RAJIV GANDHI NATIONAL PARK - NAGARHOLE

The landscape of the park consists of gentle slopes and shallow valleys. Dry forests stand next to grassy marshes with clay soil that is perpetually wet. These changes in terrain from one end of the park to the other are refreshing, and its river system supports unique flora and fauna.

The name of the park comes from the combination of two words: "nagar" (snake) and "hole" (rivers). And indeed, as if to illustrate the name, several rivers meander and fork through the rich tropical forests. The original forest was once a hunting ground reserved for the Maharajas of Mysore. Considered to be one of the richest parks in terms of flora and fauna in India, it has a wide variety of animal species. One can see tigers, leopards, wild elephants, dhole (wild dog) or gaur. Other species are muntjac (barking deer), four-horned antelope, wild boar, hyena, mongoose, otter. However, the real attraction of this park is the majestic black panther. The park also has 250 species of birds, so don't forget your binoculars. It is bounded on the north by the Kabini River, and on the south by the Bandipur National Park, a dam on the Kabini River and its picturesque reservoir delimiting the two parks. During the dry season (February-June), this man-made lake attracts a large number of animals and makes it an ideal place to observe wildlife.