Kabini Backwaters

Kabini Backwaters is the expansive reservoir formed by the Kabini Dam (Beechanahalli Dam) on the Kabini River near H.D. Kote in Mysuru district, Karnataka, bordering the Nagarhole National Park. Created after the dam's completion in 1974, the shallow backwaters and submerged trees create a scenic wetland landscape. It is notable for rich wildlife viewing, birdlife, and tranquil boat safaris, serving as a major eco-tourism hub between Mysuru and Wayanad.

Visitors can expect a vast, calm reservoir with submerged tree trunks, grassy islets and forested banks along the Kabini River. The area is accessed via resorts and boat jetties offering motorboat and coracle safaris. Common sights include elephants, deer, crocodiles and diverse waterbirds along the shoreline, especially during early morning and evening safaris. The surroundings are quiet and natural, with views of the Western Ghats and proximity to Nagarhole forest.

The backwaters were formed by the Kabini Dam, also known as Beechanahalli Dam, constructed in 1974 across the Kabini River, a tributary of the Kaveri River, for irrigation and hydroelectric purposes. The reservoir submerged former forest and agricultural land, creating a shallow wetland ecosystem that now adjoins Nagarhole National Park and has become central to eco-tourism in the Mysuru-Wayanad region.