If you have visited even one National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary, these words would resonate to you also, like how they resonated to me. Ever since I moved to Bangalore a few years back, I’ve rekindled my love of travel by exploring the Great South Indian tri-state region – Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. I’ve been to coffee and tea plantations, stayed at homestays, explored ancient ruins, climbed hills and giant rocks, stayed on mountains and lounged at beaches.

1. Discovering My Wild Side - Top
Wildlife Destinations of South India

2. Periyar Tiger Reserve
Periyar Tiger Reserve, Thekkady in Kerala, sprawls
over an area of 925 sq kms and is one of the 27
tiger reserves of India. The reserve is rich in
biodiversity and boasts of breathtaking scenic
beauty. Periyar Tiger Reserve is nestled in the
Cardamom Hills and PandalamHills of the
Southern Western Ghats of South India.
Catchment of Periyar river forms a major portion
of the and the rest of the area is made up of
catchment of Pamba river. The major attraction
for tourists is the tigers obviously, but also wild
elephants. While the elusive Royal Bengal tiger
may be hard to spot, your trip to Periyar Tiger
Reserve will surely be made worthwhile by the
fact that more than 35 species of mammals, 265
species of birds, 45 species of reptiles, 40 species
of fish and 160 species of insects have made it
their home. The Reserve is located about 114 km
fromKottayam, 135 km from Madurai and 190 km
from Ernakulum. Madurai airport is the
closest,Cochin coming a close second. The months
of September to May are ideal for visiting, with
March and April being the driest months, which
means more animals will probably come to the
watering holes during these months, greatly
increasing spotting opportunities.
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/fraboof/218853255

3. Bandipur National Park
Spread over 827 sq kms, Bandipur National
Park, along with Mudumalai Wildlife
Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife
Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National
Park also in Karnataka, creates the India's
biggest biosphere reserve popularly known as
the 'Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve'. Bandipur
National Park is about 80 kms
from Mysore surrounded by picturesque
mountains of the Western Ghats on the
Mysore-Ooty highway. The beautiful Kabini river
is to the north of this park and Moyar river is to
its south. Gopalaswamy Betta is the highest
point here and is a popular picnic destination
where trekking can be arranged by prior
permission. There are several accommodation
options, including jungle lodges and eco-friendly
tourist homes. Ooty andCoonoor are
the hillstations near Bandipur National Park and
make for a delightful stay in the Nilgiris after
spending some time in the wild.
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/nadircruise/8456972599

4. Eravikulam National Park
At 97 sq kms, Eravikulam National Park is
relatively smaller in size, but don’t let its small
size fool you. It is home to the largest viable
population of the endangered Nilgiri Tahr
(mountain goat of the Nilgiris). And besides the
tahr, it is also home to several species of not-so-known
and unusual wildlife, such as Nilgiri
marten, ruddy mongoose, small clawed otter
and dusky striped squirrel. The park is about 15
kms from the lovely hill town of Munnar and
can be visited between the hours of 7 a.m to 6
p.m. Anamudi, the largest peak south of the
Himalayas, stands at the center of the park. At
Rajamalai, visitors are introduced to the
beautiful Shola-grasslands ecosystems and an
interpretation center here also explains the
importance of this ecosystem. 26 species of
mammals, 132 species of birds, 101 species of
butterflies and 19 species of amphibians have
been spotted at the park.
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/sanish/3166158570

5. Nagarhole National Park
Nagarhole National Park, located about 80
kms from Mysore, is spread over 643 sq
kms and was once a hunting reserve for
the erstwhile rulers of Mysore, the kings
of the Wodeyar dynasty. In 1955 it was
named as a wildlife sanctuary and in 1988
it became a national park. The name
Nagarhole is derived from the Kannada
word 'naga' (snake) and 'hole' (streams or
rivulets) and true to its name the national
park has numerous streams flowing
through it. It is flanked by Kabini river on
the north and Bandipur National Park on
the south and a dam on Kabini river and
the reservoir created by it separates the
two parks. October to May is the best
time to visit Nagarhole National Park to
enjoy the bounty of nature and the
opportunity to spot several species of
animals and birds, including tiger, leopard,
sloth bear, hyena, deer, antelope, gaur,
wild cats and more than 250 species of
birds. Source: www.flickr.com/photos/yathin/4440026806

6. Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Located on the banks of river Kali, in
Uttara Kannada district, Dandeli Wildlife
Sanctuary is spread over 834 sq kms and
is the second largest sanctuary
in Karnataka. It is located at a distance of
about 485 kms from Bangalore and just
125 kms from Goa and 95 kms
from Belgaum. March to October is the
best time to visit Dandeli Wildlife
Sanctuary. There are plenty of
opportunities here for the adventure
traveller, besides wildlife and nature
exploration activities. You can enjoy
white water rafting on the roaring Kali
river, nature walks, camping, hiking,
angling, bird watching, eco tourism and
exploring caves and temples nearby. Not
just for white water rafting; Dandeli is
also quite popular for kayaking and
canoeing.
Source: www.flickr.com/photos/balamurugan/537071207