Mudumalai National Park

Mudumalai covers around three hundred and twenty square kilometres on the Tamil Nadu side of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, contiguous with Bandipur, Wayanad and Nagarhole, and its position at the junction of three states makes the block collectively the largest protected Asian elephant habitat in South Asia. Vegetation ranges from dry thorn to moist deciduous forest across the reserve. Tiger, leopard, dhole, gaur, sambar and a long bird list are present. Safaris are in park buses on a set route, with jeep safaris available through some lodges. The highway through the park closes to traffic overnight.

History

The name joins the Tamil mudhu, "old" or "ancient", and malai, "hill", and the name Mudumalai forest was already in use when the British rented the forest for logging from the Raja of Neelambur in 1857. In 1914 large tracts of the Sigur Plateau were declared reserve forest for logging, in 1940 about 60 km2 became the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, and it was enlarged in 1977 and included in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986 (Wikipedia, Mudumalai National Park).

Highlights

• The elephant herds - part of the largest protected population in South Asia.
• The vegetation gradient - thorn to moist deciduous across the reserve.
• The park bus safari - a fixed route through the tourist zone.
• The night closure - the highway shut through the park after dark.

When to go

October to May; sightings improve from March as water concentrates. Fire risk closes parts of the reserve in the driest weeks. Safaris run twice daily and slots are limited.

Good to know

Safaris are mostly in shared buses on a short fixed route, which disappoints those expecting jeep access. Tiger sightings are uncommon. Private vehicles cannot enter the core.

Nearby

Ooty lies south; Bandipur is north across the state line.

Key facts