Close proximity to excellent wildlife buffers, bird calls, forest cacophony, lush green landscapes, splendid backwaters make Kabini, a truly wild holiday destination. Once, a private hunting ground of the erstwhile Wodeyars – Maharajas of Mysore, it was also a popular hunting hot-spot for the British Viceroys.

Kabini derives its name from the river Kabini (also known as Kabani or Kapila). The river originates in Wayanad district of Kerala, snakes its way through Nagarhole (meaning,‘snake stream’ in the local tongue), and flows eastwards to join river Cauvery. Located about 80km from Mysore, and 205km from Bangalore, it comprises the south-eastern part of the  Nagarhole National Park or the Rajiv Gandhi National Park. At Kabini, there are several stay options ranging from eco-resorts which have authentic wild settings to those which cater to luxuries.  Kabini is also an ideal place for camping; one can also head for treks to nearby peaks like Kumara Parvatha or Tadiyadamol.

Because of its rich topography, there is a plethora of wildlife found here. The estimated average number of herbivores in Nagarhole is 108 animals per sq km.  Many tigers and leopards reside in its dense jungles. Sometimes, Leopards can be spotted at the fringes. Notable species in Nagarhole include, the dhole, Asian Elephant, jungle cat, striped hyena, jackal, chital, gaur, sambar,  mouse deer, four-horned antelope, wild boar, crested porcupine and the blacknaped hare. Primates include the common langur and bonnet macaque.
It is also a haven for birders; the red spurfowl, grey junglefowl, blue-faced malkhoa. the rare yellow-browed bulbul, white-cheeked barbet, Nilgiri flycatcher, Malabar pied hornbill, goldenbacked parakeet, southern tree pie, short-eared owl, oriental scops owl, Pacific swallow, grasshopper warbler, orphean warbler, yellow-billed babbler, green imperial pigeon and the white-bellied woodpecker can be spotted here. The reptilian species include the spectacled cobra, common krait, bamboo pit viper, Russell’s viper, rock python, common rat snake, chequered keelback, green whip snake, common Indian bronzeback, flying snake, wolf snake and trinket snake, marsh crocodile and Indian monitor lizard.

Nagarhole is also home to several  indigenous tribes who've been sheltered from the mainstream, and thus practice a way of life, that fuses with the wildlife in the region. Kurubas, collectively known as Kaadu Kurubas or forest dwellers are the natives of Kabini. They are classified further into Jenu Kurubas (Honey gatherers) and Betta Kurubas (Hill tribes).