A unique blend of hill resort and wildlife sanctuary. The hills take their name from the ancient Ranganatha Swamy Temple that sits at the edge of a granite precipice with a drop of more than 1000 ft. into a dense forest. Find inner peace at the foot of the great champak tree (Dodda Sampige,) believed to be more than 2000 years old and worshipped by the Soligas, the tribals of that area. Don’t miss the coffee estates, the tribal hamlets and the Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra which displays preserved tribal information and the biodiversity of the region. There are many trekking trails here, including one that leads up to Honnamati, the highest point of the range.

The sanctuary derives its name “Biligiri” either from the white rock face that constitutes the major hill crowned with the temple of Lord Rangaswamy, or from the white mist and the silver clouds that cover these lofty hills for a greater of the year. BRT has an amazing diversity of vegetation types such as scrub, dry and moist deciduous, evergreen, sholas and high-altitude grasslands.

This diversity of forest types supports a rich variety of fauna, avi-fauna, insects and butterflies. BRT is also known for its many endemic species of plants including valuable medicinal ones. BR Hills constitute a live link between the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats facilitating an active exchange of gene pools between them. Thus this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.

Birds:
The Malabar whistling thrush, yellow throated bulbul, paradise flycatcher, racquet-tailed drongo and the crested hawk eagle are some of the birds found here.
There is also an amazing variety of exotic butterflies.