Mysore to Bandipur by Ertiga — fare, distance and route
| Distance | 80 km |
|---|---|
| Drive time | 2h off-peak · up to 2h 45m at busy times |
| One way, from | ₹3,150 incl. GST |
| Round trip, from | ₹5,513 incl. GST |
| Highway | NH766 via Gundlupet |
| Best departure | Leave by 5.30am for the morning safari slot |
How that fare is built
| Item | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|
| Chargeable distance | 130 km (min) | 250 km (min) |
| Rate per km | ₹20 | ₹19 |
| Distance cost | ₹2,600 | ₹4,750 |
| Driver bata | ₹400 | ₹500 |
| Toll and parking | At actuals, with receipts — quoted on the call | |
| Sub-total | ₹3,000 | ₹5,250 |
| GST at 5% | ₹150 | ₹263 |
| Total, from | ₹3,150 | ₹5,513 |
One way is charged for your direction plus the minimum distance. A round trip charges both legs with the daily minimum applied — which is why the one-way total is lower even at a higher per-km rate. Prefer a single agreed figure with toll and permit folded in? Ask for an all-inclusive quote.
A booking governed by a gate
Bandipur is a safari trip, and that makes it unlike almost every other route on this site. The controlling fact is not traffic or distance. It is that the gate opens and closes at fixed times, and if you miss your slot there is no alternative.
Safaris run in the morning and the afternoon. The morning one is better — animals are active, the light is good, and the forest is quiet. It means leaving Mysore around half past five.
So the sequence is: book the safari, then tell us the slot. We set the departure from it. Our drivers do this run regularly and know how long the approach actually takes, which is longer than the two hours the map suggests once you are past Gundlupet.
Two things people get wrong
The safari is in the forest department’s vehicles, not ours. No private operator drives inside the reserve. We take you to the gate, wait while you are in, and bring you back. Anyone offering to drive you through the park is offering something that does not exist.
Driving through Bandipur on the highway is not a safari. The main road crosses the reserve, and you may well see elephants, deer, gaur or peacock from it. But you cannot stop, you cannot linger, and it is a different thing from going into the interior with a guide. Worth knowing before you decide the road crossing was enough.
What is at Bandipur
Bandipur is part of the largest contiguous protected area in southern India, joining Nagarhole to the north, Mudumalai across the Tamil Nadu border and Wayanad in Kerala — which is why the wildlife here moves at a scale that a single park cannot contain.
Tigers are present and rarely seen. What you realistically see is elephant — Bandipur has one of the more significant populations anywhere — along with gaur, sambar, chital, langur and, with luck, dhole. The birdlife is excellent.
The night traffic ban through the reserve exists because animals cross after dark, and it is enforced. It also affects any onward journey toward Ooty or Wayanad, so mention it if you are continuing.
Why this route suits an Ertiga
A short pre-dawn run with a group who will be cold at half five, then a wait of two or three hours, then the return. Six seats and quiet air conditioning matter here; luggage does not, since almost everyone comes for the day. The car waits at the gate, so this is a round trip with a wait rather than two separate journeys.
Still coming to this page: named toll plazas and amounts, named break stops. Those come from our own drivers rather than from a map, and we would rather leave them off than print a figure we have not checked. Ask on the call and we will tell you the toll for this route.
All bookings include a professional driver. We do not offer self-drive rentals.
Booking this route
We drive Bandipur to Mysore as well, at the same rate — the fare depends on the distance and the direction of travel, not on which end you start from. There is one page for both directions rather than two pages saying the same thing.
Related routes
Mysore to Bandipur — FAQs
What time is the morning safari and when do we leave Mysore?
Safaris run in fixed morning and afternoon slots and the morning one is the better of the two. That means leaving Mysore around half five. Tell us the slot you have and we set the departure from it — arriving after the gate has gone is not recoverable.
Do we need to book the safari in advance?
Yes. Slots are limited and they fill, particularly at weekends and in season. Book the safari first, then the car around it.
Can we do the safari in your car?
No, and no operator can. Safaris inside the reserve are in the forest department's own vehicles. We take you to the gate, wait while you go in, and bring you back.
Is driving through Bandipur the same as a safari?
No, and this is worth being clear about. The highway crosses the reserve, so you may well see animals from the road — but you cannot stop, and it is not a substitute for a proper safari drive into the interior.
Is a permit needed?
No. Bandipur is in Karnataka, about two hours from Mysore.