Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary - A must visit in Karnataka

Dandeli is small town situated on the northern section of Karnataka state and its part of Western Ghat, bestowed with the lush green forests and lies on the banks of the Kali river. The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park together named as The Kali Tiger Reserve. 

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. It is a home to animals including tigers, leopards, black panthers, bison, deer, bear, monkeys and elephants, as well as many bird species. Its wildlife sanctuary brought in most of its fame. The trails inside the dense forests will lead you to the majestic black panthers. It includes rare snakes and crocodiles on the river. For a birdwatcher with nearly 300 species of birds making the forests their home, it is a dream come true. 

Wildlife Adventure in Dandeli is all about exploring the natural habitat of wildlife, it is a haven for bird watchers. You can spot the great Indian hornbill, Malabar trogon, velvet-fronted nuthatch and white-bellied blue flycatcher. Ganeshgudi is often considered one of the best places to visit in Dandeli for bird watching. In fact, you can witness the allure of numerous bird species right from your room if you stay in the hotels near Ganeshgudi.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is an ideal vacation spot for anyone who loves nature or wildlife.

Best Time To Visit

Dandeli has moderate elevation and good forest cover, which gives it a pleasant all-year-round weather. However, the region receives heavy rainfall during the monsoons (from July to September). October to April is the proper time to visit and the best months are December to February. October and November the best months for bird watching and activities like trekking as the hills look very pristine after the recent rains.

Day 1 - 25 Nov 2023

We started our journey on Friday,  24th Nov and took a halt at Kolhapur. On 25th morning left Kolhapur and reached Dandeli around 12.30 pm. We had booking in Prakriti Cottages Dandeli. When we reached the room was ready and we immediately went for lunch after freshened up. We have too many things planned to do in Dandeli and we were having only 2 days as there is a wedding which we had to attend on 29th Nov in Pune. 

After lunch we took some rest and enjoyed in swimming tank, archery ,badminton, carrom etc. games in cottage. We could heard the sound of peacocks in between. 

As the night started getting colder, the night felt very quiet and peaceful. We wished to stay in the tent and Prashant put up the tent in the premise. Falling asleep to all the animal sounds amidst the jungle…… wow. This experience was amazing. As someone said "Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit". It allows you to sleep under a sky full of stars; it lets you wish upon a shooting star. It allows you to hear the mysterious sounds coming. We observed the stars and got ready to sleep in tent which was thankfully covered with a mosquito. We fell asleep early that day as we were very tired from the journey. This was one of the most peaceful nights I have ever had. 

Day 2 - 26 Nov 2023

That day we woke up a bit late and after breakfast went around 10am to explore nearby places in Dandeli. First of all, we went to crocodile park. The park is a viewing platform on the banks of the river where you can watch crocodiles in the river Kali. Ticket Charges at Crocodile Park - Rs. 50 for adult and Rs. 20 for kids. The water in the river is very dirty and because of that there is a bad smell but as crocodiles are there so it is obvious. We were there for 10-15 minutes and saw 18 crocodiles, few were swimming and few were basking in Sun. 

Crocodiles basking in Sun

Due to the foul smell, we could not stay there for longtime and left the place to go Disney Park near Dandeli bus stand.  

The Disney park in Dandeli has got almost all the Disney characters you know and even those which you might now be aware of. The Avengers, Batman & Superman, Simpsons, Mickey Mouse, and Chhota Bheem to name a few, and this is the reason that this place remains the favorite spot for all little ones. Ticket charges at Disney park are Rs. 30 for adult and free for kids. The statues of Charlie Chaplin and a few Marvel characters also remain an interesting point. A play area is designed where children can spend the rest of the time indulging in fun activities and you can simply relish those beautiful moments sitting on the side wooden chairs surrounded by trees. 

Be aware!! There are a lot of mosquitoes so do not forgot to carry mosquito repellent. When we went play area cleaning was in progress hence it was closed. After spending an hour we left teh place and visited few temples in Dandeli. 

