Aanamalai Tiger Reserve — Attraction in Tamil Nadu

We visited Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), Topslip between 10th & 11th Dec 2015. One has to drive down from Coimbatore to Topslip ((Coimbatore - Pollachi - Anamalai - Sethumadai – Topslip). The distance of 80 Kms can be covered in about 2.5 ~ 3 hours. Watch out for the right turn at Sethumadai (to teach Topslip). One has to cross the Forest Check Posts at Sethumadai and Topslip. The entry charges are Rs. 20/- per person. Entry charges for Car is Rs. 75/-. Charges for Camera is s. 50/- per camera. Payment for all of these have to be made at Sethumadai Check Post and entry has to be made at Topslip Check Post also. If you have made the payment for the room (with Car + person + camera) at Pollachi Forest Office, then one has to just show the receipt at the Forest Check Posts at Sethumadai and Topslip. One can stay at the accommodation provided by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department i.e. Treetop, Bamboo Hut, Chital house, Bison house etc. We stayed at Bamboo Hut for Rs. 1500/- per day (room charges only). The accommodation is basic and has a double bed. The rooms are fairly clean. However the bathroom & toilet needs better maintenance. The buckets and mugs are so dirty that one does not feel like entering the bath room. Also the bathroom ventilator does not have any wire mesh protection. Hence the bathroom s full of moths. I hope the Forest department takes better care of these aspects. Food can be had only at the canteen operated by a contractor (appointed by Forest department). The food is very basic but decent. ONE HAS TO ORDER IN ADVANCE SO THAT PREPARATION CAN BE DONE ACCORDINGLY. Dosa / Chappati / Omelette / tomato rice were tasty. Forest department operates a mini bus for safari. The bus can seat 25 persons and charges Rs. 120/- per person or Rs. 3000/- has to be borne by the tourists available in case 25 persons are not available. THE BUS SAFARI LASTS FOR ONE HOUR ONLY. The route for the safari is fixed (even if you want to do 2 or 3 safaris). The bus goes from Topslip reception to Kolikamudhi Elephant Camp which is at a distance of 8 Kms from the Reception. THE SAFARI MINIBUS IS OPERATED ONLY BETWEEN 7am to 10 am IN THE MORNING & 3 pm AND 5 pm IN THE AFTERNOON. There are days when the safari does not take place (especially on week days) because they do not have sufficient tourists. We did not go on safari on 10th Dec’2015 evening because only 2 of us were available (and we did not feel that it was worth Rs. 3000/- for 2 persons for a one hour safari) We went on a safari on 11th Dec’2015 morning (sharing by 4 persons including 2 of us). We had to pay Rs.1500/-. We managed to see a snake (Viper), a couple of wild elephants, Serpent Eagle and a few Spotted Deer during one hour safari. During the safari, we stopped over at the Kolikamudhi Elephant Camp which houses 22 elephants. These elephants are used for Elephant Safari besides moving heavy trees from the jungle road. Also the elephants are used to track tigers. When we were at ATR, elephant safari also was not conducted because the jungle tracks were wet because of rains. ATR also conducts 2 hour / 4 hour / Full day treks inside the forest. As per feedback, ATR treks are good for animal sightings especially Leopards. It gets very misty in the mornings in winters. RECOMMENDED THAT TOURISTS VISIT ATR ONLY BETWEEN MARCH & MAY. Overall, we were disappointed with Anamalai Tiger Reserve (even though the jungle is pristine and beautiful). We felt that the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has to enhance its orientation towards customer (tourists) and provide better facilities which are tourist friendly. Otherwise ATR will lose out to Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (which is located just 4 Kms from Topslip). Parambikulam is managed much more professionally. If seeing wildlife is a priority, then Parambikulam is a...

