Wildlife - Tour in BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Location : Chamarajanagar District, Karnataka .

Area : 540 sq. kms.

 Access : By Air : The nearest airport is at Bangalore at 260 kms By Rail : Bangalore is the nearest rail junction. Mysore – 110 kms. By Road : It is easily accessible by road being 100 km from Bangalore via Kanakapura / Halagur. 85 km from Mysore via Malavalli and 245 km from Ooty via Mysore. There is couple of buses leaving from Mysore everyday. Mysore is 90 kms and Bangalore is 254 km away.

Best time to visit : September to May.

Introduction : The Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Wildlife Sanctuary commanly known as BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, situated at a height of 5,091 feet, is a unique blend of resort and wildlife sanctuary, a beautiful place and a must visit for wildlife enthusiasts. Natural beauty is in abundance here, with its streams and valleys and scenic spots. One can see some very rare animals and plant life in the sanctuary. The BR Hills Wildlife sanctuary is 3,375 ft above sea level and is spread over an area of 540 sq. kms of undulating hills and valleys covered in deciduous forests and Sholas. The BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is an important link between the Eastern and the Western Ghats. The river Cauvery flows South East and at Kollegal takes an abrupt turn towards the North and again returns to its initial course. This reflects the geographic significance as well as the wonderful blend of the Biligiri Rangaswamy and Male Mahadeshwar ranges, bridging the gap between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.

Wildlife Species : The B R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary has many species of wild animals. The animals seen in large numbers are gaurs, chitals, sambhars, bears, elephants, panthers and tigers. One can also see civet, mongoose, malabar giant squirrel, porcupine, common langur, bonnet macaque, wild pig, four-horned antelope etc. Over 200 species of birds can also be seen here, chief among which are the racket-tailed drongo and the crested eagle. A large variety of exotic butterflies can also be seen here.

Vegetation : The vegetation ranges from dry scrub jungle to evergreen forests and high-altitude shoal grassland habitat.

Safaris inside the park : The B R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary provides for the visitors open jeep safari and elephant rides to go around the sanctuary. One can also trek up on foot.

Adventure Activities : A number of adventure activities are conducted here like professional angling, trekking, coracle boat rides,outdoor camping, river rafting, amateur fishing and bird watching. Every April you can witness the wonderful Ratha festival at the BR Temple too.