For a walk on the wild side, look no further than the southern outskirts of Bangalore city, where you can find everything from avifauna to panthers in the Bannerghatta National Park. The 25,000 acre park is home to panthers, lions, tigers and a large variety of birds. Indulge your sense of adventure with a lion and tiger safari. You could also wander through the Zoological Garden, with its canopy of shady and sturdy trees, find a quiet resting spot beside a pond and watch waterfowl frolic. The zoo boasts an amazing reptile collection; a snake park lets you get up close and personal with the scaly, slithery creatures. A children’s corner provides an added attraction. Trekking enthusiasts will enjoy Uddigebande (3.5 kms.) a natural rock formation called Hajjamana Kallu (3 kms.) and Mirza Hill (1.5 kms.)

Best Season: Year-round Location and Area: 22 kms. south of Bangalore; 104.27 sq. kms.

Flora and Fauna:
Dry deciduous forests and thorny scrub, with patches of moist deciduous forests along the streams.

Mammals:
They include the elephant, gaur, leopard, jackal, fox, wild pig, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, common langur, bonnet macaque, porcupine and the hare. The tourist area in the north of the Park has a lion and tiger safari, a herbivore safari, a mini zoo, a reptile park, a mini aviary and a museum.