WildLife Safari's

 

 

Escape from the frantic pace and chaos of city life, into nature's very own lap in Kabini. Located on the banks of the Kabini River in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, this paradise is renowned for its rich flora and fauna.The Sanctuary is one of the most popular wildlife destinations of Karnataka, probably because of its accessibility. The forest is covered with lush green landscape surrounded by large lakes. Sightings of wild animals is indeed a thrill when someone is surrounded by this type of Landscape. The reserve is spread over 55 acres of forestland, steep valleys, and water bodies. The Park has become a paradise for Wildlife Photographers and enthusiasts because of its rich Fauna. It comprises the south-eastern part of Nagarahole National Park.

 

Kabini, which is situated on the banks of the Kabini River used to be a Private hunting lodge of the Kings of the Wodeyar dynasty, the former rulers of the Kingdom of Mysore. Kabini was also a popular shikar spot for the British Viceroys and Indian Royalty. It was set up in 1955 as a Wildlife sanctuary and later in the year 1988 it was upgraded as a National Park. Later in the year 1999 Kabini was declared as Tiger Reserve. 

Attracting wildlife photographers and enthusiasts from far and wide, Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries of South India. It is a sweet home of a variety of wildlife species, including some endangered ones. The other striking attraction of the sanctuary is the dam located across Kabini river near Beechanahalli village. It consists of the south-eastern part of Nagarhole National Park.

 

Elephants, Tigers and Black Panther are the main attraction of Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary has a good population of Elephants and Tigers. It also provides shelter to wildlife such as leopard, panther, sambhar, monkeys, bison, sloth bear, spotted deer, cheetal, antelope, crocodile and 350 species of birds. Birdwatchers come to Kabini forest reserve in droves, some armed with powerful cameras, as they try to identify and record the various bird species that call this place home. Over 350 species of birds have been identified around this pristine riverine landscape. Some of the birds that can be viewed around the lake include grey-headed fish eagles and ospreys. Great cormorants nest on the dry stumps of trees. During guided nature walks you can come across some of the more inland species like the Malabar Lark, Malabar trogon, Indian Pitta and the glorious Malabar pied hornbill.

 

Safaris are conducted twice a day in Kabini, as you enter the forests on designated routes. Early morning Jeep safaris are the best time to witness most of the animals of the reserve, who step out for water and food before the temperatures rise. Evening safaris are considered a good time to spot leopards that rule this corner of the Forest. Summertime is an ideal season for observing wild elephants as the large groups of pachyderms gather around the shrinking water bodies. Summer safaris skirt the dry river beds during this time of the year. 

 

The boat rides on the calm waters of the lake provide a different and unique perspective of the forest. Visitors can marvel at the different species that nest around the waterways. Freshwater crocodiles can be seen sliding in and out of the water on the banks, basking in the sun. The motorboat rides are conducted twice a day. A memorable sunset paddle on the rafts, pedal boats, rowboats, and kayaks is always recommended.

 

One of the advantages of Kabini is that for such a wild place, it boasts great connectivity. The forest reserve is only 80 kms away from Mysore and 230 kms away from Bangalore. Getting to Kabini from Bangalore is a pleasant four to five hour drive depending on the stops you take. The distance is around 230 kms via NH275. Enjoy travelling through important cultural centres like Ramanagram, Maddur, Mandya, Srirangapatna, Mysore and Antharasanthe.

The nearest domestic airport is in Mysore, 62 kms away via State Highway 33 and the nearest international airport is in Bangalore 250 kms away, a four and a half hour journey via NH275.

The nearest railway station is Mysore junction which is just 62 kms away. It is very easy to rent a cab from there and reach Kabini in around 90 minutes.

 

Where Deccan Plateau integrates with the Western Ghats. The weather is pleasant except during the rainy season. Best time to Visit Kabini is March as it's a good month to visit. Don’t miss the celebrations of Ugadi (Id-i-Milad  Jamshed-e-Navroz and Parsi festival). Generally the festival happens between March 1st to 31st. Kabini can be visited any time in a year. For a closer peek at wildlife, the best season is November to June, keeping off heavy rainy periods.

 

At WildTrails, quality and service go hand-in-hand. We go above and beyond to ensure these two hallmarks are met at every step of your journey. To help achieve these core values, we closely monitor client satisfaction and are consistently seeking new ways to exceed our clients’ expectations. WildTrails is the world’s first and only company to bring Sightings Data and analytics into planning Wildlife holidays. With all the sightings info (4 years data) we create a predictive metric called the “sighting index” that helps our customers spot where the animal is. As a traveller, you have an advantage if you book with us, as we use our “sighting index” metric to improve your Safari sightings. 

 

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