indian elephants, gaurs, tigers, sloth bears, muggers, Indian rock pythons, four-horned antelopes, jackals and dholes.
Safari
Bandipur safari is always well rewarding in terms of wildlife sighting. Bandipur National Park is one of the beautiful wildlife sanctuary located in south India with variety of flora and fauna. Bandipur safari offers maximum tiger sightings when compared to other wildlife sanctuaries in south India. Bandipur National park is also rich in other fauna including leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs, herbivores like elephants, gaurs, barking deer, and rare birds like vultures. Both Van safari and jeep safari are available at Bandipur.
Bus Safari
Bus safari suits people who visit in large groups. A bus safari stretches for 45 minutes.14 people can ride in a bus and all the seats are window seats. During tourism season, van and gypsy are also available. Van can accommodate 25 people at the same time.
Elephant Safari
Elephant safari stretches for 20 minutes. During tourism season,one-hour elephant safari is also available. The elephant safari is the best to reach deeper spots in the park. Elephant ride is the best to spot tigers and other carnivorous animals that are found deep in the park.
Jeep Safari
If you want to spot many animals, jeep safari is the best one. For photography, this is the most recommended one. A jeep can accommodate maximum six people. Jeep can be hired for a single person too. A jeep trip stretches for 2 to 3 hours. Jeep night safari is available in the park by some jeep drivers. However, night safari is illegal and it is better to avoid.
Bullock cart rides are available through the scrub jungle. People who want to enjoy a picnic in the park choose this option. The park does not provide this ride. It is usually a part of any tour package by resorts near the park. Spotting animals is rare in this region. Bicycle tours are also available during peak tourism season by resorts near the park. Trekkers take up walking tours in the park. There are two routes in the park. A guide is mandatory for those who want to take up trekking. Night trekking is available in the park with experienced trekkers. Only expert trekkers should try the night trip. Trekking without prior permission is illegal inside the park.
Safari Timing : -
The bus safari is available between 6:30 am and 9:00 am and between 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
Elephant safari will be available between 10 am and 11 am.
Jeep safari is available from 6:00 am to 9:00am and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
Flora
Bandipur supports rich biodiversity. The flora found here include a wide range of trees such as teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian laurel, Indian kino tree, giant clumping bamboo and Grewia tibiae folia. There are also many flowering and fruiting trees such as the flame of the forest, Indian gooseberry, golden shower tree and black cutch. The forests are home to a large population of wildlife, many of them belonging to endangered and vulnerable populations.
The forest region of the park is filled with teak, rosewood, sandalwood, Indian kino tree, Indian laurel, clumping bamboo and giant clumping bamboo. Top flowering and fruit trees to spot are axle wood, black cutch, indigo berry, golden shower tree, black myrobalan, flame of the forest, kadam tree, Indian gooseberry and others. Tamarind, mango and other common trees are also found here.
Bandipur National Park is home to a large variety of shrubs and timber & flowering trees. Some of the more famous timber trees that constitute the flora in Bandipur National Park include teak, sandalwood, rosewood, and multiple varieties of bamboo, among others. The flowering trees and shrubs include Indian gooseberry (commonly known as amla), crape-myrtle, satinwood, black clutch, and many others. There are innumerable plant species growing throughout the park, including medicinal and flowering varieties.
Fauna
The Bandipur national park is famous for spotting elephants and tigers. Apart from these, top mammals to spot here are bonner macaque, dhole, civet, jungle cat, Indian palm, giant flying squirrel, striped hyena, rusty-spotted cat, Nilgiritahr, leopard, Hanuman langur, cat leopard, four horned antelope, Indian hare red and others.
Birdwatching is an important activity here. Top birds found in this park are peafowl, junglefowl, drongos, redheaded vultures, flowerpeckers, Indian rollers, creasted serpent eagles, bee-eaters, hawk eagles, kingfishers, ospreys and others. There are more than 200 species of birds in the park. The breeding season of birds, start right before the monsoon season.
Top reptiles to spot here are Indian rock python, Indian pond terrapin, flying lizard, mugger, monitor lizard, rat snake and others. Common butterflies to spot here are common rose, common jay, lime butterfly, Malabar raven, crimson rose, blue Mormon and others. Numerous species of butterflies are spotted in the park. Numerous beetle varieties are also spotted here. Many new species of butterflies and beetles that are yet to be identified are also found here. Turtles, crocodiles and frogs are also found here.
