Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Timings, Entry Fee, Safari Online Booking & How to Reach)
Located in the Nilgiri district in the western-most part of Tamil Nadu State, sharing boundaries with states of Karnataka and Kerala, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is spared across an area of 321 sq. km. The first wildlife sanctuary of South India, it was declared as a sanctuary in the year of 1940.
The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is also quite close to Bandipur National Park, Wayanad Sanctuary and the Sigur and Singara reserve forests and comes under the proposed Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The River Moyar separates the reserve from Bandipur.
Flora @ Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
The main types of forests here are Tropical Moist Deciduous, Tropical Dry Deciduous and Southern Tropical Thorn forest or scrub jungle.
Fauna @ Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve boasts of having the highest density of tigers in the country. It has rich fauna constituting of close to 50 species of fish, 21 kinds of amphibians, 34 species of reptiles along with various kinds of mammals.
The reserve has 55 species of mammals. Some of the animals that can be spotted here are Tigers, Dhole, the Asiatic Wild Dog, Asian Elephant, Gaur, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Indian Muntjac, Mouse Deer, Wild Boar, Leopard, Striped Hyena, Jackal, Sloth Bear, Bonnet Macaque, Langur, Giant Squirrel, Flying Squirrel, etc. Reptiles like Monitor Lizard is commonly spotted in the reserve.
The reserve has almost 227 species of birds. Some of these are Malabar Trogon, Malabar Grey Hornbill, White-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-billed Babbler, Lesser Whitethroat, Pacific Swallow, Orphean Warbler, Temminck’s Stint, White-rumped Needletail, Grass Owl, Scops Owl, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, etc.
Best time to visit Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
The best time to visit the reserve is during the months of February to May and September to October.
Reaching Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
- By air: The nearest airport is at Coimbatore which is 160 km away.
- By rail: The nearest railway station is Udhagamandalam (Ooty) railway station which is at a distance of 65 km. Another railway junction located nearby is at Mysore which is approximately 95 km away.
- By road: The nearest town to the reserve is Gudalur which is just 16 km away. The town is located along the Udhagamandalam – Mysore highway and thus well connected via road. There are regular and various bus services operating from cities and towns like Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Mysore, etc.
Accommodation @ Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
For accommodation, tourists have various options to choose from. Some of these are Jungle Retreat, Blue Valley Jungle Resorts, Monarch Safari Park, Forest Hills Farm & Guesthouse and many more.