20

Best National Parks in Bangalore

Bandipur National Park is amongst the most popular national parks near Bangalore. Established in 1974 as part of Project Tiger, it was once the private hunting reserve of the Maharaja of Mysore.

On any given day you can spot tigers, elephants, four-horned antelopes, gray langurs, spectacled cobra, rock python, and flying lizards.

Location: NH 67, Hangala Village, Gundlupet Taluk, Chamarajanagar District, Bandipur, Karnataka

Best time to visit: March to June and October to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 300 (entry + safari charges) for Indian visitors and INR 1,100 (entry + safari charges) for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: 6.00 am to 8.00 am and 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 219 km

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A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Kerala’s first national park, Eravikulam National Park is one of the most important national parks near Bangalore for the protection of the critically endangered Nilgiri Tahr.

Today the largest population of Nilgiri Tahr lives here and the famous Neelakurinji blooms here once in every 12 years. The Park is closed from February to March as that is the mating season of Nilgiri Tahr.

Location: The Wildlife Warden Munnar PO, Idukki, Kerala

Best time to visit: April to June and September to November

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 120 for Indian visitors and INR 400 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: 8.30 am to 4.00 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 472 km

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Amongst popular national parks in Bangalore, Bannerghatta National Park was founded in 1970 and declared a national park in 1974. It is India’s first biological park with a fenced and forested elephant sanctuary.

It is also home to India’s first butterfly enclosure along with a zoo, a pet corner, an animal rescue center, a butterfly enclosure, an aquarium, a snake house, a safari park, and trekking and hiking paths.

Location: Bannerghatta Rd, Bannerghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka

Best time to visit: September to January

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 80 for Indian visitors and INR 400 for foreign visitors. The Park is closed on Tuesdays.

Safari Timings: 10 am to 4.30 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 35 km

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Originally the Sungam Forest Reserve, Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1973. It became a part of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in 2010 a known national park in Bangalore.

Surrounded by the Sungam Hills, the Anamalai Hills and the Nelliyampathy Hills, unlike most other wildlife sanctuaries in Bangalore, Parambikulam is also home to four indigenous tribes who protect the animals and the forest. It is being considered for selection as a World Heritage Site.

Location: Anappady Parambikulam Road, Thunakadavu, Parambikulam, Kerala

Best time to visit: October to March

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 23 for Indian visitors and INR 300 for foreign visitors. There are additional charges for the camera and safari.

Safari Timings: 7 am to 3 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 451 km

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Surrounded by lush green Cardamom Hills, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary one of the top national parks in Bangalore.

A private game reserve of the Maharaja of Travancore, it surrounds its namesake, the Periyar Lake and is a prominent elephant reserve and tiger reserve.

Location: Idukki, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta, Kerala

Best time to visit: October to June

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 25 for Indian visitors and INR 300 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: The boat safari is from 7.30 am to 4 pm. Jeep safari is from early morning to 3 pm. Elephant safari is from 6 am to 5 pm. The night safari is from 11 pm to 3 am.

Distance from Bangalore: 507 km

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The locals call it Sairandhri Vanam (Sairandhri’s Forest). Legend has it that the Pandavas halted here during their incognito year in exile when Draupadi took the identity of Sairandhri, the Queen’s maid in Virat’s kingdom.

Amongst the many inhabitants of the park, you will find the largest population of lion-tailed macaques living here. If you like adventure then this is for you. From wildlife safaris to treks, you will never fall short of activities.

Location: Wildlife Warden, Silent Valley Division, Mannarkkad, Palakkad, Kerala

Best time to visit: December to April

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 50 for Indian visitors and INR 250 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: 7.30 am to 1 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 425 km

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Originally created in 1967 for the conservation of the critically endangered blackbuck antelope, today Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary receives the second largest group of migratory birds in the country each year, including the rare Spot-billed Pelican and Spoon-billed Sandpiper.

If you want something different from the regular, then this place should be on top of your list. From Bottlenose Dolphins to the Olive Ridley Turtle, you will not be disappointed. If you happen to visit during winters you could also watch the arrival of the huge population of greater flamingos.

Location: Kodiyakadu, Tamil Nadu

Best time to visit: November to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 20.

