This work presents a simple model for predicting the thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofluids. Effects due to the high thermal conductivity of CNTs and the percolation of heat through it are considered to be the most important reasons for their anomalously high thermal conductivity enhancement. A new approach is taken for the modeling, the novelty of which lies in the prediction of the thermal behaviour of oil based as well as water based CNT nanofluids, which are quite different from each other in thermal characteristics. The model is found to correctly predict the trends observed in experimental data for different combinations of CNT nanofluids with varying concentrations. © Indian Academy of Sciences.