Feb 8th, 2026 and Feb 19th, 2026

The boat glides forward, its oars briskly slicing through the gently flowing waters of the Kaveri. We weave alongside mini islands … thickly vegetated mounds that rise out of the water and provide sanctuary to the innumerable birds that make these trees their home … birds so many in number, that their large, pale forms hunched along the branches are visible even from afar.

As we draw closer, we are greeted by the guttural squawks of hundreds of pelicans, open billed storks and painted storks, which oblivious to our presence, go about their daily routine of lifting their large wings and balancing like ballerinas, flying around busily in search of fish, attending to clamoring little chicks in their nests and in general, inadvertently performing for us, their enraptured human audience who have come to be entertained by this avian extravaganza in this renowned bird sanctuary called Ranganathittu which lies in the Srirangapatna taluk of Mandya district in Karnataka, India. Standing in clusters, their white bodies glowing in the sunlight and webbed feet gripping the tangled branches, they make for easy targets for the camera, even one as basic as mine … and I click away to my heart’s content.

So join me on the waters of the bountiful river Kaveri and enjoy the beautiful winged specimens that she and her islands generously play host to, where every branch holds life and every breath of wind stirs wings into graceful motion.

This post is about my second and third visit to the place and I am combining the 2 in one post because they happened in quick succession, 7 years after my first visit in 2019 (not counting the few times that I visited as a child, of which I have no photographic records!)

 

About Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary –

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, is a well known bird sanctuary which is also locally known as Pakshi Kashi or Pakshidhama. The 40 acre space in Srirangapatna, comprises of 6 islets in the river Kaveri and is said to be the largest bird sanctuary in Karnataka, with over 200 documented species.

As per history, during the period from 1645-48 the then ruler of Mysore, Shri Kanteerava Narasaraja Wodeyar had an embankment constructed, which resulted in the formation of these islets.

In the period from 1939 to 1940, the renowned ornithologist Dr. Salim Ali undertook the survey of birds in this region and as per his suggestion, this group of islands was declared as a ‘Bird sanctuary’ in 1940 by the Maharaja of Mysore.

The sanctuary was also designated as a protected Ramsar site in 2022, which means that it is a wetland site of international importance.

The historical town of Srirangapatna gets its name from the ancient Sri Ranganathaswamy temple which is located here. Ranganatha is an avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu. Likewise, the bird sanctuary too is named Ranganathittu which translates to Islands of Ranganatha. Thittu refers to islands or mounds of land that are located in the water.

Features of the sanctuary – 

Ragnanathittu is a popular and beloved tourist destination for lovers of nature or even tourists who just want to get away from the city to enjoy a day amongst the avians which have made their home here in the lap of the river Kaveri.

In order to offer an optimal and interesting experience for tourists, this 40 acre space provides various features as below (all the pricing information is given towards the end of this blog).

Car parking facility –

A sufficiently large open air car parking area is located immediately within the main entrance gates. This is a paid parking facility.

Nature Intrepretation Center –

The Dr Salim Ali Information Centre which is said be recently renovated, is located before the actual entry gates and before the ticket booking counter. Display boards bear illustrations of various birds, information about their species and of course a brief history of Ranganathittu. There is also a model of the sanctuary at the far end.

One can spend a few minutes viewing this small room before entering the gates to explore the actual sanctuary. Entry is free.

Battery Vehicle (Buggy) ride –

There are electric vehicles that take people on a short 2 km tour of the place just to view all the features but I did not use them nor see them in action. This is a ticketed ride.

Boating Facility –

The best way to tour the place and optimally view the waterbirds is of course the boat. Ticketed boat rides are available for visitors throughout the working hours of the sanctuary. One can get very close to the little islands and obtain clear views of large flocks going about their usual business with their nests and chicks and fish hunts.

Apart from this, the Kaveri is also home to the marsh (mugger) crocodile and one is almost certain to spot them either gliding stealthily through the waters with only their saw-like backs giving away their presence or also just sprawled out on the many rocks that rise out from the water, nonchalantly basking in the warm sun.

Otters are also said to show themselves occasionally in the waters but I have never had the pleasure of spotting them.

Stepping out of the boat onto the rocks or islands is strictly prohibited and so is putting out any part of your body into the water.

Only row boats are available because motorboats are not permitted here. All boat rides are guided by the staff and self rowing facility is not available. Life jackets are provided and are compulsory.