Safari Timings: N/A

Distance from Bangalore: 506 km

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The village of Rollapadu was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary, in 1988 to protect the endangered population of the Great Indian Bustard. In fact, it is now the only remaining habitat for the bustard in Andhra Pradesh.

Today amongst the lesser known wildlife sanctuaries in Bangalore, it also protects several mynah species, short-toed snake eagles, and migrants like greater flamingos. There have also been sightings of bonnet macaques, jungle cats, black bucks, Russell’s viper and the Indian cobra. Cotton, tobacco and sunflower plantations are also visible in the area.

Location: Kurnool District, Rollapadu, Andhra Pradesh

Best time to visit: October to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 30.

Safari Timings: N/A

Distance from Bangalore: 400 km

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Second oldest sanctuary in Kerala, the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary gets its name because of its location in the catchment area of the Peechi and Vazhani Dams.

Witness more than 50 kinds of orchids, medicinal plants, and teak and rosewood trees providing shelter to animals like leopards, tiger, spotted deer, Indian bison, sambar and Asian elephants, along with various species of birds and snakes. It also provides many scenic picnic spots in Bangalore with various boating options.

Location: Thrissur, Peechi, Kerala

Best time to visit: October to March

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 20 for Indian visitors and INR 150 for foreign visitors

Safari Timings: Trekking and nature camps are organized on request.

Distance from Bangalore: 450 km

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Named so because the River Cauvery flows through it, the area is one of the prominent national parks in Bangalore. Along with tiger, spotted deer, leopard, and barking deer, the sanctuary is also home to the now endangered Golden Mahseer fish.

If you’re a bird watcher then get ready to locate Sirkeer cuckoo, White-browed Bulbul, green-billed malkoha and the pygmy woodpecker. When visiting the sanctuary, you can also visit the Hogenakkal, Mekedatu, Sangam and Muthathi Fall. You can also go boating and swimming in the river.

Location: Chamarajanagar and Ramanagar, Karnataka

Best time to visit: May to November

Entry fee/charges: There is no entry fee.

Safari Timings: 6.00 am to 6.00 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 231 km

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Nagarhole National Park, originally a hunting reserve for the Wodeyar, dynasty, is under Project Tiger.

Ironically, amongst other national parks near Bangalore, it has the highest herbivore population in Asia.

Location: Mysore - Madikeri Road, Hunsur, Karnataka

Best time to visit: April to May and November to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 200 for Indian visitors and INR 1000 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: Boat safari is from 9 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 6 pm. Jeep safari is from 5.30 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 7 pm. Bus safari is from 6 am to 9 am and 3 pm to 5 pm.

Distance from Bangalore: 220 km

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The largest bird sanctuary in the state of Karnataka, Ranganathittu is made up of six islets on the banks of River Kaveri.

Just 3 km away from the historic town of Srirangapatna, this was declared a wildlife sanctuary by the Wodeyar kings in 1940 on the insistence of eminent ornithologist, Dr Salim Ali. More than 40,000 migratory birds have been recorded that come from as far as north India, Latin America, and Siberia.

Location: Ranganathittu Road, District Mandya, Srirangapatna, Karnataka

Best time to visit: June to December

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 50 for Indian visitors and INR 300 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: 9 am to 6 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 129 km

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Although in the state of Tamil Nadu, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary one of the known national parks in Bangalore shares its borders with Karnataka and Kerala. The sanctuary is divided into five ranges – Masinagudi, Theppakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi and Nellakota.

Mudumalai protects various endangered species including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Indian white-rumped vulture, and long-billed vulture. As a tiger reserve, it has 48 tigers that are free to roam.

Location: Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu

Best time to visit: October to May

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 15.

Safari Timings: Forest safari is from 6.30 am to 9 am and 3.30 pm to 6 pm. Elephant safari is from 7 am to 8.30 am and 3.30 pm to 5 pm.

Distance from Bangalore: 230 km

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Home to the rare yellow-throated bulbul, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is most popular for its conservation and rehabilitation of the Indian star tortoise and for the largest population of mugger crocodiles in Kerala.

