It's amazing how close we are to places of incredible natural beauty despite the ongoing destruction. It is nothing but a joy and a rare privilege that we are able to whisk away to somewhere exotic overnight. One such incredibly exotic place is Dandeli, a densely forested area hiding rich treasures. I started 2014 with a rather nice visit to Dandeli where brilliant views await. Here's a glimpse of what I saw.
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A small hike to the hilltop behind the Old Magazine House in Ganeshgudi brought us to this breathtaking view. Four rivers meet here forming a huge reservoir where the layered mountains lie on fringes. The sun sets between the hills, the water shimmers and the sky is painted in all shades of red as the wind whispers sweet nothings. |
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| In my experience, magical moments are ephemeral. Partly the reason why those stolen moments seem magical could be its transience. While we waited to the sky to turn red, the water shined bright under the spell of the setting sun. Needless to say, we were left spellbound too. Soon after, the sky turned red. |
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| Beautiful sights of the wilderness surrounding Dandeli. Tall trees, colorful flowers and dense canopy make the forest look so wonderful, no wonder the hornbills made it their home. Hornbills live where the forests thrive. |
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| Even without the prominent casque, the Malabar Grey Hornbill looked pretty basking in the sun by the Kali River. We spotted this beautiful bird on our evening Coracle Ride over the river. |
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| And here's the big beautiful bird that has made Dandeli its home. Lots of Malabar Pied Hornbills can be found in the forests surrounding Dandeli. One evening, rowing up and down a small stretch of Kali River, we spotted these graceful birds, flying across the river from one side to the other. |
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| Ganeshgudi is apparently a hotspot for birdwatchers, a place where endemic species come flying to you. And how do I know this? Because that day I saw a motley group of birding enthusiasts congregate near a small bird bath with one thing in common - a love of birds. But what grabbed my attention was the fact that this motley group's collective worth of the camera gear would easily run into millions! But hey, the pretty little birds are Oriental White-Eyes. |
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| Crocodiles and us, side by side, lounging on the river. Kali River. |
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| Thousands of birds were flying back home and it was such a magical yet simple thing that I miss so much living in the city. From a treetop, I watched the white moon and the bird, through the twigs. |
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| Malabar Pied Hornbill again! Saw so many of these beautiful birds in Dandeli. Love. |
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| Early morning walks, late evening hikes, Dandeli is all about falling in love with the forests all over again! |
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| Say hello to this cute little Malabar Giant Squirrel having its breakfast! |
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| A small pond in the Anshi National Park, seen on an evening Safari. After all the activity in the forests of Kanha, Bandhavgarh & Kabini, Anshi felt unusually silent. Dandeli isn't known for big mammal sightings but for lot of endemic bird species. We did see a lot of birds and squirrels in the forests. |
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The meandering trail through the forest. Even without the big mammals, the forests of Dandeli are a pleasure to be in. It is a place where the wild is truly wild and enchanting still.
Dandeli is a small town in Uttara Kannada district of north Karnataka. The closest railhead is at quaint village called Alnavar Jn, which is 40kms away from Dandeli. Adjoining the town are the dense forests of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi Tiger Reserve. Already known among adventure enthusiasts for rafting on the rapids of Kali River, Dandeli has many things to offer to the birding and nature enthusiasts as well.
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