The total area of this tiger reserve is 3568 acres, making it one of the largest tiger reserves in India. Srisailam Dam and Nagarjunasagar Dam are also located in the reserve area.

Covering across the five districts of Telangana, Kurnool District, Prakasam District, Guntur District, Nalgonda District and Mahbubnagar district, this tiger reserve is considered as one of the most prominent tiger reserves in India and the largest of all tiger reserves.

Speciality

Nagarjunasagar wild life sanctuary was declared as a tiger reserve in the year of 1989 and later renamed as the Rajiv Gahndhi wildlife sanctuary in the year 1992. The forest area is lush and intense with wild plants and trees. The great river Krishna flows through this sanctuary, making the whole place very fertile and lush. There are reservoir built across this river inside the sanctuary, which are the prime source of irrigation and power for the state. These reservoirs are well built, huge and colossal. Nagarjunasagar dam reservoir is largest among all. The forest is deciduous, providing great shelter to the living organisms.

Flora and fauna

Nagarjunasagar tiger reserve is a home to lots of flora including Anogeissus latifolia, cleisthanthus collinus, Terminallia species, pterocarous marsupiu, Hardwickia binate and lot more.

Apart from the Tiger, one can spot here, leopards, sloth bears, dhol, Indian Pangolin, Chital, Sambar deer, Chevrotain, Blackbuck, Chinkara, and Chowsingha. There are other reptiles and amphibians also found in this area including crocodile, Indian Python, Kind Cobra and Indian peafowl.

Best time to visit

Nagarjunasagar tiger reserve can be visited throughout the year. But to have a great experience, make a visit to this sanctuary in the months of March to June.

Activities

One also finds a number of crocodiles in the down waters of Srisailam Dam, where a breeding programme, supported by the local government is being carried out.

Way to Reach

 By Air - The nearest airport from Srisailam is about 195 km in Hyderabad. There are buses connecting the town with Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Guntur and Kurnool. If hiring a private taxi, ensure that the driver has experience driving in ghat sections. Nearby railway stations are at Marakpur (62 km), Vinukonda (120 km) and Kurnool (190 km).

 By Road -  Regular bus services ply to and fro the city of Srisailam. They operate on a daily basis, whether day or night, from places like Nellore, Vishakhapatnam etc. You can also take shared taxis or cabs for the same route.

 By Rail - There is no direct rail connectivity to Srisailam. The nearest railway station is in Cumbum district, which is some 60 km. away from Srisailam. You can get a regular passenger as well as express trains from Cumbum for Srisailam.