A part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Nagarhole National Park has been blessed with a serene lake and rich, exotic wildlife. One of the best wildlife reserves of Karnataka, this national park has the attached Kabini Lake that becomes an important strip for the animals who travel here and there through the adjoining Bandipur National Park. Because of being more popular than Bandipur, it always attracts a higher footfall. Spread in an area of 642.2 square km, Nagarhole has various attractions like thick forests, open sightseeing spaces and a bank of the river. All this offers a wonderful wildlife-viewing experience. Animals like Common langur, Tiger, Gaur, Elephant, Bonnet Macaque, Dhole and Barking deer along with as many as 270 avifauna species call it their home.
Due to heavy rains, the park is closed between the month of July and October. The hunter-gatherer Jenu Kuruba tribe are the old inhabitant of this area. They still live in the park in spite of the fact that the government has tried to relocate them. For wildlife-viewing, the best time to visit Nagarhole national park is from April to May, however, as far as climate is concerned, it is between November and February.
Between 06.30 AM and 09.30 AM, and 03.15 PM and 06.15 PM, the government runs wildlife safaris and boat trips, from Kabini River Lodge. Both these are ideal ways to spot the exotic animals and birds.
