As there are many national parks in and around Bangalore, the city is an ideal destination to enjoy a holiday within the country. The beauty of the city is enhanced by its rich cultural heritage, astonishing historical structures and plenteous natural resources.
Bengaluru is also known for its exotic flora and fauna and a varied population of wild animals. Bangalore lies in close proximity to quite a few national parks. If you are looking for true wilderness near Bangalore, check out these national parks to experience a great time.
List Of National Parks In And Around Bangalore
Bannerghatta National Park
Bannerghatta National Park is situated to the south of Bangalore. Established in the year 1978, this national park is one of the richest zoological reserves found in India. The park is spread across an area of 25,000 acres of land that is covered in abounding greenery.
The Bannerghatta National Park has a zoo, a butterfly park and a biological park within its boundary. The flora of the park comprises of dry deciduous forests, thorny scrub, bamboo groves and a wide variety of plantations and trees.
The fauna of Bannerghatta comprises of mammals like Indian Leopard, Indian Elephant, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Spotted deer, Golden Jackal, Wild Boar, Fox, Sambar, Barking deer, Bonnet Macaque, Indian Crested Porcupine, Hare, etc. The park is famous for its reserves of lions, tigers, panthers, crocodiles, and the snake farm. One of the major attractions of the Bannerghatta National Park is the lion and tiger safari.
Distance from Bangalore – Around 22 km to the south of Bangalore.
Best time to visit – September to January
You can read more about Bannerghatta National Park here.
Anshi National Park
The Anshi National Park is situated in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. The park is spread across an area of 250 sq km. This national park is home to about 197 endangered species of birds. Apart from the varied species of birds the national park is also home to a large number of wild animals and reptiles.
Among the wild animals are tigers, white panthers, animals, deers, white boars, gaur, gray langur, macaque, leopard, giant squirrel, porcupine, etc. The national park has a large reserve of python, cobra, rat snake, viper, king cobra, krait, etc. The national park has trees like teak, eucalyptus, bamboo, silver oak, lantana, bauhinia, Xylia xylocarpa, etc.
Distance from Bangalore – Around 509 km.
Best time to visit – November to April
You can read more about Anshi National Park here.
Kudremukh National Park
The Kudremukh National Park is located in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. This national park is the second largest Wildlife Protected Area belonging to a tropical wet evergreen type of forest in the Western Ghats.
The park is spread across an area of 600.32 sq km and covers a hilly and undulating terrain. The varied flora of the park includes evergreen and semi evergreen trees. The plenteous fauna of the park comprises of animals like tiger, common langur, leopard, sloth bear, porcupine, Indian bison, lion tailed macaque, sambar, mouse deer and several other animals. The park also has various species of snakes and tortoises.
Birds such as Malabar Trogon, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Great Hornbill and Imperial Pigeon are common sights in the Kudremukh National Park.
Distance from Bangalore – Around 350 km.
Best time to visit – November to May
You can read more about Kudremukh National Park here.
Nagarhole National Park
The Nagarhole National Park is located in the Kodagu district and the Mysore district of Karnataka. This national park was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and as a national park in 1988. The park was recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park after the late Prime Minister of India. This national park is spread across an area of 575 sq km.
The park was declared as the thirty seventh tiger reserve of the country in 1999 under the Project Tiger endeavour. The forest of the national park consists of several kinds of trees. The park has a huge reserve of teak and rosewood trees. The fauna of the national park consists of a variety of animals like tiger, leopard, Indian wild dog, Indian bison, wild elephant, four horned antelope, sloth bear, hyena, mongoose, otter, etc.
The Nagerhole River flows through the park. The park also has a number of hills, valleys, small streams and waterfalls within its boundary.
Distance from Bangalore – Around 236 km.
Best time to visit – October to May
You can read more about Nagarhole National Park here.
Bandipur National Park
The Bandipur National Park was established in the year 1973. It is situated in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It was once a private hunting reserve for the Maharaja of Mysore. Today the national park is a famous reserve under the Project Tiger endeavour.
The Bandipur National Park spans an area of 874 sq km. The flora of the park includes a variety of trees such as Rosewood, Teak, Sandalwood, Indian Kino Tree, Giant Clumping Bamboo, and various notable flowering and fruiting trees.
The varied fauna of the national park includes mammals such as Leopard, Cat Leopard, Giant Flying Squirrel, Indian Hare Red, Indian Elephant, Four horned Antelope, Indian Porcupine, Mongoose, Small Indian Civet, Otter, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal, etc. The park also has an abundant reserve of reptiles like crocodiles, chameleons, snakes, tortoise, etc. Varied species of birds are also found in the national park.
Distance from Bangalore – Around 204 km.
Best time to visit – November to April
You can read more about Bandipur National Park here.