Bandipur National Park

Introducing Bandipur National Park

About 80km south of Mysore on the Ooty road, the Bandipur National Park (Indian/foreigner Rs 50/150) covers 880 sq km and is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which includes the sanctuaries of Nagarhole, Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. It was once the Mysore maharajas’ private wildlife reserve and is home to over 5000 Asiatic elephants – a fifth of the world’s population.

Bandipur is also noted for herds of gaurs (Indian bison), chitals (spotted deer), sambars, panthers, sloth bears and langurs. More than 80 tigers reportedly roam here, but they’re rarely seen. The vegetation is a hodgepodge of deciduous and evergreen forest and scrubland. The best time to see wildlife is March to April, but November to February has the most temperate climate.

Brief elephant rides (per person Rs 50) are available for a minimum of four people. Private cars – with the exception of resort vehicles – are not allowed to tour the park so you’re stuck with the Forest Department’s diesel-minibus safari (per person Rs 25; 6am, 7am, 8am, 4pm & 5pm), which lasts one hour. The wildlife seen will be limited, as a bus lumbering through the forest doesn’t exactly entice creatures out into the open. On Sundays tourists can outnumber the chitals.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009