Wildlife Safaris – Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve(NSTR) boasts of an outstanding array of diversity of flora and fauna. The tiger reserve is popularly known for its Royal Bengal Tigers. While Tigers are popular tourist attractions, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t learn and observe the impressive diversity of species diversity we find here. And the good thing is the wildlife safaris will be operational throughout the year.

We have over 80 species of mammals, 200+ species of Birds, 54 species of reptiles, 20 amphibians, 55 fishes, 101 Butterflies, 57 species of Moths, 45 species of Coleopterans, 35 species of Odonata and numerous other forms of insects.

The wild animals which are commonly

found here are Tigers, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Spotted Deers, Sambars, Blackbucks, Chinkaras, Mouse deers, Palm Civets, Porcupines, Mongoose, Langurs, Honey Badgers, variety of reptile species, particularly snakes like Russel Viper, Indian Cobra, Rat snake, Checkered Keelback etc.

The river Krishna which flows through the tiger reserve for a linear distance of more than 200 kms also has a good population of Mugger crocodiles, Smooth Coated Otters and many turtle and fish species.

Wild animals being wild, the sighting of any animal is only a chance encounter in any wildlife safari. But you get to immerse and lose yourself in the heavenly beauty of Nallamalas.

Bird Watching – Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve( NSTR) is home to an outstanding array of bird species. Since the tiger reserve has diverse habitats and landscapes ranging from Tropical dry deciduous, Tropical moist deciduous, Tropical dry evergreen to shrub forests, numerous bird species call NSTR as their

home.

Early in the morning you get to sight and listen to the calls of several birds like Changeable hawk Eagle, Common Tailorbirds, Oriental Magpie Robins, Indian Scmitar Babbler, Puff throated Babbler, White Rumped Shama, Jungle Babblers , Red wattled Lapwings, Green Imperial Pigeons, White Bellied Drongos, Gray Hornbills, Indian Rollers, Rufous Treepies, Paradise Flycatchers, Parakeets, Indian Peafowl, Gray Junglefowl and many others.

There are many wetlands and water bodies in the tiger reserve which are home to impressive diversity of waterfowl like Knob Billed Duck, Bronze Winged Jacanas, Openbill Storks, Oriental Darters, Black Winged Stilts, Kingfishers, Egrets, Herons, Starlings, Yellow and Red Wattled

Lapwings etc.

This eye-catching diversity of bird species is surely a heaven for bird enthusiasts who can lose themself amidst the playfulness of birds

Hiking – Nestled in the southern eastern ghats, NSTR has numerous hills and hiking trails which hold a lot of promise for the trekking enthusiasts.

These hiking trails offer great opportunities for people to connect to the nature, explore their fitness and learn about the nuances of the forest from the trekking guides.

Currently only one Hiking trail is made open near Tummalabailu which is on the way from Dornala to Srisailam highway. The trail comprises of a visit on foot to Tholagundam, a pristine natural waterbody in the core area and a hike to Veerlakonda Watch tower where you will get to see one of the most scenic and beautiful views of the tiger reserve.

Views from the Veerlakonda Watch tower

Currently we have accommodation facility in Nallamala Jungle Camp, Bairluty and Nallamala Jungle Camp, Pacherla and in Rollapadu.

Photography – NSTR has countless landscapes and locations which are photographer’s paradise. Because of being a hilly terrain mostly, the watch towers in the tiger reserve give a scenic and eye-catching glimpse of the landscape.
The hills, the undulations, the valleys, the gorges, the numerous minor streams, the Krishna river, the grasslands, add upto perfect fooder for one involved in

landscape photography.

What’s more, since NSTR is a tiger reserve, the wildlife photographers will also call this their home as they get to see and capture the wildlife in their truest and wildest forms and behaviors. The rhythmic dance of numerous wildlife in Nallamalas is sure to entice any photographer to capture them and weave poems around them.

Since numerous Chenchus, who are a particularly vulnerable tribal group, stay in the core area of tiger reserve, a photographer will get a best chance to capture their way of life and culture in the most authentic forms.