Nagarhole National Park, also known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, is counted among one of the well-kept national parks. It is located in the two districts of Karnataka, namely Mysore and Kodagu. Combination of two Kannada words “Nagara” meaning Cobra and “Hole” meaning River, the National Park has several streams serpentine at the rich tropical forest of this national park. Nagarhole is a delight for lovers of Indian Tigers and Asiatic Elephants. Dotted with captivating flora and fauna; this park is blessed with different species of wildlife. Sloth Bears, Leopards, Tigers, Wild Dogs, Sambar, Four-Horned Antelopes, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Elephant and Wild Boars are some of the easily spotted animals of this park.
The main attractions of the park are Bengal Tiger, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Ussuri Dhole, Antelope, Barking Beer, Sambar Deer and Elephant. Other common animals to spot are jungle cat, leopard cat, gray langur, civet, mongoose, bonnet macaque, Indian giant flying squirrel, hare, pangolin and others.
Famed for its bio-diversity, the national park has more than 250 species of birds. Blue bearded bee-eater, Malabar whistling thrush, common osprey, duck and herons are among the top birds to spot here. The park turns into an important bird watching spot during the summer season.
Climatic Condition of Nagarhole National Park
Summers start in March and ends in May, and the temperature can go higher than 30 degree C. During summer, the artificial lake tends to dry into puddles of water. Summers are also an excellent time for bird-watching.
June to September marks the Monsoon season here. Due to heavy rainfall, leeches are common in this season.
The winter season starts in November and ends in January. The temperature can go as low as 14 degree C.
How to reach Nagarhole National Park
By Air – The nearest airport to Nagarhole National Park is Mandakalli Airport, Mysore. The airport has regular flight connected to Bengaluru. The nearest international airport is in Bangalore, around 268 km from here.
By Train - Mysore Railway Station is the nearest railway station. Regular trains connect this station to major cities in India.
By Road – The National Park is well connected to several towns and cities of Karnataka, along with the neighbouring states. State run as well as private buses run on a daily basis from Bengaluru and Mysore. You can also chose to drive down yourself.