Nagarhole National Park is located between Mysore - Madikeri Rd, Hunsur, Mysore, in Karnataka. It is famous worldwide. This national park is counted amongst places where Asian elephants are found. Large herds of elephants are easily visible here. A large number of colorful birds also appear here in the pre-monsoon rainfall. There is a lot to see for nature lovers and animal lovers. Nagarhole National Park and tiger reserve is one of the five major national parks in India. This national park is also known as 'Rajiv Gandhi National Park'.
The park is named after the words 'Naga' and 'Hole'. 'Naga' means 'snake' and 'hole' means 'river' or 'stream'. The Nagarhole National Park was established in the year 1955 as the Games Sanctuary. In 1974, its area was expanded by incorporating the forests of Mysore. In the year 1988, it was given the status of a national park.
The water source of the Nagarhole National Park is quite rich, which includes the Lakshmana Tirtha River, Sarati Hole, Nagarhole, four perennial streams, 47 seasonal streams, four small perennial lakes, 41 artificial lakes, and the Kabini reservoir. The park has a calm forest, warm bubbling waters and a variety of lakes that fascinate the mind. The park is spread over an area of 643 sq. km in Kodagu and Mysore districts of Karnataka. It is adjacent to ' Bandipur National Park ' and 'Mudumalai National Park'. The Kabini reservoir is situated between Nagarhole and Bandipur National Park.
Tourists come here to see tiger safari and the best means to visit this park are jeeps, elephant safaris, and boats. There is also a good system of trekking here. Elephants can also be seen roaming around in its natural habitat and along the river in the park. Like Bandhavgarh, here cheetah babies will be found doing frenzy among themselves. The best time to visit Nagarhole National Park is from April to October.
Nagarhole National Park is located in the region with high rainfall, so the grass is spread everywhere. The green grass stretching far and wide makes the eyes wonderfully relaxed. The forest here is surrounded by teak and Eucalyptus trees. The specialty of this park is that you will not have to wander far to see all kinds of animals.
Various species of animals are found in this national park. Here, you can get a chance to see about 250 species of birds, besides cheetah, sambar, chital, elephant, bear, wild bull, leopard, deer and all kinds of mammals. Some of the mammals in the park are Golden Zebra, Bengal Tiger, Grey Mongoose, Sloth bear, and Indian Bison. Under the conservation of birds of more than 270 species, this park is recognized as an important bird area. The biodiversity of insects includes more than 96 species of cow dung beetles and 60 species of ants.
For the visit of the Nagarhole city, the tourist must visit the Nagarhole National Park because it is also a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The Nagarhole national park is home to different species of flora and fauna and is known for hunting tiger. When visiting the national park, tourists can see several other animals such as elephants, leopard, four-horned antlers, wild boar, lizards, Indian wild bullocks, macaques, flying foxes, and tigers. The population of the reptiles includes the python, cobra, krait, crocodile, and viper. Tourists who are interested in bird science can see different species of birds in the Nagarhole National Park.
The biological diversity of the Nagarhole National Park is surrounded by moist deciduous forests of National Park North Western Ghats. The arid deciduous forests of the central Deccan plateau are found eastside. Some of the trees growing in this area are Sheesham, teacao, sandalwood and silver, Indian Kino and cotton trees. The Nagarhole National Park extends to the Brahmagiri Hills in the Western Ghats and to the State of Kerala in the south. The park was announced in 1999 as the 37th Project Tiger Reserve.
The history of the Nagarhole National Park, for the kings of the Wodeyar dynasty, the Nagarhole National Park served as a special hunting reserve. The national park stands at an altitude of about 687 to 960 m (2,254 to 3,150 feet). During the summer, the temperature crosses 30 degrees Celsius with a little more. This season usually continues from March to May. The temperature drops to up to 14 degrees Celsius. This season usually continues from November to January. The monsoon, as a matter of character, is uncertain. The park usually receives an annual rainfall of about 1,440 mm (57 inches) from June to September.
Nagarhole National Park Timings:
Jeep safari: from 5:30 am to 10:00 am and, from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Coracle ride: from 9 am to 11 am and, from 5 pm to 6 pm
Bus safari: 6 am to 9 am and, from 3 pm to 5 pm
Nagarhole National Park Entry Fees:
INR 200 for Indians and INR 1000 for foreigners
