The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Nilgiri Hills, at a point where the Western Ghats meet the Eastern Ghats. This sanctuary has a mix of flat land, undulating parkland, open grassland, swamp, valleys and nullahs. The Mayyar River forms a series of spectacular cascades on its 65 kms route on the Udhagamandalam-Mysore highway. This sanctuary can be reached from Mysore too.

The 321 sq kms area of the sanctuary encompasses a National Park measuring 103 sq kms. The vegetation here is varied. The hilly terrain of the Western Ghats, clothed in dense mixed and moist deciduous forests, make Mudumalai a most attractive wildlife reserve.
The Mysore-Ooty highway runs through the Park, following the course of the Mayyar River, which separates Mudumalai from the Bandipur sanctuary.

The fauna includes Elephant, Gaur, Bonnet, Macaque, Common langur, Tigers and Leopards, Chital, Panther, Sloth Bear, Python, Barking deer, Four-Horned Antelope, Otter, Crocodile, Giant flying squirrel, Sambhar, Hyena, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Jackal, Hare, Porcupine and Mongoose.