Information on Bondla wildlife sanctuary of Goa

In this article I have provided information on the Bondla wildlife sanctuary of Goa. I have provided description on the various facilities available and provided information on which parts to visit.

Bondla wildlife sanctuary

The Bondla wildlife sanctuary is located in the foothills of the Western Ghats and is spread over an area of 8 square kilometres. It is situated at 53 kms away from Panaji, the capital of Goa. It is a popular destination in Goa for tourists and school children. The sanctuary constitutes a mini zoo, deer safari park, normal gardens, botanical gardens and some Eco-tourism cottages.

There is a large variety of flora and fauna which the tourists can feast their eyes upon. Bondla wildlife sanctuary also provides shelter to the leopards that are left with very little area to roam on. Also many Hindu carvings were discovered while construction work was going on for the gardens.

The various gardens are quite pleasant and provide a calm and serene environment. Various elephant rides are offered in the afternoons.
One can find 'Gaur'- the state animal of Goa in the Ponda wildlife sanctuary. Also one can find panther, jungle cat, leopard cat, toddy cat, deer, wild boars, porcupines, ant-eaters, squirrels, Sambar deers, Indian bison,
Image courtesy- wikitravel.org
black giant squirrel, Indian pea fowl and many species of snake. Also thousands of
varieties of birds are found here.

Salient features of Bondla wildlife sanctuary.

Zoological garden- Many types of animals can be seen in the Zoological garden including 'gaur'- the state animal of Goa.

Deer Safari Park- Visitors can experience a safari and drive among the wild animals and observe them in their natural habitat.

Normal Gardens- A variety of flowers, trees and other plants can be seen here in these gardens. There gardens are well constructed and well maintained.

Botanical gardens- These gardens have a good collection of exotic plants and would interest professional and hobbyist botanists.

Nature education centres- Various exhibits regarding nature are shown here. Also movies can be seen on demand.

Bird watch- One can find many local and migratory birds in Bondla. One can watch these birds in the natural environment.

Nature trails- One can go for nature trails too if he/she is interested.

Archaeological exhibits- Various archaeological stuffs are show casted in these exhibits.

How to reach Bondla

By air- The nearest airport is Dabolim airport located at 70kms from Bondla.
By road- One can take buses or rented vehicle to reach Bondla. Goa is well connected through roadways and public transport is freely available.
By railway-One can take Karmali railway station (40 km) or Collem railway station (28 km).