Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary

Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary in Wayanad (celebrated internationally as the crown jewel of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve and Kerala's second largest wildlife sanctuary, established in 1973 across 344.44 square kilometers of moist deciduous and semi evergreen forests, world famous for its massive herds of free roaming wild Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, gaurs, and open jeep jungle safaris), located along the interstate border near Sultan Bathery in Wayanad in Kerala, stands as South India's premier elephant habitat.

Forming an unbroken contiguous wildlife mega corridor with Bandipur National Park and Nagarhole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu, Muthanga forms Elephant Reserve No. 7 under Project Elephant, allowing hundreds of wild pachyderms to migrate freely across Western Ghats river valleys.

It's the home of the expansive bamboo thickets and rosewood teak forest tracts where elephant breeding herds, calves, and impressive tuskers forage along forest streams, the forest department jeep safari arena where certified 4x4 open safari gypsies take travelers deep into designated tourism tracks, the rich mammalian diversity sheltering massive Indian bison (gaur), spotted chital deer, sambar, barking deer, sloth bears, wild boars, and agile Malabar giant squirrels, the avian sanctuary sheltering over 210 bird species including Malabar grey hornbills, crested hawk eagles, and emerald doves, and an intensely thrilling, wilderness rich safari atmosphere where the trumpeting of wild elephants echoes through bamboo canopies.

It represents a rich Project Elephant conservation triumph, Nilgiri Biosphere ecological corridor, and ethical wildlife tourism where Asian elephant herds, open jeep safaris, tiger corridors, and Sultan Bathery rainforests unite in Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary Wayanad.

Located on NH 766 near the Karnataka Tamil Nadu border, it sits just 14 km east of Sultan Bathery, 38 km from Kalpetta, 100 km from Calicut International Airport (CCJ), and 95 km from Kozhikode Railway Station (CLT), easily accessible by hired taxi, tourist jeep, or KSRTC interstate bus.

Project Elephant Reserve & 344 Sq Km Biosphere

Notified in 1973 and integrated into the UNESCO Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in 1986, Muthanga provides a secure sanctuary for South India's largest elephant population.

Trained forest eco guides accompany every safari jeep, helping visitors interpret elephant tracks, alarm calls of spotted deer, and fresh tiger pugmarks.

Truth is, watching a family herd of wild Asian elephants grazing peacefully in tall bamboo thickets just meters from your open safari vehicle is deeply impressive.

Jeep Safari Slots & Forest Department Guidelines

Scheduled Safari Slots: Department operated 4x4 open gypsies conduct 2 hour forest safaris during early morning and late afternoon hours.

Elephant Rehabilitation Camp: Visitors can also observe domestic 'Kumki' elephants cared for by tribal mahouts at the sanctuary entrance.

Wayanad Eco Tourism & Wildlife Circuit

Sultan Bathery Loop: Sits just 14 km from historic Sultan Bathery town, 12 km from Edakkal Caves, and 25 km from Chethalayam Falls.

Interstate Safari Tour: Connects smoothly with Bandipur Tiger Reserve (30 km), Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (35 km), and Nagarhole (60 km).

After taking the thrilling elephant safari at Muthanga Wildlife Sanctuary, visit Edakkal Caves, tour Sultan Bathery, or explore Wayanad.