Timothy A. Gonsa · File:Dawn Kabini Reservoir Karnataka Dec21 D72 21491.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · cropped and resized · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dawn_Kabini_Reservoir_Karnataka_Dec21_D72_21491.jpg
Kabini
A reservoir on the Kabini river at the edge of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Mysuru district, where safaris restarted in 2026 after a pause.
A reservoir at the edge of the forest
Kabini is a reservoir on the Kabini river, also called the Kapila, built at Beechanahalli in Heggadadevanakote taluk of Mysuru district and opened in 1974. It is about 50 to 61 km from Mysuru and about 205 km from Bengaluru. The water lies beside Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, which the Karnataka Forest Department describes as 843.96 sq km spread over Mysuru and Kodagu districts, joined to Bandipur Tiger Reserve and to Wayanad in Kerala. The Forest Department names the Kabini and Taraka reservoirs as the two large water bodies of the park. Nagarahole is a tiger reserve under Project Tiger and an elephant reserve under Project Elephant, and the Forest Department lists tiger, leopard, Asiatic wild dog, sloth bear, Asiatic elephant and gaur among the animals the area supports. Wildlife cannot be promised on any visit. Safaris here were suspended in November 2025 after fatal tiger attacks on the forest fringes and restarted in phases in 2026 with reduced capacity, so this page sets out what is known and what to check before you plan around it.
Explore Kabini on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What a stay here holds
A stay at Kabini is about the water and the forest edge, with safari time that is set and limited by the authorities.
🌲 Forest safaris
- Safaris run in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve under rules set by the Karnataka Forest Department
- They were suspended on 7 November 2025 after fatal tiger attacks and restarted in phases in 2026, with vehicles cut by half and shorter hours in reports
- Capacity and booking routes have changed more than once, so confirm what is running before you plan around it
🌊 The reservoir and the river
- The Kabini reservoir is one of the large water bodies of the park, according to the Forest Department
- The water draws birds and animals to its shore, but sightings are never guaranteed
- Boat outings on the reservoir are offered at some stays; ask whether they are running and under what rules
🏞️ The landscape
- Nagarahole is contiguous with Bandipur and with Wayanad, so the forest here is part of a much larger habitat
- The Forest Department describes the area as having one of the high-density tiger populations in the country
- Rain, heat and the time of year change what the forest looks like, so ask your stay what to expect
How a stay can run
Arrive and settle
Drive out from Mysuru, settle in and look over the reservoir shore in the afternoon.
Safari and water
Join a forest outing if one is running and booked, then spend the rest of the day by the reservoir.
A slow morning
Take a last look at the water before the drive back to Mysuru or on towards Bandipur or Wayanad.
Getting there and around
Kabini is reached by road from Mysuru, and your stay usually arranges local movement.
From Mysuru
- About 50 to 61 km by road, depending on the source
- Mysuru has the nearest major railway station and an airport
- Confirm road conditions with your stay before you set out
From Bengaluru
- About 205 km by road
- Allow for traffic on the way out of Bengaluru and for a slower forest-edge stretch at the end
- Many travellers break the journey at Mysuru
On the ground
- Local movement is usually by the stay's vehicle or a hired car
- Forest outings use vehicles authorised by the Forest Department
- Do not drive through the forest on your own
What to know before you go
Four points shape a stay at Kabini.
Karnataka imposed an immediate ban on forest safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole on 7 November 2025 after fatal tiger attacks. Reports say they restarted in phases from about February 2026 with fewer vehicles and shorter hours. Gate status has been reported to differ from one entrance to another, and sources disagree on how to book. We could not confirm the current position, so check with the Karnataka Forest Department before you plan.
Tigers and elephants are wild animals that keep their own hours. A safari may show a great deal or very little, and this page makes no promise of a sighting.
The 2025 suspension followed attacks on people at the forest fringes. Keep to the guidance of your stay and the forest staff, stay in vehicles and on marked tracks where told to, and do not approach animals.
Tourism pages give different years for when Nagarahole became a national park or a tiger reserve. The Forest Department's own history gives a sanctuary in 1955, a national park in 1983 and a tiger reserve in 2003, independent in 2007.
Where to base yourself
Stays around Kabini are mostly resorts and lodges along the reservoir shore and in the villages nearby. We do not name properties.
On the reservoir shore
- Resorts and lodges stand along the reservoir and the forest edge, which puts the water close to the room
- Ask what is included before you book, and whether safari arrangements are part of the stay or separate
- Cancellation terms for forest bookings can be strict, so read them first
In the villages
- Simpler stays are available in the villages around the reservoir
- Check how far the room is from the gate used for the morning safari
- Ask about the road after dark, as wildlife moves near the forest edge
If you are combining it with Mysuru
- The drive from Mysuru is about 50 to 61 km, and the last stretch passes through forest-edge roads
- Allow extra time on the way back if you have a train or flight to catch
Practical notes
A few details that keep a stay simple.
Before you book
- Check the Karnataka Forest Department for the current safari position before you pay for anything
- Read the cancellation terms, which can be strict
- Keep a spare day in case an outing is cancelled
In the forest
- Follow the instructions of the guides and drivers at all times
- Keep voices low and do not leave vehicles where told not to
- Never feed or approach animals
What to carry
- Wear muted colours and carry a rain layer and sun protection
- Bring binoculars if you have them
- Carry some cash, as signal and card machines can be unreliable
Close by
Places around the reservoir.
Related to Kabini
Journeys that include Kabini — each one visits the city as part of its itinerary.
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