Start out on any morning from Bangalore around 10:30 am and a leisurely 30 to 45 minutes later, you'll check in at the Bannerghatta Nature Camp’s Swiss tent (with attached bathroom) or backpacker's dormitory. After lunch, and a quick rest, start off at around 3:30pm for a visit to the well inhabited zoo - hippopotamus, zebras, leopards, reptile park, sloth bears etc.

Next you'll be taken on the Lion and Tiger Safari, and when you've watched the big cats to your heart's content, you'll be shown the most spectacular view of the National Park from the top of Udagina Bande. With a dense valley beneath, chances of spotting wild elephants are high here. You can see the elephants’ watering hole, Doddanna Kere, from nearby.

There are other landmarks - Barber's stone, a rock outcrop like the honing stone barbers use to sharpen their razors on, or the ancient graveyard nearby, reputed to be about 5,000 years old. Notable bodies were placed on the ground and stone structures erected on them, without touching them, structures still standing today.

Then return to Jungle Lodges Nature Camp, to retire for the night, after watching a wildlife film and having a sumptuous dinner.

Next morning, your wake-up call is at 6:00 am for a couple of hours trek in the Herbivore Safari Enclosure. While on our walk, you'll see Gaurs, Nilgais, Sambhars, Black Bucks, Barking Deer and birds like the Magpie-Robin, Rufousbacked shrike, Paradise flycatcher, Grey herons, Egrets, Grey jungle fowl. Pause by a tank for a distant view of crocodiles basking in the sun as you return for a leisurely breakfast before checking out.

As you leave, with the clarity of the sky, the serenity punctuated only by bird sounds, the muted growls of the big cats. The wind in the trees, just remind yourself - all this is so close to Bangalore, you can return as quickly and as often as you want to.