During a week-long tour, we explore the eastern and western regions of Nagarhole, the jewel in the crown of Southern India’s national parks, in search of iconic subcontinental species.
Nagarhole first burst on to the wildlife scene a few years ago when a melanistic leopard was being observed regularly. Whilst this leopard’s territory has changed, making it harder to locate, this hasn’t discouraged our enthusiasm for this national park, and it continues to deliver an outstanding wildlife experience.
Tiger, leopard, sloth bear, dhole (Indian wild dog) and Asian elephants are seen daily. With direct flights into Bengaluru, Nagarhole continues to be an excellent destination for any wildlife enthusiast, regardless of how many times you have visited the subcontinent previously.
This itinerary combines four nights at Kabini River Lodge with three nights at Machaan Wilderness Lodge, providing an extensive stay whilst offering opportunities to explore both sides of Nagarhole National Park, for an in-depth safari experience.
Machaan Wilderness Lodge is situated on the west side of the park where fewer vehicles enter, and historically, sightings of Asian elephant and sloth bears are more frequent. Conversely, Kabini River Lodge is located on the eastern side of the park, closer to the prime areas for tigers and leopards. This combination of lodges allows us to experience more of Nagarhole, whilst continuing to make the most of the expertise and knowledge that we've developed from visiting the park over the years.
Typical Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
Today we depart the UK on overnight flights to Bengaluru.
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Day 2:
Arrive in Bengaluru & drive to Nagarhole National Park
On arrival in Bengaluru early in the morning, we're met and transferred a short distance to a nearby hotel where we have breakfast before driving to Nagarhole National Park.
The drive takes approximately four hours, and we should arrive at our first lodge in time for a late lunch. Afterwards, we enjoy our first safari in the park for an introduction to this wildlife haven.
Accommodation: Kabini River Lodge, 4-nights
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Days 3-5
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Morning & afternoon jeep safaris in the eastern areas of Nagarhole National Park
We have three full days to explore the eastern side of Nagarhole National Park, typically following a programme of morning and afternoon game drives. Using 4-wheel-drive safari vehicles, these drives usually last between three and four hours, allowing us time in the middle of the day to relax and unwind back at the lodge.
The park is home to a staggering array of species, which we hope to observe as we explore the trails that meander through the forest and across the open grassy clearings. Encounters could include tiger, dhole (also known as Asian wild dog), Asian elephant, leopard, sloth bear in addition to herds of ungulates, Indian giant squirrel and a host of birds.
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Day 6:
Transfer to Kutta
Following our final jeep safari from Kabini River Lodge, we're transferred to the village of Kutta on the west side of Nagarhole National Park and our next accommodation, where we spend the next three nights.
We head out on our first jeep safari on the western side of the park later in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Machaan Wilderness Lodge, 3-nights
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Days 7-8
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Explore western areas of Nagarhole National Park
Over the course of the next two days, we enjoy morning and late afternoon jeep safaris in the western regions of this fabulous national park. We continue to enjoy Nagarhole's diversity of habitats, ranging from dense forest and quiet streams to open grasslands. We should notice some variations in the environment compared to our experience on the eastern side of the park though, which is known more for its dry, deciduous vegetation. Over in the west, the habitat has a more tropical feel and in keeping with much of the vegetation found in other areas of the Western Ghats.
This side of Nagarhole is usually quieter than the eastern zones, and it's renowned for its sightings of Asian elephant and sloth bears in comparison to the areas that we've explored already. Despite this, it's still very much possible to encounter tiger, leopard and dhole during the drives on this western side of Nagarhole as well.
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Day 9:
Return to Bengaluru
This morning we have one final drive in the national park, before returning to the lodge for brunch. In the afternoon, we drive back to Bengaluru for our final night in south India.
Accommodation: Taj Yeshwantpur, 1-night
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Day 10:
Departure & fly back to UK
Early in the morning, we transfer back to Bengaluru International Airport for our return flights back to the UK, arriving the same day.
