BR Hills
Overview
BR Hills (Biligiriranga Hills), in Chamarajanagar district near the Tamil Nadu border, is a wildlife-and-hills combination built around the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve — a corridor connecting the Western and Eastern Ghats, unusual enough to hold both kinds of flora in one reserve. It's also home to the Soliga, an indigenous tribal community whose settlements and forest knowledge shape most of the guided safaris and nature walks run out of K Gudi, the reserve's main visitor zone. Safaris need to be booked through the Karnataka Forest Department or the K Gudi wilderness camp in advance — this isn't a drive-in-and-see reserve like some others.
Best time to visit
October through May is the main visiting season, with February–April best for wildlife sightings as water sources shrink and animals concentrate near them. Monsoon (June–September) is lush but safaris are frequently suspended and several forest roads become impassable — this is not a good monsoon destination compared to Agumbe or Coorg.
Things to do
- Take a jeep safari from K Gudi, the main way to see the reserve's elephants, gaur, and if you're fortunate, tiger or leopard.
- Visit the Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple, the hills' namesake temple and an active pilgrimage site.
- Walk with a Soliga guide on one of the shorter nature trails around K Gudi for tribal forest knowledge alongside the wildlife.
- Birdwatch around K Gudi, a strong spot for Western Ghats and scrub-forest species in the same reserve.
- Drive the ghat road up from Chamarajanagar for Eastern Ghats- meets-Western Ghats scenery most visitors don't associate with Karnataka.
Sample itinerary
Weekend (2 Days)
- Day 1 — Arrive at K Gudi, afternoon jeep safari, Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple visit.
- Day 2 — Early morning safari for the best sighting chances, Soliga-guided nature walk before heading back.
Wildlife-Focused (3 Days)
- Day 1 — Arrive at K Gudi, evening jeep safari.
- Day 2 — Dawn and dusk safaris — the two best windows for sightings — Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple in between.
- Day 3 — Soliga-guided nature walk and birdwatching before departure.