Name : Bannerghatta National Park

Main attraction :Wild life

Location:Bannerghatta road,
Land Mark: IIM Bangalore road
phone number: +91-80-27828540

Bannerghatta National Park is situated 22 km south of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The journey to the park takes nearly half an hour from Bangalore. This hilly place is the home for one of the richest natural, zoological reserves. The 25,000 acre (101 km²) zoological park makes this a major tourist attraction of Bangalore.

The Bannerghatta Tiger and Lion Reserve has a reserve of Indian tigers, lions and other mammals. A mini safari here helps to fund the reserve. The Tiger Reserve of the park has been recognised by the Forest Department of India.

There is a small museum in the zoo which showcases zoological exhibits. The zoo, which is a major attraction in this area, also has a reptile park and a small theatre. The zoo has been criticised for the maintenance of its exhibits. The Zoo closes on Tuesday (weekly Holiday)

The zoo has separate charges for weekdays and weekends (or Holidays). The prices currently for A Grand Safari — of Lions, Tigers & Herbivorus costs Rs. 100 on regular days and Rs. 125 on weekends (and other holidays) where as, to move around the zoo would cost you Rs. 25.00. The Tiger and Lion safari is the most interesting and one can avail tickets only for that at a lower cost.

The country's first Butterfly Park was established at the Bannerghatta Biological Park. It was inaugurated on Saturday November 25, 2006 by Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Science and Technology.

Interpretation Center @ Butterfly ParkThe Butterfly Park is spread across 7.5 acres (30,000 m2) of land. It comprises a butterfly conservatory, museum and an audio-visual room. The butterfly conservatory has a polycarbonate roof and is a 10,000 sq ft (1,000 m²). circular enclosure, inside which the living environment has been carefully designed to support over 20 species of butterflies. The environment has a tropical setting — complete with the humid climate, an artificial waterfall and host plants and shrubs that attract butterflies. The conservatory leads to the second and third domes, which have a museum that will have dioramas and exhibits

The collaborative agencies are the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, University of Agricultural Sciences and the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE).

You can find everything from avifauna to panthers in the Bannerghatta National Park . The 25,000 acre park is home to panthers, lions, tigers and a large variety of birds. Indulge your sense of adventure with a lion and tiger safari. Wander through the Zoological Garden, with its canopy of shady and sturdy trees, find a quiet resting spot beside a pond and watch waterfowl frolic. The zoo boasts an amazing reptile collection; a snake park lets you get up close and personal with the scaly, slithery creatures. A children's corner provides an added attraction. Trekking enthusiasts will enjoy Uddigebande (3.5 km) a natural rock formation called Hajjamana Kallu (3 km) and Mirza Hill (1.5 km)

Covering an area of 104 sq km, including ten reserve forests of Anekal Range of the Bangalore Forest Division, the scenic hills are covered with many ancient temples.

The beautiful Suvarnamukhi stream running through the park, originates in the Suvarnamukhi hills. These hills spread out to a huge rock, about a kilometre long. The Champaka Dharna Swamy temple built in the Dravidian style of the Hoysala age, lies at the foot of the rock. The temple enshrines an image of Vishnu with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi. The Suvarnamukhi hill also houses a small shrine dedicated to Narasimha, and two km away is the Suvarnamukhi pond. The waters of this pond are believed to have curative powers.

A trip to Bannerghata National Park is truly an unforgettable experience for nature, history, botany and wildlife buffs.

The entire month of May has holiday fares as that is the time when children in India have summer holidays.

How to Reach Bannerghatta National Park
The Park is easily accessible from the major cities of the State by road. Bangalore is the nearest city for air and rail head. There are buses that run between Bangalore and Bannerghatta. Except for Tuesday, the park is open on all other days from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm. A visit to the park is truly a memorable picnic for the entire family. The best season to visit the Bannerghatta National Park is from November to June.
Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) offers bus services to Bannerghatta National Park from the following areas in Bangalore:

From Kempe Gowda Bus stand(Majestic)- Bus Route No: 365, J365.
From K R Market- Bus Route No: 366
From Shivajinagar bus stand- Bus Route No: 368
Time and operation details of the bus routes can be obtained from BMTC's.

Bannerghatta National Park Photo Gallery