'' Nagarhole National park derives its name from the combination of two Kannada words. 'Nagar,' meaning snake, and 'hole,' meaning streams. True to its name, quite a few serpentine streams fork through the rich tropical forests of the park. Nagarhole Park was set up in 1955. In 1975, its area was increased to include a greater expanse of forest reserve. The original forest was once an exclusive hunting ground for the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore. The park has been recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi NationalPark after the late Prime Minister of India.
Nagarhole National Park is counted among India. s best wildlife parks. It has a 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. ''

The birth of Nagarahole National Park can be traced to the notification of 285 Sq. km. Game Reserve way back in 1955, which included the reserve forests of Arkeri, Hatgat and Nalkeri in Kodagu. Subsequently, in 1974, reserved forests from the adjoining Mysore district were added to the Nagarahole Game Reserve, which was upgraded to the status of a National Park covering 643 sq. km.

Attractions in Nagarhole National Park

Nagarhole teems with over 250 types of birds, elephants, sloth bear, bison, tiger, leopards, deer, and wild boars.

Best Time to Visit Nagarhole National Park

The best time to visit Nagarhole National Park October-May, especially April-May.

How to Reach there

Air: The nearest airports are in Bangalore and Mysore.

Rail: The nearest station is in the city of Mysore.

Road: The park is well connected by roads and distances with various cities can be calculated as follows: Madikeri (93 km), Mysore (96 km) and Bangalore (236 km).