8 Best Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks in Telangana

At a distance of 50 Kms from Warangal and 130 Kms from Hyderabad, Phakal Lake is constructed by Ganapathi Deva in 1213 AD by harnessing a small tributary of the Krishna River. This lake is spread over an area of 30 Sq. Kms. This is an ideal weekend getaway around Hyderabad

Adjacent to the lake, Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 839 sq. kms. The sanctuary presents a beautiful landscape with a dense and a rich store of animals. it is indeed a delight for the tourists to see so many animals amidst a wonderful backdrop.

One can spot a tiger or a leopard or a bear and one can find a herd of deer roaming about freely in the wild. The sanctuary is also harboring Marmals like panthers, hyensa, wolf, wild dogs, jackals, sloth bear, nilgal, porcupine, langoor, Reptiles like python, cobra, common krait, monitor lizard and Crocodiles.

This place is connected by direct buses from Warangal.

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At a distance of 5 km from Pocharam village, 16 km from Medak and 109 km from Hyderabad, Pocharam Dam & Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in Medak district of Telangana. This is an ideal tourist place to visit from Hyderabad and spend few hours.

Pocharam Dam and Wildlife Sanctuary is spread over 130 sq km. It was a former hunting ground of the Nizams of Hyderabad. Established in the year 1952, the sanctuary gets its name from the Pocharam Lake formed after the construction of Pocharam Dam on Alair river, a tributary of Manjira River.

The check dam is wonderful site with water flowing freely throughout the monsoon. This is a nice place to relax and play in the water.

The sanctuary is the homeland of various species of animals and birds. Panther, Sloth Bear, Wild Boar, Cheetal, Sambar, Nilgai, Chowsingha, Chinkara, Hyena and Jackal are the main attractions of the sanctuary. The river Manjira is the main river that adds life to the jungle. Crocodile, fresh water turtles, Cobra and Marsh can be located in this sanctuary.

The flora of the sanctuary make the sanctuary livelier with green vegetation like Babul prosopis, Pistia, Hydrilla, Eichornia and Vallisneria. Nine small islands in the middle of the reservoir are the main breeding areas for birds, crocodiles and turtles. Birds like Painted Storks, herons, Coots, Teals, Cormorants, Pochards, ...

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At a distance of 63 km from Ramappa Temple, and 109 km from Warangal, Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary is a reserved forest situated near Eturnagaram in the Mulugu district of Telangana, India. It is one of the oldest sanctuaries in South India, and among the best places to visit near Hyderabad for wildlife lovers.

Eturnagaram was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1952 by Hyderabad Nizam Government. The sanctuary is located near the border of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Telangana. The famous Sammakka-Saralamma Temple is situated inside the sanctuary. This sanctuary is spread over an area of around 806 sq. km.

Eturnagaram Sanctuary has a water source called Dayyam Vagu, which separates the sanctuary into two parts. This sanctuary provides shelter to Tiger, Leopard, Panther, Wolf, Wild Dogs, Jackals Sloth Bear, Chousingha, Black Buck, Nilgai, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Four Horned Antilope, Chinkara, Black Buck, Gaur, and Giant Squirrels. The sanctuary is also home to a wide range of bird species.

Jampannavagu, a tributary to Godavari River which flows through Medaram, merges with the River Godavari near Eturunagaram village. The wide & pleasant Godavari River amidst thick forest is a delight to watch in peak monsoon season.

There are no organized tours and safaris available in the sanctuary. Visitors can hire a Jeep and explore the forest with permission from Eturunagaram Forest Officer (Ph: 08717-231240).

Accommodation options are available at ...

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At a distance of 11.5 km from Palvoncha, 40 km from Bhadrachalam, 102 km from Khammam and 297 km from Hyderabad, Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary is situated around Kinnerasani Dam in Khammam district of Telangana.

Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary is situated on the right bank of Godavari River and also it is part of Dandakaranya Forest. The sanctuary is named after the River Kinnerasani. This river divides the sanctuary and meets Godavari.

The wildlife sanctuary is spread over an area of 635.4 sq km with the picturesque Kinnerasani Lake and densely forested islands in the middle of the sanctuary. The sanctuary is the home for many animals like Cheetal, Chinkara, Chousinghas, Sambar, Wild Boars, Gaurs, Hyena, Jackals, Panthers, Sloth Bear, Tigers and Black Bucks. The varieties of birds like Peafowl, Jungle Fowl, Quails, Partridges, Teals, Nuktas, Spoonbills and Doves are the common birds in the sanctuary.

