Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

At a distance of 12 km from Bandipur National Park, 37 km from Ooty, and 92 km from Mysore, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary or Mudumalai National Park is located at the foothills of the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the famous wildlife sanctuaries in Tamilnadu, and among the must include places in Ooty tour.

Established in 1940, Mudumalai is the first sanctuary in South India and was declared as a National Park in 1990. In April 2007, the Tamil Nadu state government declared Mudumalai to be a tiger reserve. The sanctuary is situated on Karnataka-Kerala border adjacent to Bandipur National Park of Karnataka and Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala. At an altitude of 1140 m, the sanctuary is spread over 103.24 sq. km on Ooty - Mysore road and is one of the best Ooty tourist places.

Mudumalai is a part of Niligiri Biosphere Reserve which includes the Bandipur National Park, Rajiv Gandhi National Park (Nagarhole) in Karnataka, and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala. The sanctuary is divided into 5 ranges - Masinagudi, Theppakadu, Mudumalai, Kargudi, and Nellakota. There is a high diversity of animal life in the park with about 50 species of fishes, 21 species of amphibians, 34 species of reptiles, 200 species of birds, and 50 species of mammals. The park is an ideal home to several endangered and vulnerable species including elephants, Tiger, Gaur, Leopard, Deer, Wild dog, etc. There are about 200 species of birds in the park, including White-rumped vulture, long-billed vulture, Red crest, Mynas, Parakeets, and Owls, etc.

Theppakadu is the entry point to the Sanctuary which has an Information Centre. The forest department organizes Elephant Safari into the park and also Elephant Interaction Camp. Trekking is NOT permitted in Mudumalai. Forest Department runs mini-bus safaris & Jeep safaris into the Park starting from Theppakadu. The safari vehicle stops at Moyar Watchtower which offers spectacular views of Moyar Gorge & Waterfalls. Morning is the best time for the safari to spot the wildlife. The safari takes visitors to the jungle home campus, which is situated 10 km into the deep jungle.

Forest Department has accommodation in Forest Rest Houses at Theppakadu, Kargudi, Abayaranyam, and Masinagudi. The forest department has cottages in various locations within the forests available on a first-come, first-served basis, and there are various private resorts and guest houses that visitors can stay in.

The best time to visit the Mudumalai National Park is from December to June.

Timings:

Vehicle Safari (90 Mins): 7 AM - 9 AM & 3 PM - 5 PM

Entry Fees: Bus Safari (90 Mins) - Rs. 340 for Indians & Rs. 2500 for Foreigners, Gypsy Safari (90 Mins): Rs. 4200 per vehicle + Rs.300 per head for entry + Rs.100 per head for Eco preservation.

Note: Safari price changes frequently