After having lunch at the cottage we went to Jungle safari. Dandeli Wildlife Safari is a must! After all, no other adventure can match the experience of spending time face to face with exotic wildlife! Dandeli Wildlife Jungle Safari is conducted by Karnataka forest Department and Phansoli is the location of Jungle Safari.

There are two places from where you can book jungle safari tickets, Kulgi Nature Camp and Kali Tiger Reserve Safari booking counter. 

Kulgi Nature Camp booking is for very less count of vehicles and immediately gets full , we did not get booking here so they asked us to go to Kali Tiger Reserve Safari booking counter which is 3km from there and almost all bookings are done from that place. So suggestion is direct go to Kali Tiger Reserve Safari booking counter instead of Kulgi camp counter. Also its better to go in a group of 6 they allot the vehicle accordingly. Else form the group there itself and then go to counter for booking, you will easily get vehicle allotted. 

There are two slots, first slot is at 6 am and second slot at 4 pm. There is no advance or online booking available, 650/- per person is the cost of safari around 2hrs. You have to be at least an hour early at the ticket counter to confirm you Jungle safari.

Travel by jeep with experienced guides who will take you on the adventure of a lifetime, and delve deep into the natural habitat of wild animals. You must keep your eyes open for Dandeli forest animals. Jungle Safari was a thrilling activity, which travelled through the dense forest and is one of the top things to do in Dandeli. The feeling of escaping into the dense forests, spotting several animals in their natural habitat and living nearby a river is truly unmatched.

Spider in Forest

Forest Department conducts Jungle Safari tours. An open jeep includes a driver and a guide. It was total 12km ride through forest and middle of it our driver cum guide asked us to get off and go to a sunset point which is known as Shiroli Peak. The highest point in the area of Uttara Kannada, situated on the sides of an abandoned mine in the mountains. It gives a beautiful view of the Sahyadri from sunset. It is generally a part of the Jungle safari and requires the forest department’s permission to travel. It is a great place to capture one of the most amazing views of the sunset, from the place you can only see green mountains and mountains. 

The duration of the trip is about 2-3 hours. We spotted bison, deer, wolf, monkeys, peacocks and few birds including kingfisher and hornbill. In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks. The thrill of it all made it so worth it, and with adrenaline rushing through our veins we couldn’t wait for what was yet to come.

Timing for Jungle Safari -

Morning Jungle Safari 6:00 AM (Reporting Time From 05:00 am)

Evening Jungle Safari 4:00 PM (Reporting Time From 03:00 pm)

Phansoli Elephant Camp is situated amidst the lush green forests of Dandeli, providing a serene and natural setting. The camp offers a unique opportunity to observe and interact with majestic elephants in a responsible and ethical manner. It is a sanctuary where trained elephants are housed and cared for, and visitors can witness their daily activities and learn about their behavior. The timings and entry fee for the Dandeli Elephant Camp may vary, so it is advisable to check with the camp authorities or local tourism offices for the most accurate information.

There were 3 Elephants, we can take good pictures. It's a nice place for kids to see and touch elephants, kids will enjoy it for sure. The elephants on display are tamed and made to stay in a fenced area during the day and released back into the forests at night. You get an opportunity to play with and feed the elephants. It's a 30 minutes to 1 hour stay here at maximum so you can plan to visit other places accordingly.

Important points -

Don’t make any unnecessary sounds or wear bright clothes. Keep your spotlights and flashes in your bags. You should never attempt to feed wild animals. 

Otherwise, they may depend on you for food. It will hamper their habits and possibly agitate them as well.

We reached resort around 7.30 pm and our days ended after fantastic maharashtrian food - pithal and bhakri.

Day 3 - 27 Nov 2023

We woke up little early in the morning, so walked for an hour to explore the surrounding area. We could see various small birds and heard some loud voice of wild boar. People were chasing the wild boar as it destroys their farms and its shrill sound was very prominent in the morning. 

We had planned water sport activities in the afternoon but due to some personal exigency we had to go to a relative's place in Belgaum. After having hot Puri Bhaji in breakfast we left resort and came to Belgaum.

Day 4 - 28 Nov 2023 

After a relaxing break, we began our return journey at 8am from Belgaum. We only had a stop at Patil Dhaba for breakfast around 10am and reached Pune around 6.30pm.