Tourist Places
Wayanad
It is the most outstanding location near Bandipur area which is basically considered as the land of paddy fields and is snuggled between the western ghat mountains. Wayanad is one of the most exquisite hill stations in Kerala which is also a perfect place to find the trading of different products along with the presence of wildlife sanctuaries around the area.
Mysore
The second largest city of Karnataka, Mysore is also called the cultural capital of the state with the presence of many palaces around the city which brings the name Mysore as the city of palaces. A must watch destination for the architectural lovers. The most famous attraction of Mysore is the Mysore Palace, which is best visited during the evening, when the whole palace is lit up with sparkling lights.
Ooty
Also known as Ootacamund, the capital of Nilgiris district, Ooty is called as the Queen of the hill stations. This is the most picturesque picnic spots of the area and is preferred for the summer and weekend gateway. Ooty has got the most blooming vegetation, lofty mountains, dense forest, sprawling grasslands and miles and miles of tea gardens.
Kabini
Quite naturally, this area is defined as the region alongside the River Kabini and is the perfect host for the Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kabini area is promptly being mentioned as Kabini forests due to the dense lushly regions which are a mix of tropical, moist and dry deciduous types. The area of Kabini is perfectly meant for the people who love hanging around the pristine and virgin natural areas for some solicitation and freshness.
Nagarhole
The area of Kabini also highlights the regions of the Nagarhole National Park. The area of Nagarhole which means the "Snake River" in Kannada is a picture perfect tourist spot for most of the travelers. Nagarhole derives its name from the winding course of the river like a snake that flows through the forests.
Coorg
Yet another fascinating hill station of the area, Coorg advances for the natural splendors and the exotic scenic environment. The area is best recognized as the "Scotland of India" as Coorg defines itself through the majestic beauty and cool ambience of the hill station at an altitude in the range of 3500 ft above sea level.
Bangalore
The main IT hub of India, Bangalore is the prettiest city of India which is embarked with many sobriquets like Garden City, Silicon Valley of India, Pub City and so on. The city is best known for its salubrious climate and is bestowed with tall tree lined streets & several parks adding to its greenery to rightly being called as the 'Garden City'.
Thekkady
Lying at the district of Idukki district, Thekkady one of the most popular destinations of India, located 160 miles from Trivandrum. It is the most unique and abundantly rich with flora, fauna with a wide range of birds. The presence of a man-made lake in the area also attracts tremendous attentions along with other attractions like trekking, wildlife train, bamboo rafting, border hiking and rock climbing.
Best Time to Visit
October to May is the right time to visit the park. During peak winter season, migration birds are quite common. Spotting animals during summer is very easy. Animals come to water sources to quench their thirst during summer with their little ones. In short, skip the monsoon season to visit the park.
Climate
Summer Season
The summer starts in March and ends in June. The summer is mildly hot in this region. The temperature can reach as high as 38 degree C.
Monsoon
The rainy season starts in July and ends in September. The temperature will be mild and the humidity will be high. The temperature can go as high as 28 degree C. Due to heavy shower, safari in certain regions of the park will be restricted. Spotting animals in rain is very rare. This is the lean season in the park.
Winter season
Winter starts in October and ends in March. The climate is misty during this season. The temperature gets as low as 15 degree C.
How To Reach
By Air :
Nearest airports are Mysore and Bangalore airports, about 80 and 220 Km from the Bandipur National Park. These airports are well connected by road to Bandipur National Park.
By Rail :
Nearest railway station is Mysore railway station, about 80 Km from the Bandipur National Park. Mysore railway station is well connected by road to Bandipur National Park.
By Road :
Bandipur National Park is well connected to Major Cities and Places by road network. There are a number of government and privately operated vehicles that go to Bandipur National Park at frequent intervals.
Hotels In Bandipur National Park
At Bandipur National Park, different types of accommodative options are available to bring the wildlife experience more blessed and nurtured with exotic luxury services under the laps of natural beauty. The available hotels and resorts in the vicinity are being designed so as to match your necessities and preferences.
Leave Your Comments
Sreejita Sarkar
Mysore, Karnataka, India
Best reserve forest I have ever visited would suggest to go during monsoon. You can hear the sounds of various migratory birds and can see animals . Well we saw peacocks,deer,elephants,monkey ,wild pigs,and snakes. If u have good luck u can even see leopard and tiger .
Deepashree Devanand
Bagalkot, Karnataka, India
The ride through Bandipur - Ooty road is pure bliss! Despite the weather, the path was smooth. We did spot several herds of deers and elephants, so many peacocks/peahens and a variety of birds. A must drive through if you love cruising with your bike!
Accommodation:
Transport:
Comfort:
Food:
Hospitality: