Wildlife and Parks in Hospet
Hospet, being a tourist center, is flocked by crowds of people from all over India as well as abroad. The Department of tourism of Karnataka ensures the development and well maintenance of recreational parks and gardens. If you plan a trip to Hospet, you must not miss visiting the beautiful parks and gardens there. There are also excellent wildlife spots in and around Hospet which would be a delight for wildlife enthusiasts.
Parks and Gardens in Hospet
The following are the famous parks and gardens in Hospet:
Shri Ramulu Park
Shri Ramulu Park is a newly built park on Station Road which was inaugurated on 02/10/2011 for public use. The park is lush green and lovely, containing a beautiful and famous musical fountain. This park is half kilometer distance from the Bus Stand and less than half kilometer from the Railway Station.
Kishkinda Heritage Resort or King of Rock Garden
Kishkinda Heritage Resort is a luxurious resort offering good quality hospitality services for the guests. The marvellous garden in this resort makes it widely known as the 'King of Rock Garden'. This resort is also popular for being close to the great UNESCO-listed world heritage center, Hampi. Since it is close to Hampi, this location is very rare and mythologically as well as historically prominent. This resort is situated on the banks of the Tungabhadra River and has over 13 years in the hospitality industry.
Tungabhadra dam Park and Garden
The renowned Tungabhadra dam is a multi-purpose dam and a major tourist attraction. The Tungabhadra dam is located in the midst of hills and greenery and the Japanese garden at the foot of the dam is very popular. This beautiful Japanese garden looks similar to the Brindavan garden and there is also a lovely park here. The month of August is the best month to visit as all the 33 gates of the dam are opened to release water and the dam is in full grandeur. During night, the dam illuminated with lights and the musical fountain add to the gorgeous look. Earlier, tourists were allowed to walk through the length of the dam but now due to security reasons, only specific areas are allowed to be accessed.
MJ Nagar Park is another big recreational park located in 5th cross, Mritunjaynagar.
Wildlife in Hospet
Hospet is home to many wildlife sanctuaries because of its natural environment and wide range of forests. If you are a wildlife lover, there is plenty of wildlife to be watched in Hospet and its surrounding areas.
Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary
The Daroji Bear Sanctuary provides room for various sloth bears to live freely in their natural habitat. Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary is located near Kamalapur which is just 12 km from Hospet. This area near Kamalapur has been the abode of bears since centuries and it has been declared as the Daroji Sloth Bear Sanctuary.
The Daroji Sloth Bear sanctuary also serves as a home for hyenas, pangolins, wild boars, jackals, black-naped hares, porcupines, and leopards. Bird spotting is also very popular here and you can spot endemic bird species like painted spur fowl and yellow-throated bulbuls. You can also find dry land bird species such as sand grouse, quails, sirkeer malkohas and stone-curlews in this sanctuary. The opening hours of the sanctuary are from 9.30am to 6pm and the entrance fee is Rs.25. It is a good idea for you to visit this sanctuary during July to March as it is the best time for sighting wildlife. However, sloth bears can be sighted all through the year during all months, including extremely hot summer months.
Other popular places good for sighting wildlife are Muneer park, T.B Dam zoo and Chakra Vana park.