Complete Details about Bandipur

Bandipur

1. Bandipur Wildlife Sanctuary is regarded as one of the most beautiful and the better-managed national parks of India.
2. Located amidst the picturesque surroundings of the towering Western Ghat Mountains on the Mysore-Ooty highway in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park covers an area of about 874.2 sq km.
3. Together with Madumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates the India's biggest biosphere reserve popularly known as the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'.
4. Bandipur is 80 km from Mysore, and a similar distance from Ooty, and takes 2 ½ hours by road.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta

1. Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta can be accessed by a small road through the village of Hangala north of the national park.
2. Gopalaswamy Betta (betta is hill in Kannada) located inside the forest is a popular trekking spot.
3. There is also a motorable road to the summit of the hill.
4. The area is also frequented by herds of wild elephants.
5. The hill gets its name Himavad (fog in Kannada) due to the fog during most parts of the year.
6. Atop the hill is a temple of Lord Venugopala Swamy built centuries ago and a travellers' bungalow which remains locked now and belonged to the Ruler of Mysore. Nobody is allowed to stay beyond 6:00 PM.

Accommodation

Accommodation options in Bandipur include Forest guesthouses and KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) cottages. The forest resthouses here are deluxe bungalows and also have dormitory beds; both should be reserved in advance at the Forest Office in Bangalore or Mysore. Rooms at the resthouses cost between Rs 300 and 400 a night.

Further information on Bandipur can be obtained from the office of the
Field Director, Project Tiger, Aranya Bhavan, Ashokpuram, Mysore (Tel: 0821-480901) or
The Chief Wildlife Warden, Aranya Bhavan, 18th Cross, Bangalore (Tel: 3341993).

Details on private resorts can be found at

1. Jungle Lodges
2. Resorts near bandipur