The Best Wildlife Sanctuaries to Visit in South India
When the majority of the individuals consider holidays in South India, images of awesome backwaters, ancient temples, and green mountains come to their mind. However, hidden in this bustling area are some of the richest and most varied wildlife sanctuaries in India- an exotic species, rare flora and spectacular landscape teeming with all kinds of frailties. These protected and guarded reserves are an opportunity to understand nature and go on an adventure journey to enjoy nature in its most adrenaline filled form to those nature lovers and adventure seekers.
Whichever you may want to do the peaceful escapade to the Western Ghats or the jungle safari, having a wildlife sanctuary in your South India tour will surely promise you a very immersive experience. So here is a sort of a guide on to some of the best of the wildlife sanctuaries that you can visit in South India.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Thekkady in the Cardamom Hills, and is one of the most marked wildlife sanctuaries in India. This sanctuary is a busy place and it is visited by many travellers who plan their holidays in Kerala because it is an abode of majestic elephants and also because of the scenic beauty of the lake there Periyar Lake. The forest also harbors more than 260 species of birds, 45 species of reptiles, and a number of mammals such as tigers, leopards, wild boars, Nilgiri langurs, among others.
The main difference is that with Periyar, an individual gets the opportunity to observe wildlife as the person treads with a boat safari. The visitors can also have guided nature walk, bamboo rafting and eco-tourism programs which are run by the local forest department. Its cool weather and lush vegetation have made it a great place to visit throughout the year.
Bandipur National Park, Karnataka
Bandipur National Park is on the Mysore-Ooty highway and hosts the big cats as well as being the foundation of the Indian Project Tiger effort regarding conservation. It was once the exclusive hunting reserve of the rulers at Mysore and is now a secure place of tiger, leopard, Indian gaur, elephant and chital deer.
It is also within the greater Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and forms a particularly large continuous wildlife corridor with Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu), Wayanad (Kerala) and Nagarhole (Karnataka). Practicing morning and evening jeep safaris will make you have an close experience of the wild animals on their own natural environment and thus this will be a memorable part of the itinerary of all the South India holidays.
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
Mudumalai is found at the foothills of the Nilgiris and is a biodiverse destination as well as one of the oldest of all the South Indian wildlife sanctuaries. Its conservation status encompasses tropical moist forests to dry-deciduous woodlands and the variety of the species here includes the sloth bears, tigers, elephants as well as the endangered Indian vultures.
It is approachable by road via Ooty or Masinagudi and is a pretty place with lots of wildlife. Guided treks and safaris are offered and this sanctuary will delight the birdwatcher. It has 260 species plus of birds so it is one of the best Avian photography places of South India.
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
The Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad forms a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and is a treat that is sure to make those intending to take holidays in Kerala some ice breakers. The sanctuary has less popular names to fascinate but equally rewarding experience. It is also the center between elephant and tiger corridors between Bandipur and Nagarhole, and covers an area of more than 340 square kilometers.
The region is a dense rainforest filled with mist particularly on the monsoon and winter months, and hence, an ideal relaxing and exhilarating retreat. In the Kerala Forest Department you can do jeep safaris to visit the sanctuary and see animals such as wild dogs, civets, sambars and jungle cats.
Nagarhole National Park, Karnataka
Another name of as clean as you like, Nagarhole is an untouched forest reserve that is part of the UNESCO world heritage site, the Western Ghats. The park is well known to be home to healthy numbers of tigers and also one of the finest destinations in India to watch wild elephants in the wilderness.
Being one of the accessible and well maintained nature reserves in the area Nagarhole is a good place for the Coorg located person who wants to add the experience of seeing wild life to his South India tour and not wandering too far from the beaten track. The Kabini River flows across the park luring animals visiting and enjoying the wildlife photographers during the dry months with its great background.
Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
In case you want to have an unusual experience and not crowd, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is a good alternative. This sanctuary is another sanctuary that is unique in that it has thorny scrub-forest, scarce species and semi-arid conditions that do not reflect the normal wet green ones in Kerala.
The grizzled giant squirrel, the Indian star tortoise all of which are endangered species along with a colony of albino bison call Chinnar home. Guided tours, visits to tribal villages, and even staying a night there in a tree house or the hut in the forest are options to those who wish to get closer to the land and its inhabitants. It is the best of both worlds, jungle and culture, when having the South India holidays.
Final Thoughts
In case you are planning to include some depth, zest and an element of wilderness in your South India holidays, you can not afford to miss out the wildlife sanctuaries in it. The southern states provide some of the easiest and most gratifying wildlife experiences in the country, whether elephant herds in Thekkady or tigers in Bandipur.
Even those wishing not to opt for an all-wildlife itinerary, but only wish to make a nature pit stop as part of their vacations to Kerala, these sanctuaries are sure to offer some memories of awe, wonder and more than that unforgettable.