Nagarhole National Park

The park derives its name from the combination of two Kannada words. 'Naga,' meaning snake, and 'hole,' meaning streams. True to its name, quite a few serpentine streams fork through the rich tropical forests of the park. The landscape is one of gentle slopes and shallow valleys. Dry deciduous forest trees are leafless in the summer rather than in the winter. There are grassy swamps where the soil is clayey, perennially moist, and which support a luxuriant growth of green grass all year. The change in terrain throughout the park in refreshing and the river system provides a unique wildlife viewing experience. The park has been recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park after the late Prime Minister of India.

Nagarhole National Park is counted among India’s best wildlife parks due to the large elephant and bison population. It also hosts a variety of animal species along with approximately 250 species of birds. On its northern confines is the Kabini River and on its southern fringes is the Bandipur national park. A dam on the Kabini River and its picturesque reservoir demarcates the two national parks. During the dry season (February till June), this artificial lake attracts a large number of animals, making it an ideal spot for sighting wildlife.