8 Best National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries near Chennai

At a distance of 56 km from Nagapattinam, 115 km from Thanjavur, & 354 km from Chennai, Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary is a coastal island sanctuary situated near Vedaranyam in the Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu. Also known as Kodikkarai Wildlife Sanctuary, it is one of the famous places of wildlife in Tamilnadu, and among the major Thanjavur tourist places to visit.

Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary is a 21.47 sq. km protected area situated along the Palk Strait where it meets the Bay of Bengal at Point Calimere. The sanctuary was created in 1967 for the conservation of the least concerned blackbuck antelope, an endemic mammal species of India. The 7 sq. km core area of this sanctuary has been proposed as a National Park. It is one of the must-visit places for wildlife enthusiasts as part of their Thanjavur tour packages.

Surrounded by the sea and mesmerizing beaches, this sanctuary is famous for large congregations of waterbirds, especially greater flamingos, which arrive here every winter. The park is also home to wildlife like chital, wild boar, bonnet macaque, blackbuck, terns, spotted deer, monitor lizards, lesser short-nosed fruit bats, the small Indian civet, and the Indian star tortoise. Dolphins and turtles can also be observed near the shore. The December 2004 ...

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At a distance of 38 km from Chennai Central Railway Station, Arignar Anna Zoological Park is a zoo park located at Vandalur in Chennai city of Tamil Nadu. Also known as Vandalur Zoo, it is one of the finest zoos in India, and among the best places to visit as part of Chennai Tour.

Established in 1855, Arignar Anna Zoological Park is the first public zoo in India, and is said to be one of the biggest in South East Asia. It is shifted to the current location of Vandalur reserved forests in the year 1979 and officially opened to the public in 1985. It is affiliated with the Central Zoo Authority of India. It is one of the popular Chennai tourist places.

Spread over an area of 602 hectares (1,490 acres), the zoo houses 2,553 species of flora and fauna. As of 2012 the park houses around 1,500 wild species, including 46 endangered species, in its 160 enclosures. One can spot a tiger, panther, wolf, deer, elephants, and other animals here. The park has a special free-range zone where animals can freely roam in peace. There are two sanctuary aviaries (with a walk-though aviary), a butterfly house, a reptile house, an amphibian house, a primate house, a crocodile enclosure, and the shark-shaped aquarium.

The park, with an objective to be a repository of the state's fauna, is credited with being the second wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu ...

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At a distance of 53 km from Mahabalipuram, and 89 km from Chennai, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a protected sanctuary situated at Vedanthangal near Mahabalipuram. It is one of the oldest water bird sanctuaries in India, and among the popular weekend getaways from Chennai.

Vedanthangal literally means 'the hamlet of a hunter' in the local Tamil language. It was so named as being a famous hunting grounds for the local landlords during the 18th century. Realizing this ornithological importance of the region, the British government declared it as a bird sanctuary in the year 1798, making it the oldest of its kind in the country. And, among the most popular places to visit near Mahabalipuram.

Covering a total area of 30 hectares, the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is a popular migratory home for around 40,000 different species of birds from all over the world. This region seems to have attracted birds because it has several small lakes that became convenient feeding grounds for the birds.

The sanctuary is a haven for bird watchers and wildlife photographers. The Barringtonia mangroves, the rich floating habitat, extensive paddy field, and those mighty flying creatures make the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary a beautiful setting to escape to the crowd and noise of busy city life ...

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At a distance of 27 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Amirthi Zoological Park is situated under the Javadu hills of Tellai across Amirthi River. Established in 1967, the zoo park occupies an area of 25 hectares. It is named after the Amirthi River which flows next to the park.

This park is popular for its waterfalls, swing and animal habitats. Half of this jungle is cleared to serve as a tourist spot while the other half is developed as a wildlife sanctuary. One km trek in the park leads to a full view of Amirthi falls, a small cascading seasonal falls. Visitors can play and swim in the pool formed by the falls here in monsoons.

Animals in the park include spotted deer, mongoose, hedgehog, foxes, reason monkeys, red headed parrots, love birds, tortoises, peacock, crocodiles, wild cats, eagles, ducks, pigeons, wild parrots, rabbits and pythons. Many herbal and medicinal plants can be seen growing in the Park. A meditation hall and rest houses for stay are available at the Park premises. The Park is especially delightful for kids with children play area.

This zoological park has been recognized recently and so the state Government has taken initiative to develop it. Amirthi Zoo can be reached from Vaniyambadi via Kanikkaniyan & Melmoil.

