Bandipur and Nagarahole safari fares rise, and big camera lenses now pay

The new tariff

A revised safari tariff came into effect at the Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves in Karnataka on 1 September 2026. A bus safari now costs ₹1,000 per adult, up from ₹600, with children at ₹500. A jeep safari is ₹1,500 per adult, up from ₹1,100, with children at ₹750.

There is also a new photography charge. Cameras fitted with lenses below 200mm remain exempt; anyone carrying a lens above 200mm pays ₹1,500 plus GST. On the first day of the new rates, 191 visitors took a safari and the reserves collected ₹2,72,824 across all categories.

What it means for a trip

For a family of four on a jeep safari the increase is a few hundred rupees a head, so this is not a trip-changing sum — but it is a real one if you are running two safaris a day for three days, which is how most serious wildlife itineraries in India are built. Reprice before you commit, and ask your lodge whether its package quote was fixed before 1 September.

The lens rule is the one that will catch people out. A 200mm limit is below what most wildlife photographers carry — a 100-400mm or a 150-600mm is standard on a tiger safari — so budget ₹1,500 plus GST per entry if you are travelling with a long lens, and know that a phone or a kit zoom stays free.

Sources

This report is based on the following published sources. Rules and schedules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you travel.

• New safari tariff comes into effect at Bandipur, Nagarahole — Star of Mysore, 02 September 2026