Indira Gandhi National Park, previously known as Anamalai wildlife sanctuary is located in the Western Ghats in the Tamilnadu- Kerala border near Pollachi that is about 90 km away from Coimbatore. Preached at an altitude of 1,400 mts above the sea level and spread over an area of about 958 sq-kms, it is one of the three wild life sanctuaries on the slopes of the western Ghats along the border between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The sanctuary is the home to various kinds of wild life animals like Panther, Elephant, Gaur, Sloth Bear, Tiger, deer, Wild Bear, Porcupine, Wild Dog, Flying Squirel, Jackel, Civet Cat, Pangolin and birds like Rocket-tailed Drongo, Red Tree Pie, Whiskered Bulbul, Spotted Dove, Black Headed Oriole, Pigeon etc. Other attractions here are the grass hills, karianshola, anaikunthi shola, groves, waterfalls, teak forests, reservoirs and dams. The Forest Department organises elephant safaris and jeep rides into the sanctuary. The sanctuary is opened from 6.30am to 6.30pm and December to February is the ideal time to visit this place.
How to reach there:
Peelamedu airport is the nearest airport to the sanctuary. Pollachi, 40kms from Coimbatore, is the main railway station and one could get trains to Coimbatore and Dindigul from there. There are regular buses from Coimbatore and Palani to Pollachi. Buses are available to the national park from Pollachi and back. Taxis and jeeps are also available.