Highlights - 

Trip duration - 4 days (25 November 2023 to 28 November 2023) 

Distance travelled - 1000Km

Budget - 35K

Visit to sacred Narsobawadi and Khidrapur near Kolhapur

Narsobawadi is a holy place situated on the sacred confluence of the two rivers, Krishna and Panchaganga. Its is also known as Nrusinhwadi, gets its name from the presence of 'Shri Nrusinha Saraswati', the Purna Avatar of Lord Dattatreya. Shri Nrusinha saraswati lived in this vicinity that is packed with Audumber trees for a long duration of 12 years and he prosper this region. Nrusinhawadi is a capital place for the Datta devotees.

We entered the temple to witness the Paduka, that were established by Swami Here in the temple. The Swayambhu Paduka is worshipped here daily without fail. The entire place was giving a soothing effect and the calm environment of the temple were ecstatic. 

We spent some time around the temple and nearby areas at the line of shops, small hotels, small eateries and hawkers. One thing you should not miss when you are at Narsobawadi and that is Basundi(Rabdi). You will get very thick and good quality basundi and varieties of pedha and barfi there.

One more special sweet is "Kardant" which is made up of dry fruits and coconut, you must try this. We enjoyed shopping of all these at Bahulekar's shop and Basundi at Krushnai sweets. 

After Darshan and shopping we went at Soman Bhojanalay for lunch as I heard their name for good food. 

Just 18 km away from Wadi, an ancient temple of Kopeshwar, lord Shiva is hidden in the Khidrapur adjacent to Krishna river on the Maharashtra Karnataka border. It was built in the 12th century by Shilahara king Gandaraditya. The Kopeshwar temple was targeted during the Deccan campaign by the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, just like several other temples of Maharashtra. The Mughals have broken and mutilated several beautiful parts of the temple, but they were unsuccessful in destroying it completely.

Kopeshwar Temple, Khidrapur

This temple has very stunning architecture and as per Shilpa Shastra, this is probably the richest temple in Maharashtra. The stone used in this temple is hard basalt rock, that is found in the Sahyadri range of mountains, the closest point being 60 km away. So, the stone must have been ported here via Panchganga and Krishna rivers. 

Sculpted Walls (Outside)

This temple is famous for unique open pillared mantapa of 12 pillars in which all pillars resembles an hour a clock. This has very beautiful sculpted Walls where we can see lot of elephant carvings at the base of the temple. The focus is on the Dravida and Nagara temple styles and a third hybrid form of shikhara that developed in the Deccan.

Main Temple (Outside)

Flowers Carved Window

Steps

Vishnu carved on the wall

History of Kopeshwar Temple - 

Accordingly to Sanatan Dharma, every story eventually goes back to the story of Sati’s self-immolation at her father Daksha’s Yagya. After Sati kills herself, Shiva is angry. Vishnu steps in to pacify his anger. It is at that moment that this temple freezes in time. Since Shiva is angry he gets the name Kopeshwar. Kopa means anger in Sanskrit. Vishnu is present here as the second linga to pacify Shiva.

Swarg Mandap is the first part of the temple that you see once you step in. It is detached from the main temple by a very small margin. The circular structure of Swarg Mandap is supported by 48 pillars, each of which is beautifully carved. Seen from the outside, you can see the impression of an inverted lotus on the roof. There are 12 horizontal spokes coming out on the ceiling, both inside and outside the structure.

Swarg Mandap

Geometric Patterns on Pillars

I stepped in to see the temple shimmering in the morning rays of the sun. I hurriedly stepped into the Swarg Mandap for this is the most unique architectural feature of this temple.  And stood there awestruck by what I saw. No matter how many images or videos you see, there is nothing like standing on the large circular stone disc surrounded by 48 carved pillars with an opening to the sky.

We standing at Swarg Mandap

This temple recently came into the limelight when the films such as Katyar Kaljat Ghusali, Sarsenapati Hambirrao were shot in the temple.