Anamalai Tiger Reserve, earlier known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park (IGWLS&NP) and previously as Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, is a protected area located in the Anaimalai Hills of Pollachi, Valparai and Udumalpet taluks of Coimbatore District and Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu state, South India. The Tamil Nadu Environment and Forests Department by a notification dated 27 June 2007[3], declared an extent of 958.59 km2 that encompassed the erstwhile IGWLS&NP or Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, as Anamalai Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, the Reserve presently includes a core area of 958.59 km2 and buffer/peripheral area of 521.28 km2 forming a total area of 1479.87 km2.By the mid-1800s, large tracts of Valparai plateau in the Anamalais were under intense tea or coffee plantations after deforestation of the natural forests. By 1866 two-thirds of the plantations were owned by Europeans and the remaining by Indians from coastal towns. Since most native inhabitants either refused to work or were inefficient workers, labour for plantations was brought from the plains of Tamil Nadu to clear forests and grow coffee.

Some parts of the forest however were reserved for timber including large areas around Top Slip. This part of the Western Ghats, under the Bombay Presidency were exploited extensively for teak which was supplied to the Bombay Dockyard for shipbuilding and later for railroad ties.[6]

In 1855, this area came under sustainable forest management for teak plantations by the pioneering efforts Douglas Hamilton and Dr. H. F. Cleghorn of the new Tamil Nadu Forest Department. In the early 1900s, protection of the Karian Sholas was also ensured (Johnsingh 2006a).[7]

The area was notified as Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary in 1974. of its unique habitats at 3 places – Karian Shola, Grass hills, Manjampatti Valley were notified as a National Park in 1989. The 108 square kilometres (42 sq mi) National Park is the core area of the 958 square kilometres (370 sq mi) Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary.[1] IGWS was declared a Project Tiger tiger reserve in 2008.

The Park and the Sanctuary is under consideration by UNESCO as part of The Western Ghats World Heritage site.[8] The Sanctuary and the Palni Hills in Dindigul District form the Anaimalai Conservation Area. The IGWLS is managed by the Wildlife Warden and falls within the administrative control of the Coimbatore Forest Circle headed by the Conservator of Forests, Coimbatore. The park has a large tourist complex at Top Slip that houses many cottages, rooms, and dormitories for visitors. Visitors can get around the park by trekking and...

Nourished by the opulent nature and adorned with compelling wildlife, Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary, locally known as Anamalai Tiger Reserve, is the perfect place to quench much of your evergreen curiosity to see tigers. The reserve located in Anaimalai Hills of Western Ghats in Udumalpet Taluks and Valparai of Coimbatore and Tirupur district and is presently sprawling over a rambling area of 958.59 sq km excluding the peripheral area of 521.28 sq km. Truly an ecologist’s delight, the Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu is an abode to over 800 species of flora, some of which are scientifically esteemed as Habenaria Rariflora, Combretum Ovalifolium, Angiopteris Evecta, Gnetum Ula, Lycopodium Cernuum, Osmunda Regalis, and more. Since the forest is quite opaque and dense, and thus, you have the opportunity to spot a number of wild species that are the inhabitants of this enthralling sanctuary. Elephant, Panther, Tiger, Pangolin, Spotted Deer, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Nilgiri Tahr, Barking Deer, Sambar, Gaur, Tabby Cat, Wild Boar, Dhole, and Civet Cat are some of the animals at Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary that you can expect to see. Along with that, the park houses an exotic assortment of birds that are equally compelling. Paradise Flycatcher, Black Headed Oriole, Racket Tailed Drongo, Whistling Thrush, and Emerald Dove are just a few names in the long list of around 250 species of birds at Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary that makes it one of the must-visit wildlife parks in South India.

BEST TIME TO VISIT The months of mid-winter and early summer, i.e., from December to April, are considered as the best time to visit Indira Gandhi National Sanctuary.

WHERE TO STAY? For visitors, there is a large tourist complex inside the park at Top Slip. Along with that, there are also various forest guest houses available as an alternative option located at Amaravathi, Sethumadai, and Varagaliar. Whereas, Pollachi (67 km) and Coimbatore (110 km) also serves as accommodation options near...