There are 2 kinds of boat rides – public and private.

While the boat rides are available throughout the working hours, it is preferable to go in the mornings to avoid the heat of the day and the crowds that usually come later in the day.

The public boats have a covered top and carry around 15 tourists. The ride lasts for 20 minutes and is a shared ride with other visitors.

Private boats are usually hired by photographers or even those who want a personal experience. This boat permits a maximum of 4 visitors plus the boatman. These are open boats so that one can get unhindered views and clicks. These boats are fewer in number and get booked up quite quickly. The ride lasts for 30 minutes.

Garden area – 

Glass bridge – 

Lily pond – 

There is a small lily pond lined by colorful canna flowers which also attract many tiny birds.

Woodlot Area –

A wooded patch with various trees and with a good chance of spotting land birds. There are benches at intervals for those who want to rest awhile.

Food Court and Drinking Water –

Though the official website mentions food and water, I did not find anything within the premises. There is a small canteen in the parking area but one cannot exit the inner gates and re-enter on the same ticket. So it is best to carry your own snacks and water but make sure not to litter.

Washrooms –

There is one washroom near the parking lot and one more inside the sanctuary. With Indian and Western options, this is a reasonably clean place, though it could be maintained much better with some effort.

Souvenir Shop – 

Pergolas – 

Children’s play area – 

Watch Towers –

There are a few watch towers which one can climb up to get a view of the surrounding land and water scape.

Child Care Room –

This seemed closed when I visited, so I do not know if it is functional.

Birds of Ranganathittu –

There are over 200 species of birds documented here. The most prominent ones are the Painted storks, Asian Openbill Storks, Spot-billed Pelicans, cormorants and different species of egrets.
Also found here are the White breasted Kingfisher, Common Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Oriental Darter, Spoonbill, Black headed Ibis, Red-naped Ibis, Purple Heron, Pond Heron, Streak-throated swallows, River Terns, Great Thick-knees, Brahminy Kite and so on.
Apart from what one can spot from the boat, the rest of the premises also hold quite a few treasures in the gardens and woods alongside the river.

Tickell’s blue flycatcher, wagtail, Common hawk cuckoo, fantail flycatcher, bee eaters, minivets, drongos, sunbirds, bulbuls, peacocks, Asian tits and even the gorgeous Paradise flycatcher are some of the land species that one can spot here.

Suggested itinerary – 

While visitors are free to go around the place in whatever order they choose, I would suggest the following sequence from whatever I have experienced here.

Plan to reach between 6.30-7.00am (leave Bangalore latest by 4.15 am).

Arrive at Ranganathittu and park the vehicle and proceed to the ticket counter. You can purchase the entrance ticket, boating ticket and other tickets here.

If you book a private boat for one session and once you are in the waters if wish to extend the ride to additional sessions, you can do it from the boat itself.

Take a look around at the Salim Ali center before entering, to get some idea of the place (you can also do it before eventually leaving the premises).

Choose to do the boat rides when the morning is still early. The boat area is approximately a 200 meter walk from the gates. While the boatman gets the boat ready, put on the life jackets that are provided.

The private boat ride is officially 30 min but you can choose to pay for additional sessions once you are on the waters.  Payment can be done online or you can return to the gates and pay after the ride.

After this if you wish, we can check out the woods/garden area. There are a few interesting bird species there too. There are benches where you can rest awhile.

You can climb up to the watch towers to get a bird’s eye view (sometimes literally).

The ticket is valid for one entry and you can choose to stay as long as you want, within the official timings.

What my camera achieved –

I have an insane number of photos from all my trips but obviously I can post only a fraction of them here. So it has been a difficult choice but I have tried to pick optimally and collages certainly help! 😉

The highlights were several but those that stood out even more were the honeycomb like mud nests of Streak throated swallows, hundreds of which put on a spectacular show for us, flitting in and out of the little mud holes built on the rock face.

We were also fortunate to have a sighting on the same day, of all 4 species of Kingfishers that are found in this region, namely the White breasted, the Pied, the Common kingfisher and the relatively rare Stork billed kingfisher.

There was also the picturesque scene of a peacock perched on a tree studded with egrets that looked like oversized pearls crowning the tree.

Apart from all these there were so many more beautiful birds which you will see in the pictures below.

A short video – 

Entrance tickets and other charges – 

Timings – 

The sanctuary is open throughout the year with no holidays. The timings are from 6.00 am to 5.30 pm.

