Mudumalai National Park and Tiger Reserve, at the base of the lush Nilgiri Hills in the Western Ghats is home to the elusive Bengal Tigers, elephants and a plethora of smaller mammals and carnivores. The Moyar River that meanders its way through the jungle provides a habitat to several species of smaller migratory birds, particularly plenty of peacocks.

Mudumalai has an interesting landscape- there are undulating slopes and valleys of dense deciduous forests on the one side and swampy grasslands and dry thorn lands on the other, so you find denizens of diverse types of forest ranges and the Royal Bengal tigers, if you are lucky! Mudumalai National Park shares its space with the Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks of Karnataka and the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary of Kerala, and makes up the best protected Reserve for the endangered tigers of India.

We will give you a list of some of the tourist places you can visit in Mudumalai and in its vicinity

Mudumalai National Park’s diverse eco system is a spectacular scenery of virgin nature and a drive along the buffer zones inside the forest is lovely. Some of the most common animals you would spot are leopards, deer, chital, Golden Jackals, Striped Hyenas, dholes and elephants and gaur in the dense clumps of bamboo that grow abundantly along the stream beds and Langurs, Macaque monkeys and Red Giant Flying Squirrels on the trees. And there are about 266 species of birds that make Mudumalai their habitat! You find plenty of feathered creatures in the deciduous parts of the forest that shed their leaves in summer and burst into soft blooms and fruits once monsoon arrives.

This is an amazing view point that gives a 360 degree view of the mountain peaks and the fluffy clouds at close quarters and the fertile dales beneath your feet. It’s very windy and cool up there at the cone shaped view point that can be reached from a 3 km trek up the track from the entrance where tickets will have to be purchased. Take along your camera and a pair of binoculars, for this is one of the most beautiful natural locations in the region.

The Needle Rock View Point is about 8 km from Gudalur, as you drive through the Gudalur to Ooty Highway. The View Point is about 13 km from Mudumalai National Park.

A shrine to the tribal god Betarayasvami, the 1700 year old temple is a sacred pilgrimage centre of the Todas and Mandadan Chettis. At an elevation of about 3500 ft above msl, the temple is located in a lush and fertile region, wherefrom one can see the Nilgiri Mountains at the backdrop and the Pykara River as it flows at a distance. The Nambalakottai Temple is in Kiloor Road, about 4 km from Gudalur and 3 km from Mudumalai National Park.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta at an elevation of 1450 m, is the highest peak in the Bandipur National Park. There is a road that ascends the hill, but private vehicles are not allowed up and you will have to board a local bus that drives uphill from the bus stop at the foothills. Built by the Chola King Ballala in 1315 AD and maintained by the Wodeyar Kings who came later, the Gopalaswamy Temple for Krishna is a peaceful place for a visit.

Himavad Gopalaswamy Betta is located in the Gundlupet Taluk of Karnataka and is about 31 km from Mudumalai National Park.

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is an extension of the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve on the side of Wayanad in Kerala. Declared as a Project Elephant Site, you find plenty of elephants, Royal Bengal Tigers and a profusion of birds, smaller mammals, insects and butterflies. Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary is about 69 km from Mudumalai via Sulthan Bathery road.

The Genepool Garden that was established by the Research section of the Forest Department functions with the aim of conserving tropical endangered plants and also providing an economic livelihood to the tribals of that region. Renovation work has been done to set up a touristy garden with fern and orchid gardens, an interpretation centre and a herbal plant garden. The Tropical Genepool Garden is also a rich wildlife zone with carnivores, elephants and deer having made the area their habitat.

The Genepool Garden is in Nadugani, on the way to Ooty from Kerala through Gudalur; and is about 39 km from Mudumalai National Park.

Grab your camera and head to this beautiful dam, which looks such a charmer with pristine waters that are fringed by lush greenery. It’s a favourite watering hole for the wild animals, and you might spot a tiger, deer or a herd of elephants at the water’s side. Sunrise is the best time to visit the location for a brilliant photo shoot. There is a watch tower you can climb up for a nicer view of the landscape and the animals. Maravakandy Dam is near Masinagudi and is about 14 km from Mudumalai National Park on the Ooty – Mysore road.

Bokkapuram Mariamma Temple is one of the most renowned sacred places of Masinagudi. The temple is at the base of the Nilgiri hills and is surrounded by the forest, the hills in the backdrop and an overall lush landscape. The Mariamman annual festival is held in February and hundreds of pilgrims from across Kerala and Karnataka as well visit the temple. The place is quiet and serene, broken only by the chirping of birds.

Bokkapuram Mariamman Temple is at Solur on the Ooty – Mysore Road, about 35 km from Mudumalai National Park.