Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

Location :Andhra Pradesh
Coverage area : 357 sq km
Main attraction : Asian elephants
Best time to visit :October to March
Nearby excursions :
Nearby cities :Bangalore

Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is the ultimate place for the ones who want a refreshing summer weekend outing amidst nature at its best. Koundinya is nature?s blessings in the form of wildlife and greeneries that adds to the natural beauties of the location. It is the only sanctuary in

Andhra Pradesh that has a widely inhabited by Asian elephants that migrated back to this region after 200 years.

The sanctuary was established in 1990 to preserve the elephants in the area where the Deccan Plateau ends and slopes down to the plains making an array of valleys and cliffs.

Location of Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary is situated at Andhra Pradesh and the only one with Asian elephants. The exact location of the elephant reserve lies at the Deccan Plateau meeting the plains of Tamil Nadu in the most picturesque way. The tranquility offered by the deep valleys and clear waters of the Kaindinya and Kaigal tributaries of Palar River makes the reserve an ideal place to make the best of your weekend to relax your body and soul both.Spread over an area of 357 sq km, Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is a must visit for its sky-high hills, beautiful grasslands, dense forests and Asian elephants mainly.

Climatic conditions

The region enjoys a southern tropical dry deciduous climate that accounts for its soothing and pleasant climate throughout the year. However, the summers are hot around the region, though cooler inside the sanctuary.

Best time to visitKoundinya Wildlife Sanctuary

Though the climate of the region is favorable for travelers to visit throughout, the months from October to March is best to discover the natural beauty of the place.

Animals that inhabit the sanctuary

The Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is the most popular for the Asian elephants that are found in huge number in the reserve. These elephants have been residing in the area for decades. The other animals that flock around the place are wild boar, sloth bear, cheetal, slender loris, chowsingha, sambar, tortoise, porcupine, jungle cat, jungle fowl, jackal, starred tortoise, panther to name a few. One of the main attractions is the yellow-throated bulbul.

Embracing a rich ecological heritage and a heavenly landscape ranging from cliffs to plateaus and finally jumping off to plains, it gives rise to a variety of flora. The southern tropical dry deciduous climate results in thorn forests including species like Accacias, Lagerstroema, Bamboo Albizzias, Ficus to name a few.

Distance of Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary from major cities:

Chittoor , 50 km
Bangalore ,120 km

How to reach the National park ?

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Airways

The nearest airports are Bangalore and Tirupathi at a distance of 120 km and 143.5 km respectively.

Railways

The nearest railway station is Bangalore and it takes 7 hours from there to reach the reserve by hiring a cab or accessing public transport.

Roadways

The Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary is accessible from Chittoor and Bangalore at 120 km and 50 km respectively. One can avail the public or private transports as per their requirements.

Accommodation facilities

There are several hotels, lodges and forest guesthouse at Palamaner, Madanapalli and Horseley Hills.

Things to do

Waterfalls and rivers

Explore the extreme corners of the reserve that include KalyanRevu Waterfall, Kaigal Falls, Palar River and several other water bodies that add to the beauty of the surroundings.

Rugged and squashy terrains

The presence of hills, rugged terrains and squashy meadows are the main attractions for the trekkers and campers who flock here every year to enjoy nature at its closest.

Safari

Elephant and jeep safaris are common here ? while the former is a lifetime experience, the latter gives ultimate thrilling experience. It is indeed educational as well to track elephants during jeep safaris. It is a must to take permission from the sanctuary authorities before opting for safaris.

Temples and religious places

Not only the sanctuary, but the religious places like the beautiful Sripuram golden temple, the mysterious caves of Antharagange, Jalakandeswarar Temple, Horsley Hills, Swamimalai Hills and the Tada falls are equally popular and much traveled by the tourists during the visit to the reserve. The places are famous for their plantations as well as make a scenic beauty for picnic spot.

Photographers paradise

The beauty of the surrounding, displaying every possible demographic variation ranging from water bodies to cliffs to plateau and plains, it makes a beautiful portrait and hence a paradise for the photography freaks.

Conclusion

Visit the Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary if you are looking for a weekend gateway and an escape from busy schedule amid the serene beauty of nature.