The sanctuary represents dry deciduous mixed type forests with teak, bamboo and terminals. Other species found here are Maddi, Yepi, Yegissa, Sommi Thandra, Bandaru, Amla, Mango and Tendu. The main attractions of the sanctuary are the Deer Park, Kinnerasani Dam and Reservoir.

Another attraction of Kinnerasani is the glass house built by Singareni colories. The glass house was blasted by Naxals earlier and the efforts are on to renovate & reopen it. Eco Park which is located near the dam can be enjoyed ...

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At a distance of 25 km from Nampally Railway Station & 11.5 km from Golconda Fort, the Mrugavani National Park is spread over 700 acres of area.

Situated near Himayatsagar lake in Chilkur, this park is established in 1994. Wildlife population includes sambar, deer, chital, wild boar, porcupine, hare, forest cat, civet cat and mongoose. Bird species include peacocks, warblers, babblers, flower peckers, partridges, lapwings, ducks, curlews and quails. Python, cobra, rat snakes, Russell's viper and monitor lizard are a few reptiles found. The park harbors over 600 plant species ranging from bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Climbers, Herbs, Shrubs and Trees. Prominent trees are Teak, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Neem, Bamboo, etc.

The park has a high view point and a watch tower to watch the animals at close quarters. Snake shows are conducted for tourists. The park houses an environmental education center with an auditorium, a well-stocked library and a museum with wildlife exhibits.

Safari is also organized into the core forest area of the park.

Timings: 9 AM to 5 PM. Closed on Mondays.

Entry Fee: Rs 10 per Adult, Rs. 5 per Child and Rs. 20 per head for Safari.

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At a distance of 8 kms from Nampally Railway Station, the KBR National Park is located near Jubilee Hill check post in the heart of Hyderabad City.

Named after the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh late Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, it covers an area of 156 hectares. It was established in 1994 to safeguard the biodiversity and richness of the area. The fauna comprises around 113 species of birds, 20 species of reptiles, 15 species of butterflies, 20 species of mammals and numerous invertebrates. It houses the stately Chiran palace of the former Nizam of Hyderabad. The park has nearly 600 species of trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs, grasses, besides several pteridophytes, bryophytes and xerophytes.

The park was renovated in 2001/2002 to create a closed walkway around the park. The diameter of the walkway is around 5 Kms and several famous personalities of Hyderabad including film stars visit this park for walking/jogging.

Timings: Park - 6 AM to 6 PM. Walkway - 5 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 9 PM.

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At a distance of 15 kms from Nampally Railway Station, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park is situated in Vanasthalipuram on NH9 towards Vijayawada.

Named after the holy Jain saint 'Lord Mahavira', it was established in 1975 on 2500th birth anniversary of the saint. This sanctuary was once the exciting 'Shikargarh' or hunting ground of one of the Nizam rulers. It has now been converted into a protected national park. The park is in full bloom during monsoons when beautiful flowers of different colors blossom all around. This Park is home to the endangered Black Buck deer. An estimated 400 deer roam around the National Park fearlessly. The animals in the park are of a wide variety. Black bucks, porcupines, water monitors, short toed eagles, Indian herons, egrets, kingfishers, cormorants and myriad species of birds.

The forest department also organizes a mini van safari into the forest (duration is 15 minutes) which offers excellent opportunity to watch wildlife from close proximity. There are plenty of deers on the safari track found in groups. The van usually stops for few minutes inside the forest to allow all visitors get a glimpse of the wild animals. There are several peacocks freely roaming in the park.

The park premises also has a beautiful butterfly park which attracts varieties of butterfly species. The butterfly park is situated towards northern end of the complex. Apart from this, the park premises also has a wildlife museum with life size images ...

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At a distance of 7 km from Nampally Railway Station & 4 km from Charminar, Nehru Zoological Park located in Bhadurpura is one of the most popular places to visit in Hyderabad and one of the biggest zoological parks in the country. It is visited by large number of family tourists, especially in the summer season.

Established in 1959, it is spread across 300 acres of lush green land. It houses over 1500 species of animals and birds. The park comprises a Natural History Museum, a Lion Safari Park and a children-s train. The Mir Alam Tank is with in the zoo park premise and boating facility is available here. Many species of birds like pelicans, peacock, dove, love birds, parakeets, pied horn bills, grey horn bills and manias, finches and buntings are found here.

Timings: 8 AM to 5:30 PM. Closed on Mondays & Public holidays.
Entry Fee: Rs.30 for Adults, Rs.15 for Child, Rs.20 for Camera, Rs.100 for Video
Battery Operated Vehicle: Rs. 50 for Adults & Rs. 30 for Child
Safari: Rs.40 for Adults & Rs.10 for Children

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