BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka – A haven for over 372 species of birds and rare wildlife species
Situated at a distance of 90 km from Mysore, the BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary rests in between Western and the Eastern Ghats on the banks of river Cauvery about 5,091 feet above the sea level in Kemmannagundi district, Karnataka. The Biligiri Rangaswamy (BR), Wildlife Sanctuary takes it name from the ancient Ranganatha Swamy Temple that sits at the edge of a 1000 ft cliff. Spread over an area of 540 square kilometers it is covered with mixed deciduous forests. The BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is the hub of a varied species of wildlife and is rich in flora and fauna. Make a trip to this nature’s paradise to enjoy amidst the lush greenery and the uncommon wild life species.
Places to see at BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: The sanctuary itself is the prime attraction of the place. It is a haven for over 372 species of birds and wildlife such as elephants, tigers, leopards, wild dogs, four horned antelopes, black bucks and giant flying squirrels. There are also animals like panthers, tigers, guars, wild pigs, sloth bears, Langur, antelopes, Chital, Sambar deers, and bears. BR Hills has around 200 species of birds. Some of them are the Malabar Whistling Thrush, Racquet Tailed Drongo, Paradise flycatcher, Yellow throated bulbul, and the Crested Hawk Eagle. Apart from this you may also make a trip to few other places to see around the BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary.
Dodda Sampige Mara
One of the must-visits while you are on a tour to BR Hills is this unique site. This is actually a thousand year old tree. The name when translated into English means the “Big Champak tree”. The temple is situated about 4 km from BR Hills. The tree reaches upto 34 m in height and is about 20 m broad. This is a holy site. There are many lingams close to the trunk of the tree.
Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra
It displays preserved tribal information and the bio-diversity of the region.
Nearby attractions around BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: You can make a visit to the BiligiriRanganathaTemple. It is a temple dedicated Lord Venkatesha an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The temple is located at the highest point of the hill Swethadri.It is a must visit spot of the theists.
Things to do at BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: At the sanctuary you will enjoy a range of activities, professional angling, amateur fishing, coracle boat rides, bird watching, river rafting, trekking, and outdoor camping. These activities will keep you busy.
Best time to visit BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary: The best time to visit BR Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is from June to October.
How to go ?
To reach BR hills you have to reach Bengaluru which is connected by air, rail and roads to all parts of the country and abroad. From Bengaluru cars are available for hire that will take you to BR hills wildlife sanctuary.
Where to stay ?
There are a number of accommodation facilities in the BR hills. Few options are:
Champakaranya: +91-98452 18481 Website : www.champakaranya.com
Rajathadri Hill Villa: +91-90368 09218 Website : www.rajathadrihillvilla.in
K Gudi Wilderness Camp BR Hills: 91-080-40554055, 25584111, 25559261, 25586154 Website : www.junglelodges.com
