Mudumalai or the ‘ancient hill ranges’ are charming forested regions snuggled against the foothills of Nilgiri hills of the Western Ghats. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve established in 1986 straddles a united ecoconservation programme between the three neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. The regions that abound with Asian elephants and Royal Bengal Tigers have been declared Tiger Reserves, in a bid to conserve the endangered wild life of the country.

Mudumalai National Park and Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu was founded in the year 1940. The Park has dense forested covers as well as open jungles, habitat to several carnivores like tigers, leopards, wild dogs, jungle cats and hyenas as well as elephants, deer, Indian Gaur and more than 260 species of native and migratory birds as also varieties of reptiles and insects.

Tourism in Mudumalai National Park is a meeting with nature. The Park has some of the most beautiful diverse landscapes and it’s quite stimulating to watch the inhabitants of the forest in their natural haunt. If you would love to visit Mudumalai National Park and Tiger Reserve, our travel guide will help you plan a great trip. 

Mudumalai National Park has easy access by road from cities and towns close by. The easiest way to reach Mudumalai would be by air from Coimbatore, and the other alternative would be a trip by train to Mysore and by road to Mudumalai from thereon.

By Air:

The nearest airport is in Coimbatore that serves domestic flights to most cities of India and international flights to Colombo, Sharjah and Singapore. Get a cab from the airport to Mudumalai.

By Train:

The closest is the railhead at Mysore. Mysore has quite a number of trains that serve cities across the country. You could travel by train to Mysore and hire a cab to Mudumalai.

By Road:

Mudumalai has buses running in from places like Ooty, Gudalur and Coimbatore. You could travel by bus to Mudumalai or drive your own car via Ooty or Mysore, as the National Park lies midway between these two places.

Getting Around:

Private vehicles are not allowed into the buffer zone. Tourists park their vehicles outside the reception centre and travel through the National Park on a guided safari. But you could find a vehicle useful for getting around to the other places of tourist interest in the neighbourhood. 

Seasons are normally not extreme in Mudumalai. Every season has its own reward if you are planning to watch wild life. You could choose to visit Mudumalai any season, but the ideal time is said to be from November to June.

Summer (March – May):

Summers are hot, but it is a good time to watch the birds and the larger animals gather at the streams for a drink. There might be occasional pre-monsoon rains, which cheer up the ambience. This is a good time to visit Mudumalai.

Monsoon (June – November):

Monsoon rains are not heavy. You could spot a number of birds and elephants among the bamboo clumps at this time. But safari trips may get cancelled due to rains and that makes monsoon an off season time to visit Mudumalai.

Winter (December – February):

Winters are really pleasant, cool at nights and warm during the day. You will get to spot migrating birds and larger animals that amble out in search of food. The season is dry and you will have a good time exploring the forest and the towns and hamlets in the vicinity.

Kalhatty Falls:

You could trek or drive to the Kalhatty Waterfalls near Ooty, for an impressive sight of the cascade and what's more, to spot the Indian Gaur, leopards and deer that come to drink water at the pool that forms at the bottom of the waterfalls.

Moyar River:

Moyar River, a tributary of the Bhavani River flows around 7 km away from Masinagudi, dividing Mudumalai and Bandipur National Parks. The river side is a cool place to watch for the birds and animals. The Moyar River bank is ideal for a photo shoot.

Frog Hill:

About 8 km from Gudalur is the Frog Hill View Point. From the view point, you find a slope of a hill on the opposite end that is shaped like a seated frog. Frog Hill View Point is one of the most interesting tourist attractions near Mudumalai, for the ambience further promises lush green undulating hilly regions, a great weather and plenty of opportunities for photo shoots.

Wenlock Downs:

Grassy meadows, rippling streams and patches of scrubland, this expanse of nature is a beautiful place you might want to visit for a weekend getaway, if you would like to couple it with a picnic hamper and a hike down the undulating verdant slopes. A hunting ground during colonial period, the Wenlock Downs has a sheep farm and the Gymkhana Club in its environs. Wenlock Downs is near Ooty, about 45 km from Mudumalai.

Srimadurai:

Srimadurai is a tiny hamlet in Gudalur. There are several ancient temples, albeit small ones, in Srimadurai, like the Vishnu Temple and the Kallingara Shiva Temple. Srimadurai is about 25 km from Mudumalai.

Ombetta Vayal:

These are swampy vayals or paddy fields located between Mudumalai Game Hut and Upper Kargudi. There are also several perennial streams and artificial waterholes where you would find big game and plenty of elephants, deer, wild boar and bison. 

Mudumalai is not a shopping hub, but is connected to the arterial roads that lead away to cities and towns like Ooty, Wayanad and Mysore. As you might probably be calling on more touristy places around Mudumalai you could always keep your eyes open for wild forest honey, chocolates, cheese, nuts and spices, woollens in and around Ooty and silk, handicrafts, sandalwood oil and perfumes in Mysore.

Check out the crusty and crunch Varkeys of Ooty, a delectable cookie that tastes great eaten plain or soaked in a cup of hot tea. If you are visiting Mysore enroute to Mudumalai, there are constant supplies of lip smacking delicious dishes that have assumed the nametag of Mysore. Do try out the piping hot Mysore Bonda along with a cup of coffee, a paper cone of churmuri at the street push carts or the Mysore Masala Dosa and Mysore Mallige Idli and finish off with a melt in the mouth Mysore Pak as dessert.