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Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary

Area Code: 0423

Mudumalai is the home of about 25 tigers, 700 wild elephants, leopards, panthers, 1,000 gaur (Indian bison), bears, bonnet monkeys, horned antelopes, flying squirrels, hyenas and eagles. As the animals are quite elusive, you will need a combination of luck, patient and a good eye to see anything. There are also reptiles, such as pythons and big monitor lizards, and many species of birds. The park is 320 sq km. The vegetation varies from forest to grassland and swamps. There are over 200 species of birds in the park. You can get a free book, called Birds of Mudumalai, at the WWO office in Ooty.

The best time to come is January to June. It rains very heavy here in October and November. Sometimes the park is closed in April or May because of bushfires.

The headquarters of the park is the village of Theppakadu in the middle of the park. Mudumalai is 60km from Ooty (2½ hr drive) and 100km from Mysore. The bus to Mudumalai usually takes the Sighur Ghat Road, which has beautiful views.

Seeing the Park
You first have to go to the Reception Office (56235), where you can book elephant rides (Rs 150 for 4 people) or a 45-minute bus tour (Rs 25 per person). There is usually a long waiting list. The elephant tour can be booked in advance with the Wildlife Warden in Ooty on Coonoor Rd (very advisable during the high-season). Tours are from 6.30 to 9 am and 4 to 6 pm. Tours usually follow Circle Road, ending at a viewpoint where you get a good view of the 150m high Moyar River Waterfall. On these tours it is unlikely that you will see too much, maybe a peacock or chital (spotted deer). Entry to the park is Rs 5, camera Rs 10, and video camera Rs 500.

There are 45-minute bus tours (Rs 30) that depart at 7 am and 4 pm. You are more likely to see something during the morning tour. The minibus is better than the nosier green truck.

There is an Elephant Camp about 150m from the reception center. At 6 pm, two elephants do puja, ringing a bell with their trunks at the small Ganesh temple, which was built in the 1970s. After offering puja the elephants circle the temple and kneel down before the deity of Ganesh. They are then fed and you can take part in feeding them sugar cane. After the feeding, an English-language film is shown about the park.

There is an Elephant Show on Saturdays and Sundays (Rs 20) at 6 pm. The show consists of elephant races through an obstacle course, elephant dancing and elephant soccer.

The sanctuary used to allow private vehicles, but they are now banned. Headlights are not allowed at night in the park because of the fear of poaching. Many people hire a nighttime jeep to go to the park. The park bans this, and I personally would not do it. Also it is unlikely that you will see anything on a night tour.

It is banned for visitors to stroll around the park by themselves, without a guide. Rangers do not like it and will fine you. Also a tiger may eat you.

Where to Stay and Eat
Most of the hotels have their own restaurant and this is where most people eat. You should book a hotel in advance, especially on a weekend or during the high-season.

Theppakadu
You can book accommodation for places run by the Forest Department at the Wildlife Warden (44098), 1st Floor, Mahalingam Building, Coonoor Rd, Ooty; or with the Wildlife Warden, Kargudi. You are usually only allowed to stay one night in places run by the Forest Department, but sometimes they allow you to stay another day or two.

Forest Department Dormitory, at the reception center, has dorm beds for Rs 30.

Forest Department Log House, around a five-minute walk from the reception center, has three rooms for Rs 125, with a porch to sit on. It is often full.

Forest Department Sylan Lodge, next door overlooking the river, has rooms for Rs 75.
TTDC Youth Hostel, five minutes from the reception center, has dorm beds for Rs 40. It can be noisy at night.

Peacock, 4km west of Theppakaku in Kargudi, has dorm beds and a restaurant.

Hotel Tamil Nadu (56249) has rooms for Rs 500 and dorm beds for Rs 60. It is well located and has the best restaurant in Theppakadu.

Masinagudi and Bokkapuram
Masinagudi is a small village, 7km east of Theppakadu.

Belleview Resort (56351), 1km south of Masinagudi, has rooms for Rs 175/300 and dorm beds for Rs 70.
Hotel Dreamland (56127) has clean rooms with a TV for Rs 250. You can sometimes get a discount.
Travellers Bungalow has rooms for Rs 150/250.
Mountain Rest House (56337), Masinagudi, half a km from the bus stand, has nice cottages for Rs 500. They arrange a jeep tour to some waterfalls (Rs 300), where it is possible to see wildlife.
Chital Walk Lodge (56256), 7km east of Masinagudi, near the turnoff to Valaitotam, has rooms for Rs 700.
There are good places in Bokkapuram, 4km south of Masinagudi. These place usually should be booked in advance with a travel agency in Bangalore or at Seagull Travels in Mysore.
Blue Valley Resorts (56244), Bokkapuram, has comfortable cottages for Rs 900. They have porches with a good view. The restaurant serves Indian and Continental food.
Jungle Hut (56240; fax: same), half a km away, has a pool and comfortable rooms for Rs 1100/1200. They arrange safaris and treks. It has a good restaurant. Recommended.
Monarch Safari Park (56326) has comfortable cottages with bath and TV for Rs 1000/1200. It is in a beautiful, peaceful place.
Bamboo Banks (56222), 1½ km from Masinagudi, is a family-run place with rooms for Rs 950. It has a good restaurant.
Forest Hills Guesthouse (56216) has large, clean rooms for Rs 650/800. It is a friendly place and is a good value.
Jungle Retreat (56470; fax 56469) has double rooms for Rs 1000 and Rs 1200 for a triple. You can camp here with a tent for Rs 200. It has a good outdoor restaurant.

Local Travel
There are buses every couple of hours between Theppakadu and Masinagudi. A taxi or jeep is Rs 60 for the same trip. A shared jeep (every half-hour) is Rs 7. The places in Bokkapuram will normally send a vehicle to pick up guests in Masinagudi. To go between the places in Bokkapuram to Masinagudi by jeep is about Rs 50. It is allowed for people to walk between Theppakadu and Masinagudi (8km).

Travel
Theppakadu is on the bus route between Mysore and Ooty. There are buses from Ooty (1½ to 2½ hr), Bangalore, Mysore and Hassan to Theppakadu. The buses from Ooty come by the Sighur Ghat road (1½ hr), which is a tough ride with good views, or via Gudalur (2½ hr).
From Ooty to Masinagudi by jeep is about Rs 500.

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