- Opt for simple food before
you head out for either water
sports or a safari - The jungle lodges in Kali
Adventure Camp overlook
the river - The view from atop a hill in
the middle of the tiger reserve is
fascinating. It's therapeutic to see
these vast expanses of green - Pug marks might be the only
trace you see of the elusive big
cat, unless you get really lucky
options there. Many of the properties offer rafting and
other adventure activities, along with the promise of living
“in the middle of the jungle”.
Pick, perhaps, Kali Adventure Camp, formerly a
state tourism department guest house. The advantage of
the government association is that this property, along with
water sports and birdwatching tours, also offers safaris
into the nearby Kali Tiger Reserve.
The camp is spread across a fairly large area, with rooms
in one main building and cottages by the river. You might hear
a few cars now and then, owing to its proximity to the town,
but the gushing of the river and calls of the numerous local
birds do deliver a bit of a “in-the-middle-of-nature” feel.
The safari comes as part of the package with the camp, and
you could spot everything from barking deer and spotted deer
to peacocks and flying squirrels. And then there’s the highlight
- the big cat. Its elusiveness is part of its charm – you might
manage only to see pugmarks, but the other local celebrities –
the hornbills – do usually put in an appearance on a
birdwatching tour. If you’re lucky, you might see all four – the
great Indian hornbill, the Malabar pied hornbill, the Malabar
grey hornbill and the Malabar hornbill. The birdwatching tours
happen in the timber yards nearby and it’s quite the experience
to see these birds hop from tree-top to tree-top, usually in pairs.
If you’d rather go rafting, you’re taken a few kilometres
upstream and then given a couple of hours to make your way
down the Kali River. Some of the camps also offer other
activities such as ziplining. For those who like to take things
a little easy, you could take a ride in a coracle, a circular boat
that’s been in use since the time of the Roman Empire. While
it’s a peaceful ride, with friendly chatter from the boatman and
the calm waters reflecting the lives of Dandeli’s inhabitants by
the river, the edge to the scenario is provided by the crocodiles
that call these waters home. Their diet comprises fish primarily,
and they are usually rather wary of humans. Your best bet of
getting a proper look at one of these apex predators is with
binoculars – because, every time you draw close, they
disappear in a flurry of tail and water.
A weekend in Dandeli offers up the perfect balance of
a getaway to the heart of nature – adrenaline-pumping action
on the rapids of a roaring river, rare birds and animals in their
natural habitat – and serene reflection to the tune of nature’s
glorious melody all around you. And all this, after that blissfully
relaxingdrivethere.STAY:KaliAdventureCamp(www.kaliadventurecamp.in;
from`4,160/personforjunglelodges)1EXPLORE:WEEKENDPLANNER423