MYSURU: There is good news for all wildlife enthusiasts and tourists who were appealing to the forest department to introduce online ticket booking system for safari in the Nagarahole national park.
With an intent to bring in more transparency and also to facilitate tourists to plan and book tickets for their safari in advance at country’s premier tiger reserve, online ticket booking facility has been introduced.
Over the last several years, many wildlife enthusiasts from the state especially from Bengaluru and also from different cities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu who frequently go on safari in the national park appealed to forest officials to introduce the online ticketing system.
Following the growing demand and to bring transparency in the ticketing system and facilitate travellers to have a planned safari, the department has given the option to book tickets online at www.nagaraholetigerreserve.com.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, deputy conservator of forests (DCF) and director of Nagarahole Tiger Reserve Mahesh Kumar said: “The online ticket booking facility is been made available now keeping in interest of planned travellers and also to bring transparency in the system. This was launched on a pilot basis in February and we made note of various technical issues and problems in the payment gateway. It has been addressed and revived. It’s now open for booking safari tickets online.”
With the new facility, tourist and wildlife enthusiasts can book Canter for the safari paying the entry fee and the safari fee along with a transaction fee of `10.
Nikhil N, a wildlife photographer, expressed his happiness over the new facility and said this will benefit tourists and also wildlife enthusiasts to make advance bookings. “It’s good to know that online ticketing system is finally made possible but arrangements also have to be made for those who come in person to purchase tickets and they should not be denied tickets,” he said.
DCF Mahesh Kumar said to address this, a few tickets will be kept offline also to facilitate those who walk-in to purchase tickets for safari.