Best Time and Season to Visit – 

While this is a year round tourist attraction with resident birds available through out, October to March is the season when one has a chance to spot migrant visitors too. Also the weather is the best during this period.

What is available and what you should carry – 

In winters carry some warm wear with at least 1 jacket. During early mornings it could get a bit chilly in the boat.

It can get warmer as the day progresses so have something lighter under the jacket.

Carry a cap. Wear comfortable shoes. There is not much walking but if you visit the garden to see the other land birds, then good shoes would help.

Depending on what you want to do, carry cameras, zoom lenses, camera batteries, extra storage cards, power banks, binoculars and such.

Carry your cell phones.

Since there is no restaurant inside the premises, carry drinking water and light snacks like simple sandwiches or biscuits/cookies.

Take whatever you need in a small handsfree backpack.

Carry your Aadhaar or any government approved ID. They usually don’t ask but it’s better to have it on you just in case.

Where to eat – 

As mentioned earlier, there is no food available inside the gates and the only canteen is near the parking area. This was yet to open for the day when we visited, so we managed with the snacks that we had carried.

There are several restaurants in Srirangapatna town and in Mysore city and even along the Mysore Bangalore highway.

One of my go to places is Thotada Mane which is less than 10 km from the sanctuary. On my recent visit I also ate at Poojari’s Fish Land which is just 6 km away.

Where to stay – 

While Ranganathittu is a mere day trip from Mysore or Bangalore, those who need to stay over, have several options in Mysore city, which is barely 18 km away and an easy car ride.

Phone and internet connectivity – 

Signals work well in the entire locality.

Additional Information – 

Once you exit the gate even if it is to access your car or go to the canteen, you will not be allowed to re-enter on the same ticket. Hence make sure you have everything you need for the duration that you will be inside.

Drone photography is prohibited.

Contact – 

Website of Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary 

Instagram of Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary

Phone – http://+91 9481996826

Things to see in the surroundings –

The region around Ranganathittu bird sanctuary is a tapestry of various tourist attractions right from nature, to wildlife, to history and heritage, to monuments and so on.

I have listed a few of the prominent places below some of which are in Srirangapatna and the rest in Mysore city barely 20 km away. Tourists can choose to stay in Mysore and cover these places.

In Srirangapatna – 

The Brindavan Gardens –

This is a very popular tourist attraction which lies nest to the Krishnarajasagara Dam which is built across the river Kaveri. This 60 acre botanical garden is nearly a 100 years old and is famous for its terraced landscape and musical fountains.

Jama Masjid –

A mosque built by Tipu Sultan in the 18th century in Srirangapatna.

Gumbaz –

This is the mausoleum of Tipu Sultan, his father Hyder Ali and his mother Fakr un Nisa.

Srirangapatna Fort – 

Daria Daulat Bagh –

This was as Tipu Sultan’s summer palace.

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

A famous temple dedicated to Ranganatha, an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu and after which the Srirangapatna town is named.

In Mysore city – 

This city is again a premier hub of culture, history and heritage. There are innumerable tourist attractions which include palaces, monuments, hills, lakes and so on.

Surrounding areas – 

The Hadinaru lake in the nearby Nanjangud taluk, is 40 km from the sanctuary and is another popular bird watching spot.

Enroute Bangalore – 

Enroute to Bangalore, you can also visit the Kokkarebellur bird habitat. It is around 15 km off the main expressway and 75 km from Ranganathittu.

Getting there – 

Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Mandya, Karnataka , India

https://maps.app.goo.gl/guHEeUg2pX4MyDfp8

Ranganathittu is a mere 20 km from Mysore and 135 km from Bangalore. The highway is excellent. Private vehicle or cab is the best way to get there, though there are bus and train options too for public transport.

Srirangapatna railway station is 5 km from the sanctuary and so is the bus stand. Autorickshaws are available for last mile connectivity.

The nearest major airport is the Kempegowda International airport in Bangalore at 170 km. The Mysore domestic airport is 32 km away. This has very limited flights.

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Please Note –

This was a personal trip and my narration is based on the inputs I received from various sources as well as my personal experiences.

For more pictures see My Facebook – Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary – Trip 2 and Trip 3

Also catch me on My Facebook, My Facebook page, My Twitter and My Instagram

Before venturing, please check the current status by phoning the sanctuary.

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

Feb 8th, 2026 and Feb 19th, 2026