Each one of us has a ‘Mowgli’ in us, waiting to manifest. All we need is a good, green Jungle (forest). Unleash your ‘Mowgli’ in Bandipur National Park. Who knows you might even spot a ‘Bagheera’ in the Jungle & befriend a ‘Baloo’?!

Where the Deccan Plateau meets the Western Ghats, God created Bandipur National Park – home to  deciduous forests and shrublands. Among the rosewood, sandalwood, kadam & bamboo trees, live mighty elephants, ferocious tigers, cuddly sloth bears, sharp-tongued pythons, cute antelopes, howly jackals & many a bird.

Who would not want to pay a visit to the medley of life?!

Plan your trip to Bandipur National Park:

Bandipur is 80 kms. away from Mysore en route to Ooty. You could fly or wheel your way to Mysore & then take a bus/ book a car ride to Bandipur.

Or you could be a little more adventurous & take a road trip from Bangalore to Bandipur via NH275. I highly recommend it. If you take this option, this is the route you must take:

Bangalore –> Mandya –> Srirangapatna –> Mysore –> Gundupete –> Bandipur National Park 

Estimated journey time – 4 hrs. 39 mis.

Book a Jeep Safari or a rickety Van Safari in Bandipur:

Once you reach Bandipur, you could either book a Jeep Safari (recommended) or a Van Safari & enjoy the forest & click some pictures to adorn your living room walls.

Jeep Safari will cost you INR 2500 – INR 4000 while Van Safari will cost you INR 200 per person.

Safaris are done in two slots:

1. Morning, 6:30 to 8:30
2. Evening, 3:30 to 5:30

Chuck something old; befriend someone new:

Bandipur National Park (or Tiger Reserve) is absolutely picturesque. In the deep, dark forests, when you spot a tiger, you will be beaming with joy. The sight of a herd of elephants or that of antelopes – fill you with happiness to the core.

There is something deeply satisfying about roaming around in a jungle. You feel as free as a bird, as fierce as a tiger & as wild as elephants.

Riding in the middle of a free jungle amidst free animals lifts your spirits. It’s therapeutic at some level & spiritual at others. When you come back from the safari, you develop new perspectives & see life from the eyes of an animal – who survives in the jungle every day, but never forgets the art of living. 

That’s what a forest can do to you. That’s what Incredible India houses.

“But I’ll tell you what hermits realize. If you go off into a far, far forest and get very quiet, you’ll come to understand that you’re connected with everything”, Alan Watts.