Nagarahole National Park

Nagarhole is southern storehouse of rich flora and fauna and is host to Nagarhole national park, celebrated as one of the best wildlife parks as well as the Bandipur bird sanctuary.

Nagarhole dominated by its splendid display of nature's offerings can provide you with a complete tourist experience coming full circle with a number of temples and other elements of culture.

Nagarhole National Park or Rajiv Gandhi national park is located in Kodagu district of Karnataka. It is a part of Nilgiri biosphere reserve and is now under the consideration for recognition as a heritage site. The park is filled with waterfalls, hills, valleys, streams and forests. The park is famous for its rich population of animals and birds.

History of Nagarhole National Park

The Nagarhole national park was once the hunting reserve of Maharaja of Mysore. Hyder Ali tried to use this reserve to train elephants in the wild into domestic ones. He tried a lot to capture wild elephants but it was not easy.

After years of trial and failure, he left an inscription of a stone that no one would be able to do so. In 19th century, Captain Sanderson tried and succeeded in the mission.

Different Areas in the Park

The park is located in a place where the Deccan plateau joins with the Western Ghats. The park’s altitude ranges from 680m to 1,454m.

North – This region is bordered by Kabini river. This is the main water source of the park and many mammals can be spotted near the banks. The region receives heavy rainfall and is covered with forest. Moist deciduous forest are common here. Large herbivores are spotted easily.

South East – This part of the park is dry and excellent spot for finding predators and also for birdwatching.

Center – This region is famous for the Kabini backwaters. It is the best spot for finding elephants and other wildlife. Gaur and deers are common here.

West – This region is covered with mountains, streams, waterfalls and valleys. Bamboos and sandalwoods are common in this region. Tree dwelling animals can be easily spotted here.

Flora of Nagarhole National Park

The Northern part of Western Ghats form a predominate region in the park. This region is filled with moist deciduous forests. Rosewood and teakwood are found very common in the southern part of the park. In the central part of the park, dry deciduous forests are found.

Pala indigo is very common here. In the swamp regions, Eugenia trees are very common. Other main trees found in this park are silver oak, sandalwood, teak, crocodile bark, Indian kino tree, axle wood, kadam, cotton tree, ficus, beechwood, Indian gooseberry and others. Top conspicuous tree species are clumping bamboo, flame of the forest and golden shower tree.

Best Season to Visit Nagarhole National Park

The best time to visit is from October to May. During this period, spotting animals and birds is easy. Travel within the park is also easier. It is better to avoid monsoon season. During heavy rain, the park might be closed for visitors.

Wildlife Safari in Nagarhole National Park

Nagarhole national park provides many different types of safari experience.

Jeep safari is the best for spotting large herbivores and predators. Top animals to spot during a jeep safari are leopard, elephant, tiger and others.

Boat safari is available on the river Rabini. This safari is the best to spot aquatic wildlife like water birds, crocodile and others. Coracle ride is also available in the river. Coracle is an Indian round boat that is best for slow drifting. During the ride, the coracle is kept along the river to spot land animals too.

Bus safari is available in the morning and evening. The possibility of spotting animals is higher with the bus. The bus fee is 150 INR per head. 16-20 people can travel in a bus. During peak season, the route of the bus would be shortened to avoid long queue.

How to Reach Nagarhole National Park

By Air

The closest airport to the national park is in Mysore at a distance of 96 kms. Nearest international airport is located in Bangalore, which is at a distance of 236 kms. One can reach Bangalore from all the major cities across India. It is well connected with several international cities as well.

By Rail

Mysore Railway Station located 80 kms away from Nagarhole  National Park is the nearest railway station.

The nearest railway head is located in Bangalore at a distance of 220 kms. Bangalore is well connected with all the major cities across India. And one can take either a taxi or bus to reach the national park from here.

By Road

The sanctuary is located at a distance of 96 kms from Mysore city, 93 kms from Madikeri and 236 kms from Bangalore city.

Wildlife Safari Timings

Jeep safari : 

from 5:30 am to 10:00 am and, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Coracle ride :

 from 9 am to 11 am and, from 5 pm to 6 pm

Bus safari :

 6 am to 9 am and, from 3 pm to 5 pm

Quick Facts about Nagarhole National Park

Timings: 

6:45–8:45 AM and 4.00–6.00 PM

Entry Fee: 

Indian INR 200 and foreigner INR 1000

Camera Fee: Video Camera INR 1000

Safari Timings :

 6.00 AM to 8.00 AM in the Morning and 3.00 PM to 5.00 PM in the Evening.