About 80km south of Mysore on the Ooty road, the Bandipur National Park covers 880 sq km and was once the Mysore maharajas’ private wildlife reserve. The park is noted for its herds of gaurs (Indian bison), chitals (spotted deer), sambars, panthers, sloth bears and langurs, apart from tigers and elephants. Despite its rich wildlife, however, Bandipur isn’t the best place for animal sightings; unrestricted traffic hurtling down the busy highway that cuts through the forest has made the animals wary of venturing close to safari areas of late.
