Nagarhole's vegetation is refreshingly different from
Bandipur's dry scrub- moist deciduous forests, including bamboo, teak, eucalyptus and
cassia, cover much of the sanctuary, providing a refuge for a wide range of animals and
birds. Nagarhole has all the resident wildlife of the Nilgiri hills: Nilgiri tahr, Nilgiri
langur, bison, leopard, Asian elephant, wild boar, deer, dhole (wild dog) and porcupine,
besides tigers. A high canopy of trees- up to thirty metres tall in some places- harbours
rare birds such as the endangered Malabar trogon, the Malabar pied hornbill and the
crested hawk-eagle.
Nagarhole
saw some upheavals in 1992, when quarrelling between the wardens of the park and the local
villagers resulted in arson which had an enormously adverse impact on the park and its
wildlife. It will still take a few years for Nagarhole's forest and animal count to get
back to normal but there has already been a resurrection of sorts and things get better
every year.
Entry
Requirements
An entry permit, costing Rs 15, is
applicable for all visitors to Nagarhole. It can be obtained at the entrance to the park.
Charges for boat rides, jeep or elephant safaris and accommodation are additional.
Access
The major railhead closest to Nagarhole is Mysore, 80 km away, with train connections to a
large number of towns and cities across peninsular India. Nanjangud, 55 km away, also has
trains coming to it, but they’re fewer in number. Bangalore, with excellent air and
rail links to the rest of the country, is about 220 km from Nagarhole, while the
hillstation of Ooty is about 240 km from the park. Buses connect Nagarhole to Bangalore (a
ride of about 6 hours) and to a network of smaller towns across Karnataka, Tamilnadu and
Kerala. Alternately, you could hire a vehicle in one of the larger towns- Bangalore is
especially convenient- to get to Nagarhole.
Within
the park, there’s ample scope for wildlife watching. Jeeps can be taken for a drive
through Nagarhole, or you can go off on elephant safari- the best way, in fact, to go deep
into the jungle. Hiking is also allowed through the park, although only in some areas
where there are fewer chances of encountering a hungry tiger or a masth elephant!
The lake is open for a slow coracle ride or a swift motorboat skim.
Best time to visit
Nagarhole can be visited all through winter and through the pre-monsoon half of the
summer. The winter months from November-February are exceedingly pleasant, and are the
best time to go if you don’t like being hot and sweaty. The summer, on the other
hand, though it may be pretty hot, is a great time to see wildlife, including the tiger.
The dry, hot season (March-May) is the time when the animals gather at the lake, allowing
for great wildlife viewing. The monsoons (June-September) are best avoided, as the entire
road network gets washed out, and leeches and dense undergrowth proliferate in the forest.
Accommodation
State-owned forest resthouses, private lodges and cottages are among the accommodation
options in Nagarhole. Reservations for the forest resthouses must be made at least 15 days
in advance by contacting the warden’s office in Bangalore or Mysore. There is also a
posh river lodge (state-run) at the Kabini River, which, though it comes for a high-end
price, also offers a great experience. Bookings at the lodge can be made by calling
08228-52160 /32181 /44405. A double room at the Kabini River Lodge costs about Rs 2,750
(or US$125, for foreigners) per night, while cottages come for around Rs 2,000- all
inclusive of meals, sightseeing, safaris and more. Rooms at private lodges range between
Rs 2,000- 3,000 per night.
Similarly-priced
accommodation options exist in towns just outside the Park, at Veerana Hosahalli and at
Siddapura in Coorg.
For bookings at the
resthouses contact Conservator of Forest, Kodagu Circle,Aranya Bhavan, Madikeri,
Tel:08272-25708.
Further information on Nagarhole National Park can be obtained from the Field
Director, Project Tiger, Aranya Bhawan, Ashokpuram, Mysore (Tel: 0821-480901) or the Chief
Wildlife Warden, Aranya Bhawan, 18th Cross, Malleswaram, Bangalore (Tel:
560003). |