Kopeshwar Temple, Khidrapur

Memorable visit to Raigad Fort

Raigad is a hill fortress situated in the near Mahad, Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is 140 km from Pune and takes approximately 3.5 hours to reach. The Raigad Fort is a majestic and aesthetically appealing hill fort. It is one of the strongest forts on the Deccan Plateau and was historically referred to as Rairee or Rairy fort. 

Raigad Fort is the place where Shivaji Maharaj took the title Chhatrapati on his coronation day in June 1674. After being crowned the king of the Maratha kingdom, Shivaji chose Raigad as his capital. Pachad, Hirkaniwadi and Raigadwadi villages are at the base of Raigad fort. The actual climb up to the Raigad fort starts from the Pachad village. 

The fort can be accessed by a single pathway comprising of 1737 steps which takes nearly 2 hours to climb up and its moderately simple. 

The ideal time to visit the Raigad fort is during November to March as winters are not harsh here. The weather remains pleasant, and you will enjoy trekking or ropeway the most during winters. Summers are hot in Raigad as the mercury reaches up to 50 degrees Celsius. Monsoon season in Raigad oscillates from medium to heavy rainfall. It is good location for a day out. We went to Raigad on 28th March. 

Sapt Manora(Watch Tower)

 

The rope-way facility is available at Raigad Fort, to reach at the fort from ground in few minutes, approximately 5-7 minutes. Charges and discount details are available in below website. Only accommodation available on fort is through rope way.  Fort is closed at 5pm everyday and you have to get down before 5pm. 

 https://raigadropeway.com/ticket.html

Shivaji Maharaj statue at Rope way station

The main palace was constructed using wood, of which only the base pillars remain. The main fort ruins consist of the queen's quarters, and six chambers, with each chamber having its private restroom. 

In addition, ruins of three watch towers can be seen directly in front of the palace grounds out of which only two remain as the third one was destroyed during a bombardment. The fort also overlooks an artificial lake known as the Ganga Sagar Lake. The only main pathway to the fort passes through the "Maha Darwaja" which was previously closed at sunset.

Gangasagar Lake

Another entrance, called the Mena Darwaja on the south side, was supposedly the private entrance for the royal ladies of the fort that lead to the queen's quarters.

Mena Darwaja

The main palace of Shivaji, Raj Bhavan, was made out of wood; however, it is only the bases of the pillars that remain. The Raj Bhavan leads to a massive, sprawling lawn also known as the Raj Sabha. 

This open ground has witnessed various important events of the Maratha rule. From the splendor of battle wins to the coronation of Shiv Chhtrapati, the Raj Sabha has seen it all. 

Rajwada Place

Rajwada Remains

If you are visiting the fort for the first time, do not miss exploring the chambers of the queen or the Rani Vasa that comprises of six chambers each with attached restrooms.  You wont believe until you see that even then there were bathroom and toilet attached to each chamber. The impressive drainage system of the Royal Bath speaks for the architectural excellence prevalent centuries ago. You will be amazed to know that it leads to an underground cellar that was used for secretive activities back in the day such as worshipping Bhavani Mata, storing loot from wars, secret dialogues and what not!

Raniwasa

Dhanya Kothar

Khatbat khana is a room for secret discussion. 

Khalbat khana

Khalbat khana (inside)

Way to Balekilla

Meghdambari Sinhasan

The king's court, inside the Raigad Fort, has a replica of the original throne that faces the main doorway called the Nagarkhana Darwaja. It faces the East Side. This enclosure had been acoustically designed to aid hearing from the doorway to the throne.

Nagarkhana

Holi Cha Mal is just outside the Nagarkhana Darwaja, this massive open ground was used by the people of the fort to celebrate Holi in early days. The Bara Tanki comprised of more than a dozen water reservoirs and its ruins will amaze you by their magnificent structure. There is an ancient marketplace can be found in the premises of the fort with a statue of Shivaji right in front of it.

Bajarpeth (Market Place)

Shirkai Devi Temple

Hatti Talav (Elephant Lake)

There is a mint (tanksal), a plant where money is coined by authority of the king.

