Hyderabad is one of the states right now that is upgrading everyday. And anywhere you visit in Hyderabad you will find hi-rise buildings, constructions and development. While all of that necessarily adds up to the overall development and growth of the infrastructure, it somehow also affects the natural landscape. You would hardly get to enjoy the nature or the natural locations within the concrete city. But what if I tell you that there is a certain location amidst the city where you can visit to be amidst nature. Yes! There is a location very much located within the city itself where you can visit to rejuvenate yourself. The location is KBR National Park and it is located in the Banjara Hills.
KBR National Park
It is very unlikely to find a national park within the vicinity of the city. And this is one such rare national park that you can visit in Hyderabad amidst the bustling city. The KBR National Park Hyderabad is a rich national park that attracts a good number of visitors. It is one of the major sightseeing spots in Hyderabad which is popular for people of all ages. Other than the varied flora and fauna of the park there is a rich history attached to it as well. All of these make this national park one of the most interesting locations to visit in Hyderabad. Keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything that you need to know about KBR National Park. It will be a helpful article for you if you are travelling to KBR Park any time soon.
Location: Road Number 2, near L V Prasad Eye Hospital, Opposite TDP Office, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana
Timings: The KBR National Park timings are from 5:30 am to 10 am and again from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. However, during the rainy season and winter season the Park is open from 6 am to 10 am and 4 pm to 6 pm.
Entry fee: The entry fee to the National Park is Rs. 20 for adults per person and Rs. 10 for a child. There are however monthly and yearly fees here as well. The monthly fee is Rs. 400 per person and the yearly fee is Rs. 1500 per person. And for a Senior Citizen the yearly fee is Rs. 1000 per person.
How to reach
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach KBR Park is the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. From the airport the location of the KBR Park is 36 km away. It would take you around an hour to reach the national park from the Hyderabad airport. You can easily take the city buses plying on this route to reach Banjara Hills. Or else you can also take a car or hire a cab to reach the location more conveniently.
By train
If you are travelling by train then the Nampally Railway Station is the nearest railway station to reach the KBR Park. From the railway station KBR Park is located at a distance of 8 km. It would approximately take you around 25 minutes to reach the location of the park from the railway station. You can easily take a car or hire a cab to reach the location of the park. Or else you can also take an auto rickshaw from the railway station to reach the park easily.
By road
The park is located on Road Number 2 of Banjara Hills and is an accessible location. Located right in the middle of the city you can take the city buses to reach the spot. Or else if you are travelling from outside Hyderabad then also both government as well as private buses are available on this route. You can take auto rickshaws as well if you are travelling within shorter distances. Or else you can take a car or hire a cab from any location to reach the location of KBR National Park conveniently. And if you are travelling by your vehicle then also you can drive from any location. The LV Prasad Eye Hospital is the landmark to reach the National Park.
Overview of KBR National Park
The Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park or the KBR National Park is one of the major sightseeing locations in the city of Hyderabad. Spread over a vast area the location is popular for its lush greenery and the rich floral and faunal variety. It is named after former Chief Minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy and is one of the most popular locations in Hyderabad. The park offers a beautiful rejuvenating ambiance and the greenery surrounding it further offers a lot of relaxation as well. Located amidst the bustling city the national park is very much a slice of nature that provides a break from the monotony of city landscape.
Along with being a location that is rejuvenating and relaxing this national park further has a significant history attached to it as well. Established in 1994, in 1998 the park was declared as a national park. The complex houses the Chiran Fort Palace which is a bungalow of former Nizam of Hyderabad along with other historical structures. You can definitely visit this park to enjoy a break from monotonous city life and get soaked into the beauty of nature. The rich wildlife, lush greenery and the ambiance of the spot is enough for unwinding and rejuvenating your soul and mind.
History of KBR National Park
The KBR Park was basically a palace at one point of time. More popular as Chiran Palace, there is a palace located within the premises that dates back to 1940. According to beliefs Azam Jah gifted this palace to his son Prince Mukarram Jah when his coronation ceremony took place. The palace is a two story structure and looks magnificent. Also the palace spreads for a huge area of 6000 sq feet and there are 16 other pieces of property that belong to the Nizams spread across the area. Some of these are Mor Bungalow, Gol Bungalow, Petrol Pump, Stables for horses and elephants, Motor Khana, Wells, Water Tanks etc. The entry gate of the Chiran Palace and the entry gate of the KBR National Park are not the same though, they are different.
Later during the 1990s the property was transferred into the hands of the government. And the Park was thus formed here in 1994. In 1998 finally KBR Park was declared as a National Park. And since then this is one of the popular locations to visit in the city of Hyderabad. Later the park got its name as KBR National Park on the basis of the name of one of the popular leaders of the state.
There is a huge spread of lush greenery here that was earlier the property of the Nizams. But currently the area comes under the Forest Department. Out of the whole land 11 acres of land was Nizam’s property and in 2010 eventually that was reduced to 6 acres. However that part of land does not come under the KBR Park. So the visitors also cannot enter that part of the park here.
Attractions in KBR National Park
Biodiversity
The biosphere of the KBR National Park is extremely rich and that is definitely one of the major attractions of visiting this particular location. The park is a home to several plants and animals. You will get to see many exotic varieties of species at the park as well. Moreover the KBR National Park animals are also major attractions here. The floral variety here is also extremely rich and there are more than 600 species of plant life here. This variety includes trees, climbers, shrubs, herbs, xerophytes, grasses and more. A great variety of flowering plants are also present here along with some insectivorous plants as well. Some of the popular attractions are Acacia Campbell, Drosera Flycatcher Plant, and Sundew etc.
Coming to the faunal variety there are around 130 species of birds here. Along with that you will find around 20 species of mammals, 20 species of reptiles and around 15 species of butterflies as well. All of these further makes the KBR Park a popular site to visit.
Guided Tours
Another major attraction at the KBR Park are the Guided Tours here. The guided tours are interesting as they offer interesting facts to the visitors. You can even check out the slideshow on the history of the park as well. These tours here are mostly available during the evening and they have different charges as well.
Photography
You can also enjoy photography and wildlife photography at the KBR National Park as well. A visit to the KBR Park would ensure you are close to nature. And you can further take advantage of the opportunity to click beautiful pictures of the wildlife here. You can see a variety of small animals, a huge variety of birds, butterflies and a lot more. And it would certainly be interesting enough to click photographs of the wildlife here along with wildlife viewing.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the KBR National Park and now just plan a trip there to spend some time amidst nature. It will be refreshing and exciting to visit the national park here as the richness of the location is worth exploring. Do let me know if this article on the KBR National Park is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
