Nagarhole National Park is as intriguing as its name, it literally means snake like streams flowing through a land. This place is officially known as Rajiv Gandhi National park so avoid any confusion with the names. This national park is one of the few parks where you get to enjoy and explore the wilderness. If you want peace and calm then you must visit this tranquil forest, with ripping streams and an unruffled lake.
Apart from the enriching flora, you will also get to experience some extensive fauna including elephants, bears, tigers, deer, wild boars and above 200 variants of bird.
This park zone was a privileged hunting area of the erstwhile royalties of Mysore.
Location: Nagarhole National Park is in the state of Karnataka at a distance of about 93 kilometers from Mysore in the south west direction. It is situated between Kodagu and Mysore districts. It is quite close to the neighboring state of Kerala. The location of this park is best describes as situated to the north west of Bandipur National Park. The Kabini reservoir distinguishes between the two National Parks.
The forest department that looks after this park is Deputy Conservator of Forests. Its office is located in Hunsur, approximately 47 kilometers before Nagarhole.
How to reach Nagarhole:
The nearest railway station is in Mysore District. It takes about four hours of road drive from Mysore to reach Nagarhole. The nearest airport is in Bangalore. Nagarhole is about six hours drive away from Bangalore.
Best time to visit Nagarhole: In winters the animals tuck themselves away to escape the cold, hence, you may not get to see lots of them. However, the whether between November and February is enjoyable. From March to May the heat makes the animals come out to drink from the lake as the ponds in the interiors are dry, hence, the early summers are best to explore the fauna. June to October this region experiences rainfall.
Timings: the main entrance road thru Nagarhole is open for twelve hours from 6am till 6pm throughout the year. The safari start timings are 6am and 3pm.
Entrance fees: There is no entrance fee for Indians. The entrance fee is Rs 200 for foreign nationals. The one hour safari operated by the forest officials costs Rs 65. Visitors are allowed to take their private vehicles on safari for Rs 550, however, they are required to hire a guide along which will cost them additional Rs 250. An half an hour elephant joyride costs Rs 75. You can also hire a jeep costing approximately Rs 800 for one day from the forest office before entering Nagarhole in Hunsur. You can also check with your hotel if they offer safari tours before checking in.
Nagarhole Tips:
- You can explore the wilderness of Nagarhole by Car, elephant and boat.
- Go trekking if you are an adventurer.
- Herds of elephants in their natural habitats is a common site.
- Tiger sighting is a rare happening in Nagarhole.
- Camping is not allowed inside the park because of the fear of wild animals.
Places to stay:
There are several good accommodation options in and near Nagarhole such as Kabini River Lodge, The Jungle Inn and The Kings Sanctuary. You can also stay at Nagarhole Forest Guest house, however, prior booking from Forest Department is required.
