Tourists arriving in the state could now have the thrilling experience of sighting wildlife at the night affordably.

The Kerala Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced a ‘Wildlife night jungle safari’ through the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary as part of its latest budget tourism initiative.

The safari bus, which will enable adventure lovers to explore the busy nightlife of nocturnal animals, will be operated from the Bathery depot of the corporation.

“We will start the night jungle safari trips next week. The bus will leave Bathery depot at 9 pm and take the visitors along to Ponkuzhy on the Kerala-Karnataka border. It will ply through the Kozhikode-Kollegal NH 766 that meanders through the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary,” said Joshy John, district transport officer.

The bus will return to Bathery depot by 11.30 pm. Out of the 60-km long safari ride, 30 km will be through dense forest route. The ticket price is fixed at Rs 300 per person.

This is the first-of-its-kind initiative to tap the nighttime tourism potential of the hill district, gifted with a lush green canopy of forest, wildlife, waterfalls, lakes, and mountains.

The KSRTC, of late, has increased its focus on tourism-related activities, ranging from caravan tourism to city tour services in its attempt to revive the loss-making entity.