Spotting a tiger in South India is many tourist's dream. For many, it will always remain a dream: tigers like to hide. That should not ruin the trip, though - there are elephants, monkeys, antelopes, gaur, sambar and hundreds of exotic birds, not to mention cobras and pythons.
The Periyar Tiger Reserve
The Periyar Tiger Reserve, also called the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala covers a 777 km2 area in the Western Ghats mountain range. In the centre of the sanctuary is the Periyar Lake. The tropical forest grows teak, sandalwood, rosewood, eucalyptus and jacaranda, and between forest areas are large patches of grassland. Animals in the Periyar sanctuary include elephants, gaur, sambar, wild dogs, those elusive tigers and even leopards, as well as hundreds of birds.
Boat trips on the lake are one of the most popular ways to see wildlife, although most boats are crammed full of people and the trip usually becomes more about chatting to fellow passengers than seeing any animals. They run away as soon as the boat approaches the shores of the lake anyway. A much better option is an organized walking tour.
The Western Ghats are a beautiful area covered with forests and tea, coffee and spice plantations. The climate is a cool mountain climate which makes it pleasant here even in the hot season. The reserve is open throughout the year, but between June and September the monsoon rains heavily here. The nearest towns are Thekkady and Kumily.
Nagarahole And Bandipur In Karnataka
The Nagarahole National Park and the Bandipur National Park in Karnataka are both part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve that connects them to Mudumalai in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. Also known as the Rajiv Gandhi National Park, Nagarahole covers 640km2 of South Indian forest that used to be the hunting ground of the Maharajas who ruled the city of Mysore. There are elephants, langurs, tigers and leopards, spotted dear, antelopes and sloth bears here and the 250 species of birds include Malabar pied hornbills, eagles and hawks.
Bandipur is separated from Nagarahole by the Kabini river reservoir. It is a Project Tiger reserve and home to approximately 70 tigers as well as leopards, elephants (3000 of them), gaur, sambar, sloth bear, mouse deer, wild boar, four-horned antelope and hyena. The Himavad Gopalaswami Betta is the highest point in the park at 1454 m altitude and a popular trekking area.
Trips to both Nagarahole and Bandipur can be arranged from the city of Mysore.
Mudumalai In Tamil Nadu
At the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Bandipur becomes Mudumalai. Elephants, tigers, panthers, wild dogs, langurs, bonnet macaques, gaurs, antelopes and wild boar live in the evergreen, deciduous and scrub forests that alternate with grassland and swamps, and there are crocodiles in the Moyar river in Mudumalai. Jeep or elephant safaris are arranged in the national park.
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