I mentioned in a previous post that there are plenty of day trip options from Mysore. My favourite activities are usually animal related, but only when I can observe them in their natural habitat. The Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary offers this option and it’s only half an hour away from Mysore.

What to See?

The Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary is the largest of its kind in the state of Karnataka. It’s three kilometers away from the historic town of Srirangapatna (which I will also mention in a future post) and sixteen kilometers north of Mysore.

A total of 170 bird species have been spotted here. However, only a few of these species are regular guests here. Most notably: the painted stork, the spoonbill, stork-billed kingfisher, the egret, the cormorant, the spot-billed pelican. If you’re into bird spotting, you should check the full list on Wikipedia. I have guessed which species I have seen and I’ve added the caption below the photos, please correct me if I’m wrong.

There are also plenty of other animals like macaques, otters and flying foxes.

I saw many of the latter, but what I saw most were crocodiles. I had read about the presence of crocodiles beforehand, but I thought that chances of spotting them would be slim. It wasn’t. The first thing we saw was a pelican disappearing under the water. It gave us a bit of an inkling that crocodiles are prevalent. It’s incredibly easy to see them swimming and lounging in the sun from the tiny boats.

When to Go?

The best seasons for visiting the park are from November to June, because that’s when the water birds nest. The best time to watch migratory birds is usually in December. I was there in March and I didn’t have any difficulty spotting birds.

What to do?

The best way to explore the park is on foot, but it’s easier to spot the birds (and crocodiles) from the “guided” boat tours. These can be booked upon arrival. We did a boat trip of around an hour, which was long enough and fun.

Practical Info (2019)
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Opening Times
09:00 am – 06:00 pm
Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Boating Charges
Indian National Rs. 50 &  Foreign Tourist Rs. 200