About Bandipur National Park  – 

Located in the Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka, Bandipur National Park is one of South India’s well known forests and a popular safari destination for wildlife enthusiasts.

Initially starting out in 1931 as the 90 sq km Venugopala Wildlife Park which the Maharaja of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore had created from the earlier hunting ground of the royals, this forest which is a part of the Nilgiri biosphere of the Western ghats, grew to around 890 sq km when under the 1973 Project Tiger, the Bandipur Tiger Reserve was established by appending the extra 800 sq km.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve is contiguous with the Nagarahole National Park which is located to its North West. The Kabini River separates the Nagarahole National Park from the Bandipur National Park. Towards the South, Bandipur segues into the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

The road through the jungle is open for general traffic. However there are timings and vehicles are prohibited from 9 pm to 6 am the next morning, by closing the entry gates into the park. Also during the daytime, entry and exit times for each vehicle are recorded and one cannot loiter indefinitely in the forest.

Apart from the general vehicular movement, there are safaris which are operated so that the public can enjoy the forest and the beautiful life forms it holds within.

Safaris at Bandipur National Park – 

The safaris are operated by Jungle Lodges and Resorts (also commonly referred to as JLR), an eco-tourism hospitality brand by the Government of Karnataka which has its presence across destinations in the state, which cover adventure, beaches, heritage, nature and wildlife.

Apart from this, the other option is the safari operated by the forest department.

There is one safari gate for the Bandipur park, namely the Melukamanahalli safari starting point.

In the past, the safari starting point was located inside the core area of the forests where the Forest guest cottages are situated (old safari point). But in June 2019 this was shifted to Melukamanahalli 4 km away, to minimize the human activity in the core zone.

All the JLR guests and guests of private resorts who team up with JLR need to come to Melukamanahalli to begin the safari. The drop off however, is at the old safari point.

But the pick up and drop off points for the public are both at the Melukamanahalli gate.

The guest cottage facilities continue to remain at their original location and tourists staying here are the only ones who will start and end the trip at this old safari point.

The Melukamanahalli gate has reasonably good infrastructure with a spacious ticket counter area, waiting area with proper seating, vehicle parking, drinking water, canteen services and passably usable washrooms.

Be aware that there is no option to use the washroom for the duration of the safari.

Please recheck all this data while booking because the procedure could change, depending on various factors.

Types of safaris – 

There are different options based on whether it is a JLR organized safari or a forest department safari. And then there are choices depending on vehicle type, duration and cost.

The safaris are operated in the morning and evening and the timings are the same throughout the year irrespective of the season.

JLR safaris –

This safari package is provided exclusively guests of the JLR’s resort (Bandipur Safari Lodge) and to other select resorts in Bandipur. The duration is 2.5 hours and the vehicle options are an open 16 seater Canter or a 9 seater Mahindra Bolero Camper. The guests are accommodated as per vehicle availability.

Timings for Canter/Camper –  

Mornings – 6.30 am – 9.00 am

Evenings – 3.30 pm – 6.00 pm

Price – Rs. 2300 per adult and Rs. 2100 per child (6 to 12 years ) per safari. Please recheck the price at the time of booking.

JLR also offers an exclusive Gypsy option which can carry 5 people and the duration is 2 hours. Vehicles are limited, so early reservations are recommended for this option.

Timings for Gypsy –  

Mornings – 6.30 am – 8.30 am AND 8.30 am – 10.30 am

Evenings – 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm AND 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

Price – Rs 5000 for 2 people and Rs 7500 for 5 people. Please recheck the price at the time of booking

Forest department safaris – 

This type of safari is managed by the forest department and is lower in cost than the JLR ones. This are open to the general public and bus, Camper or Gypsy are the available vehicles.

Tickets for this can be bought in person at the live counter at the safari office at Melukamanahalli gate.

There is also a provision for online booking via bandipurtr.in which is the official website.

