Fast facts

About Nagarjuna Sagar Wildlife National Park

The Nagarjuna Wildlife National Park lies in the state of Andhra Pradesh in the catchments area of the Krishna River. The sanctuary spreads over the five districts of the state namely Kurnool, Prakasam, Guntur, Nalgonda and Mahboobnagar. The sanctuary extends between latitude 16°15¢-16°45¢ in the North and longitude 78°45¢-80°00¢ in the East. The Nallamalai Hills borders the sanctuary from the southern side and the Krishna River in the eastern side. The sanctuary is 13 km from Macherial.
The Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest tiger reserve in India and is also the largest wildlife habitation in the country. About eight kilometers from the temple town of Srisailam is Sunnipenta, where the office of the Project Tiger and the Field Director are situated.
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The Nagarjuna Sagar tiger reserve lies in the Nallamalai Hill ranges, which is an offshoot of the Eastern Ghats. There are cliffs, gorges, ridges and plateaus with in the tiger reserve. The Tiger Reserve is well endowed with a variety of flora and fauna. The Nagarjuna Sagar Tiger Reserve protects a vast area of the once flourishing ecological system that existed here. Pilgrims from all over southern India found their ways to reach Srisailam through these forests. The forest was declared as a sanctuary in 1973 and incorporated under Project Tiger a decade later in 1983.

The sanctuary has thick forest cover of the Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest. There are plain vegetation of herbs, some shrubs, few trees and marshes with sedges. The scrub jungle and climbers are found at the foothills. There are thorn forests on the well-drained hill slopes. The hilltops have the dry deciduous forest. Niebuhria apetala, Ziziphus xylopyrus, Cissus vitiginea and Pterolobium indicum are some of the rare plants of the region.

Fauna includes Bonnet Macaque, Bengal Fox, Blackbuck, Chinkara, Four-Horned Antelope, Giant Flying Squirrel, Indian Muntjac, Indian Pangolin, Indian Spotted Chevrotain, Indian Porcupine, Indian Tree Shrew Jackal, Jungle Cat, Langur, Leopard, Nilgai, Palm Civet, Sloth Bear, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Smooth-Coated Otter, Striped Hyena, Tiger, Wild Dog, Wolf and Wild Boar. There are 150 species of avifauna including the gray hornbill and the peafowl. Indian Python, Indian Soft-Shelled Turtle, Monitor Lizard and Marsh Crocodile are among the reptiles found in the sanctuary.

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The Rollapadu Grasslands are a little over 6 sq km in area near Srisailam. The region is dotted with dry, thorny bushes and provides a natural habitat to about a hundred blackbucks. one can spot the families of blackbucks out on their breakfast trail, a couple of bustards gazing at the horizon while taking a tentative foot forward. The day visits to Rollapadu Sanctuary is permitted.

Around Nagarjuna Sagar Wildlife National Park

Mannanur is a tribal hamlet, which has a comfortable and well-furnished camp bungalow. There is a crocodile pond and an environment education center adjacent to the bungalow. Mannanur is a perfect place to venture into the western corner of the tiger reserve. The forests of Mannanur are thickly populated with variety of timber species having local names like Nallamadi (Terminalia tomentosa) and Chirumanu (Anogeissus latifolia). There are a large stretches of teak forest. You can see the spotted deers, sambars, and nilgais here.

Nagarjuna Sagar is the site of the archaeological excavations. many historical monuments belonging to 1st and 2nd century AD have been discovered from here. The place is also known for a large dam built over the river Krishna.

Travel Tips

Tourists should not cause any damage floral and faunal life. The flora should not be plucked to take back home. You should not kindle any kind of fire; throw lit matches and cigarette buds. Do not throw or leave trash, litter and polyethylene bags in the forest. Firearms and chemicals should not be taken into the forests as they may cause harm to the wildlife and the vegetation. Never play radio and tape recorders as their frequency and voice might disturb, scare or irritate the animals.

Climate

The region experiences a hot and arid climate. Summer months are especially hot with the maximum temperature rising above 40°C in the months of March-June. Winters are cool and pleasant with the minimum temperature ranging around 10°C. Rains are caused by the southwest monsoon that prevails from June to October. The tourists should carry light cotton clothes during the summers and light woolens during winters.

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How To Reach

The nearest airport to the Nagarjuna Sagar tiger reserve is at Hyderabad, which is 316 km away from Srisailam. Srisailam is connected with Hyderabad and Markapur by the railway route of the South Central Railways. Srisailam is at a distance of 190 km from Kurnool, 220 km from Guntur and 85 km from Mannanur. There are frequent bus services for Srisailam from all these towns.

The accommodation facility is available at the tiger reserve. There are three guesthouses / temple cottages, which have 248 beds.

STD/ISD facilities are available at the town of Srisailam and some other nearby places. Postal and telegraph facilities are available at Srisailam.

The Wildlife Tours of India offers tour packages for the Nagarjuna Sagar Wildlife National Park. To book a tour or for more information, fill up the form now.