Get away to the
heart of naturein
Dandeli, Karnataka
With the devastation wreaked by the monsoon almost behind
us, it’s time again to hit the open road. Around 90km south of
Belgaum in Karnataka, in the heart of the Western Ghats,
lies the small town of Dandeli. Cut in two by the Kali River,
this little town has garnered a reputation for two things –
water sports and birdwatching.
The river, which can be a formidable beast during the
monsoon, becomes a lot more manageable in the dry
season, from October to June, and has rapids that rafting
enthusiasts swear by. Then there are the four kinds of hornbills
present in these parts, which draw birdwatchers from all
across the sub-continent.
The roads leading to Dandeli get a lot more interesting once
you get off the highway, cutting through lush farmlands and little
villages. As much as you’d like to get to the destination, stop
briefly en route and simply taking in the rich canvas presented
by the Karnataka countryside. As you near Dandeli, you’ll come
across several properties advertising “jungle stays”. Carry on
until you get to the main town, and check the accommodationWEEKENDPLANNEROut of
BELGAUM(86km)Words SAMARPAN BHOWMIK
Photographs T KRISHNA PRABAKAR
Herds of spotted deer
venture pretty close to the
roads inside the nature
reserve. Lucky, given the
racket the safari vehicles makeEXPLORE