If you are a wilderness lover and are passionate about nature trails and safaris, then the Bandipur Safari is an experience you must not miss! Bandipur Tiger Reserve is a prominent wildlife sanctuary located in the southern state of Karnataka, India. It is part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve which includes adjacent protected areas like Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala), and Nagarhole National Park (Karnataka) – (more posts on that later). It is renowned for its efforts in tiger conservation.
I visited Bandipur between the 18th and 22nd of May’24 and in my post below, I will guide you through the complete process to book a Safari at Bandipur, Bandipur Safari Timings, the best time to get lucky spotting tigers, and the entire experience. Read on to find out more.
Where is Bandipur National Park? How to Reach Bandipur?
Bandipur is situated in Karnataka, at a distance of about 175km from the Bengaluru airport area (20 km less from the city) and about 70 km from Mysuru City. The district is Chamarajanagar.
The nearest airport to Bandipur is Mysuru Airport, situated at a distance of only 60 km from the tiger reserve. The Bandipur Tiger Reserve forest entry lies on the Mysuru-Ooty highway.
How to Reach – The easiest way to reach is to take a plane to Bengaluru Airport and then drive down or hire a cab. The journey via car takes about 6 hours and the road is really good it’s an expressway. The cabs typically charge you about 6000 INR excluding tolls (there are many tolls on the road and the total charge of all tolls put together is about INR 930).
The road is indeed good to travel with kids and the elderly but be sure to grab food from the city of Bengaluru as once you exit the city, the food options are few and not hygienic.
If you have motion sickness and want to travel as little as possible, then you can take a plane from your home city to Chennai or Hyderabad and from there catch the connecting flight to Mysuru. Since the Mysuru Airport is the latest addition to India’s airbase, the frequency of flights is far less. Once you reach Mysuru Airport, you can hire a cab to Bandipur. This will cost you INR 2000 since the taxi drivers imperatively charge for round trips. You can complete this trip in 1 hour and 45 mins.
Bandipur Safari Timings, Modes, and How to Book
Bandipur Safari Modes
There are 3 modes by which you can experience the Bandipur Safari. There is a Bus Safari – which costs INR 650 per person. Then there is a gypsy, that costs INR 5500 per Gypsy and can accommodate max 5 people. The third method is that of a Canter, which can accommodate up to 8 people and costs INR 7500 per vehicle.
Bandipur Safari Timings
The safaris start from 6 am to 9 am (Bus Safari) and then from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Bandipur National Park Safari Booking
The safaris can be booked online and offline. For online booking check out this official link – bandipurtigerreserve.org
The safaris tend to get full on weekends and special holiday seasons, so it is better to book in advance. Under normal circumstances, you can easily get a seat on the bus from the counter at the Forest Entry.
Best Time to Visit Bandipur Tiger Reserve
The best time for spotting tigers is the afternoon slot of about 4 pm when the Tigers come to drink water in the lakes inside the forest. The next best time is the one of early morning i.e. 6 am slot.
If you want to spot Tigers, plan to visit in early summer when the scorching heat forces the Tigers to the waterholes. Later in summer, they tend to move towards Kabini. The next best season to spot them is early monsoon and winter.
Bandipur Safari – What to Expect
The reserve features a mix of deciduous forests, evergreen forests, and scrublands. Prominent tree species include teak, rosewood, sandalwood, and Indian laurel.
Of course, the highlight of the Bandipur safari is spotting a tiger. Besides tigers, Bandipur is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including Indian elephants, leopards, gaur (Indian bison), sambar deer, spotted deer, sloth bears, and numerous bird species.
I took the Bandipur safari twice, once in the 4 pm slot and then the 6 am bus safari. I got lucky to spot a glimpse of a male tiger in the 6 am bus safari, but unfortunately could not click a picture from the distance. Some of the other animals spotted were Bison, elephants, and lots of spotted deer.
I also got lucky to see the mating dance of a Peacock on my jeep safari. But no matter, if you spot a tiger or not, the Bandipur safari, is an experience of a lifetime!
If you are looking for options in Kashmir, check out my posts on Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Snowfall in Kashmir, and Best Time to Visit Kashmir. If you are looking for options in Ladakh, check out Ladakh Weather, Nubra Valley, 5 Days Kashmir Itinerary, Best Packing tips for Ladakh & best tourist places in Ladakh.
If you are looking for something in Sikkim, check Tsomgo Lake and Batasia Loop. If you are looking for some jungle safari read, Gir Safari, feel blessed at Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple in Mysore.
If you are looking for places to visit in the Andaman Islands, please check my posts on Radhanagar Beach & Ross Island.
If you are looking for other options, check my posts on Murud Janjira, Kashid, Pirwadi Beach and Kihim Beach in Maharashtra or Malshej Ghat, Matheran Resorts, Kailash Temple Ellora & Mahabaleshwar.
Alternatively, if you are interested in some Religious tourism, please check my posts on Golden Temple, Kamakhya, Trimbakeshwar, Somnath Temple and Kashi Vishwanath. If you are looking for North East Adventure tours, check my posts on Shillong, Meghalaya, Dawki, Double Decker Living Root Trek, and 7-Day North East Itinerary.
For some adventure tours in the south check out Mandalpatti Trek or feel blessed at Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple in Mysore.
If you are looking for some spirituality, you can check out Ganga Aarti in Dashashwamedh Ghat or Ghats in Varanasi.
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