Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

     Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is about 64 km from Ooty 164 km from Coimbatore.  Mudumalai wildlife reserve is a continuation of the Bandipur National Park.  The river Moyar that flows along the border or Tamil Nadu and Karnataka separates the two.  The Mysore – Ooty highway runs through the park.  The 321 sq. km. reserve is situated in Tamil Nadu.
Mudumalai wildlife reserve was the first sanctuary in south India.  The terrain is extremely varied with hills, valleys, ravines, watercourses and swamps.  The vegetation comprises of tropical moist deciduous forests, dry deciduous forests and scrub forests.  Compared to the nearby reserves, the climate in warmer in Mudumalai.

     Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is the most prominent in the state and the most important in the southern region.  The thickly forested Mudumalai borders the Bandipur national park in Karnataka and the Wynad Sanctuary in Kerala.  Tiger, spotted deer, elephant, gaur, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, civet cat, flying squirrel, four-horned antelope, bison, mouse deer, common langur, bonnet macaque, pangolin, the scaled anteater, panther, leopard, hyena, sloth bear and jackal roam about the forest.  The birds of the forest include peacock, woodpeckers, several species of owls, vultures, buzzards and the grey jungle fowl. During the April nights, the whole sanctuary is lit up by millions of glow-worms which look like a dream world of illumined quiet.

The Safaris in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

     A Safari tour to Mudhumalai Wildlife Sanctuary can be very interesting. The guides here know their animals by heart.  Each lion, each elephant and each bison has its name assigned by these guides.  Try insisting your guide to have a deeper look into the wildlife and he will take you to some of the unbeaten paths in the sanctuary.  You can sit on the elephant back and have an enthralling trip around the park.   The best time to visit the reserve is from February to June.  The sanctuary can be reached by road.  The nearest railway station is Udakamandalam.  The nearest airport is Coimbatore.  Accommodation can be arranged at forest rest house, guesthouse at Masinagudi,Kargudi, Abhayaranyam and Thepakkadu.

     Theppakadu is an elephant camp within the sanctuary.  There is a rest house here besides, accommodation is also available in TTDC youth hostel and rest-houses in Masinagudi, Abhayaranyam, Kargudi and Bamboo Banks Farms.  The best season is between January-march and September-October.   The Wildlife warden at Coonoor road, Udhagamandalam can be contacted for further information.