Bengaluru is undoubtedly a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. The forests nearby are buzzing with a fantastic diversity of wildlife. You can always soak in the sun and the jungle sounds, watch the birds in all their glory or spot a shy animal on a Safari. With the largest protected area in South India, comprising of Bandipur National Park, Nagarhole Forest Reserve, Kabini reservoir, Mudumalai National Park and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, wildlife getaways from Bengaluru make an easy holiday! Here we bring to you 10 wildlife getaways around Bengaluru.
Bandipur National Park
At a distance of 80 km from Mysore, 70 km from Ooty & 215 km from Bengaluru, Bandipur National Park is one of the well preserved National Parks in India. It is located in Chamarajanagar district on the border of Karnataka – Tamil Nadu between Mysore & Ooty. Nagarhole and Bandipur National Park are separated by Kabini reservoir.
Nagarahole National Park
At a distance of 10 km from Kutta, 20 km from Iruppu Falls, 62 km from Kalpetta, 88 km from Mysore, 88 km from Madikeri and 218 km from Bengaluru, Nagarahole National Park is one of the best wildlife sanctuaries in South India. Also known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park, it is spread across Mysore and Kodagu districts in Karnataka.
Dubare Elephant Camp
At a distance of 29 km from Madikeri and 15 km from Kushalnagar, Dubare Elephant Camp is an elephant training center situated on the banks of the river Cauvery in Kodagu district of Karnataka. Dubare is a natural island formed by Cauvery River. It is an important base for the Karnataka Forest Department’s elephants. Dubare Elephant Camp is a project undertaken by the forest department and jungle lodges & resorts. This camp has plenty of elephants which are trained under naturalists. The elephants used for Mysore Dussehra are trained at this camp.
Bannerghatta National Park
At a distance of 23 km from Bengaluru City Railway Station, Bannerghatta National Park is a wildlife park spread in reserve forests of Anekal Range in Karnataka. This park is part of a wildlife corridor for elephants which connects the BR Hills and the Sathyamangalam forest.
BR Hills
At a distance of 85 km from Mysore, 40 km from Chamarajanagar and 170 km from Bengaluru, the Biligiri Ranga Hills, popularly known as the BR Hills is a lofty hill range in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is considered to be the wildlife corridor that connects the Eastern Ghats to the Western Ghats. BR Hills is famous for BRT Wildlife Sanctuary (Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary).
The sanctuary is situated at an altitude of 5091 feet and is spread across an area of 540 km. It was declared a tiger reserve in 2010 by the Karnataka State Government. The highest peak within the sanctuary is the Kattari Betta. The wildlife sanctuary is inhabited by a number of animals including elephants, sloth bears, bison, deer, porcupines and a number of other creatures.
Kokkare Bellur Bird Sanctuary
At a distance of 71 Kms from Mysore, 85 Kms from Bengaluru City Junction, Kokkare Bellur Bird Sanctuary is located in Mandya District of Karnataka and is about 20 km from Mandya. The name of the village is derived from Kokkare meaning stork and Bellur meaning village of jaggery.
The Mandya district is famous for sugarcane fields and this village is famous for having large colonies of Painted Storks and Spot-billed Pelicans nesting in trees within the village. It is home to cranes, painted storks, and pelicans.
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Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
At a distance of 13 km from Dandeli Bus Stand, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the banks of the River Kali at Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. This is the second largest sanctuary in Karnataka and also one of the best places to visit in Dandeli. The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve in the year 2007. The sanctuary is contiguous with the Mahaveer Sanctuary in Goa and Anshi National Park in Karnataka. Karnataka state government has officially notified the Dandeli Elephant Reserve under Project Elephant on 4th June 2015.
Mysore Zoo
At a distance of 3 Kms from Mysore Railway Station & 1.5 Kms from KSRTC Bus Station, the Mysore Zoo was established in 1892 by Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar and designed by German Landscaper and Horticulturist Mr. G.H. Krumbiegel. Also known as Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, it is one of the oldest and one of the best zoo parks in South India. Mysore Zoo provides shelter to a large number of animal species. The Zoo is famous for breeding some very rare animals in captivity and has a fine collection of animals like lions, tigers, hyena, deer, elephants, rhinos, king cobras and birds.
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a small sanctuary spread across 67 sq.kms. The sanctuary comprises of six islets on the banks of the Kaveri River. It was declared in 1940 as a result of many requests from Dr. Salim Ali who surveyed the birds in this area. Since then, the sanctuary has become a paradise for bird watchers. The sanctuary is a breeding ground for many migratory birds from all over the world. It is home to a wide species of birds including cormorants, darters, white ibis, spoon-billed storks, open-billed storks, painted storks, white necked storks, egrets, herons, terns, swallows, kingfishers, sandpiper etc.
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary
Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area and a tiger reserve. It is situated amidst the Western Ghats in Chikmagalur and Shimoga districts of Karnataka. Spread over an area of 490 Sq. km, Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary is also known as Muthodi Wildlife Sanctuary. The Sanctuary boasts of a substantial tiger population and it was declared as the 25th Project Tiger of India in 1998. The sanctuary is situated in lush tropical forests of the Western Ghats and accommodates the tributaries of the Bhadra River. The sanctuary gets its name from Bhadra River and a dam has been built on the river near Lakkavalli.
There’s so much we can do to explore the natural environment we have been blessed with. Let’s get exploring today!
