Kabini Nagarhole National Park Itinerary - Travel Like We Do

Planning a trip to Kabini? All you need to know to visit Nagarhole National Park is covered in this post so read on. We visited Kabini March, 2019, so all we know wil be listed here to help you plan your trip.

Best time to visit Kabini?

Nagarhole National Park is one of those parks in India which is open throughout the year. The best time would be summer months(April to May) with increasing heat the wild cats are more prone to come out near the watering holes, but it will be difficult for you in the safari. The most pleasant season for safari will be winter months ( November to February). During monsoon the safaris are open but you can't reach all the zones due to heave rain fall in this area.

How to reach Nagarhole National Park?

Nagarhole National Park is spread across two states of India, Karnataka and Kerala. We visited Kabini, Karnata side of the park. The nearest airport from Kabini is Mysore Airpot. You can fly in from any major cities from India to Mysore. The second best option is flying to Bengaluru airport and take an Air conditioned bus to Mysore. From mysore either you take government buses to Kabini or hire a car that will cost you roughly 2k rupees.

We have taken bus from Mumbai to reach to Mysore. It took us almost 19hrs to reach Mysore whereas the bus claimed it will take only 17hrs. You can book the bus from redbus.in, a return ticket costs 3200 rupees without discount.

Where to stay in Kabini?

There are plenty of options to stay near or around Kabini. There are luxury resorts like Orange County, Serai and Bison to name a few popular ones. We will suggest to stay in Government run safari lodge because we stayed there and they are one of the affordable options. You can book Kabini River lodge from here, offers discount on online weekday bookings. Kabini River Lodge price is inclusive of the stay, safari and all meals. Also all the safaris starts from here and all the hotel folks needs to come down to this hotel for the safari.

Safari Timings and Details in Nagarhole National Park

Book your stay with Kabini River lodges then your safaris are included along with your stay (except Dorm room stay). You get one jeep safari and one boat safari. If you are booking Dorm stay then you are allowed only one safari in a bus. If you are staying in any other resort then you can use the link here to book your safari with them prior.

Safari costs 1300p.p in cantor/bus all inclusive. Camera charges are extra. Safari timings are 6.00 AM in the morning and 3.00 PM in the evening.

Itinerary for Kabini

If you are planning a trip to Kabini you have to plan for at least 2 nights, i.e. total 4 safaris. As Indian safaris are only for 3 hrs max at one go, the ideal way will be going for 4-6 safaris. This gives you maximum chances of spotting a wild cat mainly tigers.

If you are booking your stay in Kabini River Lodge, then 2 safaris will be available for per night bookings. One boat and one Jeep safari, boat safaris are pleasant experience but chances of spotting a wild cat is lesser. If you want you can request the forest ranger for both jeep safaris, then your request will be addressed based on availability.

I will highly recommend book 2 nights stay in Kabini River Lodge. The lodge will take care of your food, safari and comfortable stay. If you have any more question, please leave a comment below will be happy to help.

Things to pack for Kabini

No bright colour clothing, colours like khaki, beige, green and olive works. Caps or Hats Sunglasses for afternoon safari. Binoculars Camera & Zoom lens (can get a rental from lensowl in front of the park) Non-perfumed sunscreen No Body spray or Perfumes during the safari Jacket for morning safaris specially during winter months. Comfortable shoes More Reads on Wildlife:Shark diving in South Africa