The best time to visit the park is from October to March.

Timings: 8 AM to 5 PM

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At a distance of 3 km from Srirangapatna, and 16 km from Mysore, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is a small sanctuary situated in Srirangapatna, Karnataka. It is one of the must include places in wildlife tours in India and among the must visit Mysore tourist places.

Spread across 67 sq. km, the sanctuary comprises six islets on the banks of the Kaveri River. It was declared in 1940 as a result of many requests from Dr. Salim Ali who surveyed the birds in this area. Since then, the sanctuary has become a paradise for bird watchers. The sanctuary is a breeding ground for many migratory birds from all over the world. It is home to a wide species of birds including cormorants, darters, white ibis, spoon billed storks, open-billed storks, painted storks, white-necked storks, egrets, herons, terns, swallows, kingfishers, sandpiper, etc.

A boat ride takes you to the six islets crowded with many species of birds. The best time to visit the sanctuary is between June & October.

Timings: 9 AM to 5.30 PM

Entry Fee: Rs. 60 for Indians, Rs. 30 for Indian Children, & Rs. 200 for Foreigners

Boating Charges: Rs. 60 for Adults & Rs. 200 for Foreigners

Parking: Rs. 30 for Four wheeler & Rs. 20 for Two wheeler

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At a distance of 60 km Nagajuna Sagar, 30 Kms from Srisailam and 173 km from Hyderabad, the Nagarjuna Sagar - Srisailam Sanctuary (or Srisailam Sanctuary) is the largest tiger reserve in the country, spread across 3568 Sq. Kms. It is spread between Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir & Srisailam reservoir. It was declared a sanctuary in 1973 and was incorporated under Project Tiger a decade later.

Animals that can be found here are the panthers, tigers, spotted deer, mouse deer, black buck, sambars, chousingha nilgai, tree straw, mugger crocodile, and wolfs, sloth beer & wild dogs. Mannanur (104 Kms from Mahbubnagar towards Srisailam), Kandla Kunta (30 Kms from Macherla & 60 Kms from Sagar towards Srisailam), Vatwarla Palle (30 Kms from Srisailm towards Mahbubnagar) are different gateways into the sanctuary.

The Forest department organized a Jeep Safari in the forest (to Farahabad Viewpoint) from the entry point on Hyderabad to Srisailam highway. The entry point is situated between Mannanur and Vatvarlapally, 57 km before Srisailam. The duration of the trip is about 1 hr 30 minutes and costs Rs. 800 per trip (can accommodate 6 people). Private vehicles are not allowed for Safari.

Several places of interest near Srisailam like Malleka Teertham Falls, Saleshwaram & Uma Maheshwaram are acitually situated inside the sanctuary and provide an opportunity to experience the ecology ...

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At a distance of 71 Kms from Mysore, 85 Kms from Bangalore City Junction, Kokkare Bellur Bird Sanctuary is located in Mandya District of Karnataka and is about 20 km from Mandya. The name of the village is derived from Kokkare meaning stork and Bellur meaning village of jaggery. This is one of the popular tourist places near Bangalore & Mysore.

The Mandya district is famous for sugarcane fields and this village is famous for having large colonies of Painted Storks and Spot-billed Pelicans nesting in trees within the village. It is home to cranes, painted storks and pelicans.

The best season to visit the migratory birds is October to March.

Timings: 6 AM to 6 PM

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At a distance of 23 km from Bangalore City Railway Station, Bannerghatta National Park is a wildlife park spread in reserve forests of Anekal Range in Karnataka. At an altitude of 1245 - 1634 m, this one of the most famous wildlife parks in Karnataka and among the top tourist places in Bangalore. This park is part of a wildlife corridor for elephants which connects the BR Hills and the Sathyamangalam forest. Bannerghatta is one of the popular national parks in India and among the must include place in Bangalore packages.

Bannerghatta National Park was founded in 1971 and declared as a national park in 1974. Spread over an area of 25,000 acre and a portion of the park became a biological reserve called the Bannerghatta Biological Park in 2002. The park consists of the main Nature Reserve, a zoo, a children's park, an aquarium, a crocodile park, a museum, a butterfly park, a snake park and a safari park. The forest consists of deciduous trees and thorny scrubs.

This is a very prominent destination that attracts people from different parts of the country. The park is home to tigers, lions, leopards, bison, deer, bears, birds and butterflies. One of the main attractions of this park is lion and tiger safari or Grand Safari. The one-hour long ...

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