Timings and price –  

As per the poster at the booking counter, the details are as below –

Bus – (duration 90 min/1.5 hours)

Mornings – 6.30 am – 8.00 am AND 8.00 am – 9.30 am

Evenings – 2.30 pm – 4.00 pm AND 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm AND 5.00 pm – 6.30 pm

Price – Bus – Adults Rs 650/- and Child Rs 325/-

Camper – (carries 8 adults plus driver and duration is 120 min/2 hours)

Mornings – 6.30 am – 8.30 am AND 8.30 am – 10.30 am

Evenings – 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm AND 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

Price – Camper – Adults Rs 1100/- and Child Rs 550/-

Gypsy – (carries 5 adults plus driver and duration is 120 min/2 hours)

Mornings – 6.30 am – 8.30 am AND 8.30 am – 10.30 am

Evenings – 2.30 pm – 4.30 pm AND 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm

Price – Gypsy – Adults Rs 1100/- and Child Rs 550/-

Additional Information – 

Charges as per the website, are the same for Indians as well as foreign nationals.

Safari tickets are non refundable and non transferrable. While booking, enter your name exactly as per the ID card you will be presenting.

Safari charges are periodically increased, hence please refer to the website for the latest figures.

The dress code stipulates dull colors like khaki, brown, olive green etc and bright colors are not permitted. Visitors have to maintain decorum and not make loud noise or get down from the vehicle during the safari. Flash photography is prohibited. Do not tease or feed the wild animals. Do not litter the forest with trash. 

The safari vehicles are equipped with GPS for monitoring their movement and the driver has to strictly follow his permitted route and timings.

My safaris – 

A short video tour –  

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Caroline Radhakrishnan (@currylines)

Well now that we are done and dusted with all the imparting of gyaan (knowledge), it is time to get back to the promised reveal of whether the leopard cared to reveal itself or not. So let us foray into the jungle and allow the safari story to systematically unfold.

My homestay Dhole’s Den, had booked an evening safari because I would not have withstood the chill of a September morning.

So we set off on a Camper jaunt which meant a 2.5 hour ride through the jungle.

The vehicle was very comfortable with a decent amount of space per person to swivel around during sightings and our driver cum guide was said to be very experienced. So we placed our hopes in his hands as he transported us through the woods.

While every being in the forest is a blessing to behold, one can be forgiven for being partial to the big cats who raise the excitement quotient whenever they are sighted and my appetite for the leopard had already been keenly whetted.

The Panthera Pardus however, had apparently not received the memo, which seemed instead, to have been mistakenly delivered to the elephants😏

So my safari was a pachyderm fest all the way, right from the beginning and throughout the entire drive and we sighted and near-encountered these creatures in both solo and various ‘family and friend’ and ‘baby and adult’ combos!

Our first specimen was a tusker with mammoth, perfectly maintained tusks, quietly chomping on the vegetation and giving us inadvertent poses while ignoring our presence.

However, further down the trail, another member of his species was less oblivious to us and his slightly aggressive stance ensured that all the vehicles waited respectfully and hesitantly until his majesty decided to have his fill and leisurely lumber across the track, after which everyone scooted from there even as he turned and pretended to charge!

A few more pictures of the elephants –

Apart from the plethora of these giants, we of course spotted the ubiquitous chital deer in the usual multitudes.

The rest of the poor turnout included a distant mother and child sambar deer duo, a bored langur family and one gaur who did not even care to raise his head.

Even the birds were scarce with their presence, with just a few parakeets and a smattering of peafowl. There was also one lone mynah perched atop an elephant!

There was a fleeting glimpse of a Malabar giant squirrel but if my camera does not capture, it does not count for me 😏

As you can sense, our morale had fallen low and our hopes even lower because we had nearly come to the end of our allotted safari time. As we drove towards the exit with dejection writ all over our faces, our driver sensed some activity in the road ahead. With renewed hope we rushed forth to the news that a leopard had finally been sighted.

