Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
About Bannerghatta
Bannerghatta is located in the state of Karnataka in the subcontinents of India. Bannerghatta is situated 20 km from Bangalore the capital of Karnataka state. Bannerghatta is famous for its National Park. The Bannerghatta National Park, also known as Bannerghatta Biological Park, ever since the year 2002, spans over an area of 105 km2.
The temperature ranges from 200 C to 320 C every year. The geographical coordinates puts this place at 12048’03’’ N and 77034’32’’ E.
Bannerghatta National Park has one of the best flora and fauna. This Park is situated 1020 meters above sea level. It is open to visitors from 9 am to 7 pm, every weekday except on Tuesday.
History of Bannerghatta
Established in the year 1974, Bannerghatta was founded by Shri Y. M. L Sharma who was the Chief Conservator of Forest of Karnataka. Presently, the Bannerghatta National Park is governed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, of the Indian country.
People & Culture Bannerghatta
Bannerghatta has a rich and diverse culture with people from all religion, caste and sect reside in and around the place. The languages spoken by the people are Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and English with Kannada being the official language.
Many festivals such as Ganesh Chathurti, Diwali, Ugadi etc., are celebrated in a grand way throughout Bannerghatta.
Food and Shopping in Bannerghatta
Bannerghatta offers a wide range of Multi – cuisine, vegetarian and non- vegetarian. There are stalls selling lip smacking chats and snacks in and around the region.
CDs which contain various pictures of beautiful and endangered species of butterflies of India are sold in the Butterfly Park. There are plenty of shopping centers near Bannerghatta selling hand weave silk sarees and other artifacts. Commercial Street 20 kms from Bannerghatta happens to be a shopper’s best destination. Some of the shopping malls located in and around Bannerghatta region are mentioned below
- Royal Meenakshi Mall
- Gopalan Mall
- Garuda Mall
- Bangalore Central
- Mantri Square
- The Forum
- Total Mall
- Sigma Mall
The Flora
The tropical atmosphere of the park is the cause for the growth of dense forest and scrubland. You get to see variety of herbs, shrubs and trees along with this some thorny scrubs marks the National Park. And one can find small streams in between that are surrounded by moist deciduous forest.
The Fauna
Wild animals like the Leopards, Bison, Wild Boar, Black Buck, Barking Deer, and Spotted Deers are in huge number. You also get to see the hefty elephants moving between the Eastern and Western Ghats.
Scary, wild, vibrant animals like the Tigers, Panthers, and Lions are found here. You also get to see variety of birds in Bannerghatta National Park. The Lion Safari or the Tiger Safari in this Park will add more fun to your hang out. Additional to these is the Grand Safari that includes watching both herbivores and carnivores species. Forest Department of India has acknowledged for the Tiger Reserve of Bannerghatta Park.
Take rest under the shades of the Zoological Garden or check out the crocodile collections in the Park. If you are interested then take a look at the snake park that lets you watch some deadly creatures of country.
Tourist Places in Bannerghatta
Some of the interests in the region of Bannerghatta are mentioned below:
- Bannerghatta National Park
- Butterfly Park
- Sri Champakadama Swamy Temple
An aquarium center is also proposed within the vicinity of Bannerghatta Biological Park. The zoo is home to plenty of animals, birds and reptiles
The Suvarnamukhi stream flowing through the park begins all the way from Suvarnamukhi Hills.
A temple by the name Champaka Dhama Swamy temple was built at the time of the Hoysala era at the base of the rock. The temple has an idol of Lord Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi. 2 Km from this temple is the Suvarnamukhi pond considered to have healing powers
The entry fee to the Zoo is Rs. 60 per day. An additional fee is charged based on a tourist requirement. Some of the offerings based on which fees are charged are:
- Safari in department jeep
- Guide
- Nature walk
- Photo Shoot
- Video Capturing
- Elephant ride
- Butterfly Park
Some other places of interest with beautiful natural landscapes near Bannerghatta are mentioned below
- Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace
- Venkatappa Art Gallery and Government Museum
- Vidhan Soudha
- Vikasa Soudha
- Cubbon Park
- Lal Bagh
- Lumbini Gardens
- Wonder La
Means of Commutation to Bannerghatta
Bannerghatta is well connected to the rest of the world via roads, railways, and airways.
The distance of Bannerghatta by road from cities within Karnataka and other cities in neighboring states are mentioned below.
- Coimbatore is located at a distance of 351 km
- Chennai is located at a distance of 377 km
- Mangalore is located at a distance of 402 km
- Kochi is located at a distance of 540 km
- Hyderabad is located at a distance of 594 km
Inter city transportation is facilitated by state run buses, auto rickshaws and taxis.
The Bangalore Railway station at majestic is at a distance of 25 km from Bannerghatta. Most of the trains from other places in India do halt at this station.
Bangalore International Airport connects Bannerghatta place to the rest of the world. The airport is located at a distance of 50 km from Bannerghatta. There are plenty of flights from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata arriving daily at the airport.
Accommodation Options at Bannerghatta
There are plenty of hotels with beautiful interiors and amazing decors in and around Bannerghatta region. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Shreyas Retreat
- Grand Meridien Hotel
- The Tricolour
- Tap Hotels Pvt Ltd
- The Leela Palace
- Adarsh Inn
- Isla Hotel
- Golden Residency Hotel
- Crowne Plaza
- Amar Comforts
- ITC Royal Gardenia
- City Living
- Kamat Yatrinivas Hotel Pvt Ltd.
- Transit Hotel
- Abhishek The Hotel
Reaching Route
By Road: Best option is travel by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses from Bangalore main city.
By Air: Bangalore International Airport is the closest that is just 60 kms far from the destination.
By Rail: The majestic railway station in Bangalore is the nearest one.