It is one of the wildlife sanctuaries among the protected areas of Kerala. It is gaining popularity as a leading protector of endangered animals, birds and plants, including the now critically endangered Mahseer fish. It is among the national parks in Bangalore under consideration for selection as a World Heritage Site.

Location: Munnar - Udumalpet Road, Munnar, Kerala

Best time to visit: December to April

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 100.

Safari Timings: 6 am to 6 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 427 km

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Named after eminent ornithologist, Dr Salim Ali, the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is an estuarine mangrove. Bird lovers flock here (no pun intended) for sightings of striated heron, western reef heron, red knot and jack snipe.

A three-storey watchtower makes it an ideal location for bird watching. Established by Goa’s Forestry Department in 1988, you can also catch sight of colourful kingfishers, eagles, woodpeckers, and mynahs. Early morning or just before sunset is the best time to visit.

Location: Island of Chorão, Goa

Best time to visit: November to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 10 for Indian visitors and INR 100 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: N/A

Distance from Bangalore: 592 km

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Also known as the Vandalur Zoo, Arignar Anna Zoological Park is credited as India’s first public zoo established in 1855 and is the largest zoological park in the country. The zoo houses 2,553 species of flora and fauna, and more than 1,500 wild species, including 46 endangered species.

It is the second wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu after Mudumalai National Park. Enjoy your day with lion and deer safari or simply walk through the country’s biggest aviary.

Location: GST Road, Vandalur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Best time to visit: December to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 50. The Park is closed on Tuesdays.

Safari Timings: 9 am to 6 pm

Distance from Bangalore: 332 km

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Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is the oldest water bird sanctuary of India. It was once a favorite hunting spot of the local landlords in the 18th century. Realizing its importance, the British made it a bird sanctuary in 1798.

Today, amongst national parks in Bangalore, it witnesses one of the largest populations of migratory birds every year, including garganeys and teals from Canada, snake birds and glossy ibises from Sri Lanka, grey pelican from Australia, grey heron and open billed stork from Bangladesh, painted stork from Siberia, and spoonbills from Burma.

Location: Vedanthangal, Madurantakam, Tamil Nadu

Best time to visit: November to March

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 50.

Safari Timings: N/A

Distance from Bangalore: 324 km

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Unlike the usual national parks near Bangalore, Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary is covered in sandalwood and eucalyptus. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985, Arabithittu State Forest is a part of the sanctuary.

Spread over 13.5 square km of area, it is home to more than 230 species of birds along with leopards, fox, spotted deer, wild boar, porcupine, hare, and Common mongoose. Full of scrub forests and plantations the sanctuary is surrounded by agricultural fields. If you are looking for camping sites in Bangalore or secluded picnic spots in there, Arabithittu is an ideal destination.

Location: Hunsur, Mysore, Karnataka

Best time to visit: December to February

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 25.

Safari Timings: N/A

Distance from Bangalore: 174 km

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Neighbour to the Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife Sanctuary, Chimmony Wildlife Sanctuary is named after River Chimmony that runs through it.

A birdwatcher’s paradise, from Western Ghat endemic species like grey-headed bulbul to the Malabar Trogon, you can sight them all here. Not to miss, India’s largest butterfly, Southern Birdwing, and the recently recorded lesser fish eagle, only known from the Himalayan foothills.

Location: Chimmini Dam Road, Dist. Thrissur, Pariyaram, Kerala

Best time to visit: November to April

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 10 for Indian visitors and INR 100 for foreign visitors.

Safari Timings: Jeep safari is from 8 am to 5 pm. Night safari is from 10 pm to 12 pm.

Distance from Bangalore: 490 km

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Earlier known as the Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, Anamalai Tiger Reserve is located in the picturesque Anamalai Hills.

It is a beautiful combination of tropical jungle, shola forest, and grasslands. Spend time spotting leopards, tigers, lion-tailed macaques, peacocks, elephants and crocodiles along with over 250 species of birds.

Location: Pollachi, Tamil Nadu

Best time to visit: December to April

Entry fee/charges: The entry fee is INR 30 for Indian visitors and INR 300 for foreign visitors. There are special discounts for school children.

Safari Timings: Vehicle safari is from 7 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 5 pm. Elephant safari is from 11 am to 2 pm.

Distance from Bangalore: 460 km

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