Situated about 65 km from Mysore city in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park is a part of a larger continuos wildlife reserve that engulfs the Mudumalai sanctuary (Tamil Nadu), the Wayanad sanctuary (Kerala), and the Nagarhole National Park (Karanataka). The park was established in 1974 with an area of 87400 hectares. This park is a tiger reserve.

The terrain is undulating and broken by chain of hills, hillocks and watercourses. The annual temperature varies from 21° C to 33° C, the maximum being in June. The habitat comprises of scrubs, tropical dry deciduous forests and moist mixed deciduous forests.

The fauna comprises of langur, bonnet macaque, tiger, leopard, wild dog, jungle cat, sloth bear, striped hyena, jackal, elephant, mouse deer, muntjac, spotted deer, gaur, etc. The reptiles include mugger crocodile and python. The presence of about 180 species of birds is recorded.

Bandipur National Park can be reached by road and the nearest railway station is Mysore. The nearest town is Gundurpet about 20 km from the park. The best time to visit the park is October-May. Accomodation could be arranged in forest lodges, cottages and forest rest houses.