A line up of safari vehicles confirmed our hopes and we reached the spot with great expectations. I must say that it was disappointing to not be able to see the animal at all with the naked eye, since it was curled up between the branches of a distant tree. As I struggled to see it through my camera lens, my driver whose trained eyes had spotted it, very kindly offered to click its pictures. And that is how I could finally view the leopard and also present it to you and though this was not the ideal situation I had imagined, I am definitely grateful that I did manage a leopard of sorts!

Well after this, it was really really time to return because loitering beyond time is strictly prohibited and can get the driver into a lot of trouble. So we reluctantly turned around and made our way back to the exit, ‘sad but happy’ if you get what I mean.

Safaris are a very addictive activity and both generous sightings and poor sightings alike, fuel the fire to keep the gamble going! I will optimistically be back again someday, sometime, some-forest, for my leopard who will hopefully be performing a majestic catwalk for me and not curling up into a blurry mass of spots on some obscure, distant branch!

Visitor Profile – 

Guests of all ages are permitted at on the safari. However, it is unwise to bring little children who may not understand the need for silence in a forest. There is also no access for the mobility challenged and the jungle trails can be quite bumpy and uncomfortable and hence not suitable for those with relevant health issues.

Where to stay – 

Bandipur has quite a few resorts and homestays across a range of budgets.

Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR) the government run chain of jungle stays, also has it presence here as the Bandipur Safari Lodge. It is one of the preferred places to stay, being a ‘one stop shop’ for boarding, lodging and the safari which is accompanied by experienced guides. One can choose from a range of combination packages while booking.

The forest guest house cottages located at the old safari gate are also a stay option. Booking for these has to be done through the official site. Details below.

Many of the private luxury resorts and homestays, also have an association with JLR, which permits their guests to avail exclusively of the JLR safaris.

I stayed at Dhole’s Den, a charming boutique jungle stay just 12 km from the safari gate and they organized my safari, which included the transport to and from the safari gate.

Best time to visit – 

Bandipur is a year round destination and is open through all seasons.

However, the peak time is considered to be during October to March weather wise and April and May for better sightings in the jungle. June to September is the monsoon period and while this is also a great time to be amidst the lush and verdant rain washed surroundings, there is a chance of safaris getting cancelled due to bad weather.

Phone and internet connectivity – 

Signals are not all that bad inside the forest and to some extent, phone and internet access is sufficiently reliable, barring a few random spots along the way.

What you should carry – 

Warm wear is advisable in the non summer months because mornings and evenings can get quite chilly on the safari. Carry Jackets, gloves, woolen caps, socks and other such things. I am recommending these because I dress like an Eskimo at temperatures below 15 deg c 🥶

In the warmer seasons, it is better to wear light cottons.

Caps, masks (the safari trails are quite dusty), cameras, camera batteries, extra storage cards, power banks, binoculars, comfortable footwear, drinking water and such items will come in handy. Food items are not permitted on the safari.

As always, carry your Aadhaar or any photo Government id copies.

Booking and contact – 

Address – Bandipur safari booking counter, Melukamanahalli 

For online bookings for safaris and cottages and for other official details, please visit –

Website of Bandipur National Park  (this is the current website and has been migrated from the earlier one at bandipurtigerreserve.org)

Instagram of Bandipur National Park

Getting there – 

By air –  The nearest Airport is the Mysore Airport, which is around 60 km away. This airport has very limited flights. The next closest is Coimbatore at 170 km.

The nearest major airport is the Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore which is 255 km away from the park.

Train – The nearest major railway station is the Mysore Railway Station (70 km) followed by Bangalore (215 km). Nanjangud is a smaller station, 55 km away.

Cabs or private vehicles are the best means of transport from the airports/stations.

Road – There are excellent roads leading to Bandipur National Park from the surrounding major cities. Getting there by private vehicle or cab is the best way from Mysore (around 70 km) and Bangalore (around 215 km).

Please Note –

My narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my personal experiences.

I would really appreciate your feedback and comments in the comment box below.

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This itinerary was specially curated hence some of the features might have been personalized accordingly. Before booking, please check the facilities offered in your package.

Sep 1st, 2025