Khubladha Buruj

The fort has a historic buruj called "Hirakani Buruj" (Hirakani Bastion) constructed over a huge steep cliff. The legend goes "that a milkmaid by the name of Hirakani from a nearby village had come to sell milk to the people living at the fort. She happened to be inside the fort when the gates got closed and locked at sunset. Hearing the cries of her infant son back at the village echo after nightfall, the anxious mother couldn't wait till dawn and courageously climbed down the steep cliff in pitch darkness all for the love of her little one. She later repeated this extraordinary feat in front of Shivaji and was rewarded for her bravery." Noticing that this was a potential loophole, Shivaji built a bastion over the cliff and named it after the milkmaid.

From the fort, one can view the execution point called Takmak Tok, a cliff from where wrongdoers were pushed off to death. It is also believed that Shivaji Maharaj punished a number of enemies and traitors by sending them hurtling down this valley. The Takmak Tok is a massive rock cliff located at a height of 1200 feet. The breathtaking view of the enchanting valleys of Sahyadri hills make it a popular tourist spot of Raigad. This area has been fenced off. 

Way to Takmak Tok

Takmak Tok

It was almost 1pm and we were hungry, after inquiring about a place for lunch we got to know Gajanan Aukirkar's place. After inquiring around, we reached his house which is near to Jagadishwar temple. Few people were already having meal so the place is houseful. We had not ordered before so we had to wait. After waiting for 30 minutes they served us pithal bhakari. So you need to place prior order, you can explore the fort and come back in an hour. Only veg food is allowed at the fort. 

After lunch we went to visit Jagadishwar temple and Shiv samadhi. A strong believer in Hinduism, Shivaji Maharaj built the Jagadishwar temple as an act of devotion to Lord Jagadishwar. It is believed that Shivaji used to visit the temple everyday. If you are looking for a serene, spiritual retreat, explore the temple grounds that house idols of Jagadishwar and Nandi. 

Jagadishwar Temple

Jagadishwar, Raigad Fort

Shivaji Maharaj gave the responsibility of building Raigad to Heroji Indulkar. When the construction of Raigad was completed, the Maharaja was pleased to see the excellent and magnificent construction of the fort which would put a civil engineer to shame and he told Heroji that you can ask for anything you want. Then what Heroji asked from behind he asked, "My name should be written on one of the steps of Raigad so that your feet will fall on that step and I will be blessed". This step is near the Jagadishwar temple on the fort.  It reads, "Seveshi Thayi Thapar Heroji Indulkar" means "Heroji Indulkar will always be in the ready service of His Majesty". This shows Heroji's loyalty and unconditional love towards Maharaja empire. 

"सेवेशी ठायी तत्पर हिरोजी इंदुलकर"

Shilalekh

Shiv Samadhi

Waghya Dog Tomb

We were tired and decided to skip Wagh Darwaja and Bhavani Kada in this visit, decided to see these places in next visit and that too we will climb up steps to reach the top. 

We left the fort around 4 pm as we almost walked for more than five hours which was around 13 kms. Our plan was to travel back Pune but we were so tired and decided to stay there and travel back next morning. We did not get a room at rope way station so we stayed at Raigad Uphargruh. This is just beside the ropeway station. Room was average clean but pricing is reasonable. They charged us 1000 Rs. for one night for 3 persons.  After getting fresh and took a power nap for 15 mins we went to Pachad, we have to reach Pune by 12pm as we were having parent-teacher meeting next day. 

The Samadhi of Rajmata Jijabai, Shivaji's mother, can be seen at the base village of Pachad. Jijamata Palace is dedicated to the mother of the great ruler, this palace is a must visit if you want to dig deep into history and unravel tales of the Maratha empire. Mostly destroyed by the British Army, the palace is now protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

Jijamata Wada, Pachad

Jijamata Samadhi, Pachad

The architecture of Raigad Fort is an excellent example of the Maratha military style of construction. 

You should visit Raigad at least once in your life and see the glory of Maharashtra.

We left Hirkaniwadi around 9.30 am after having breakfast at Sarja Uphar Grah which is authorized restaurant of rope way project. The ropeway ticket office entry is through the restaurant. The place is neat and clean. Food is quite simple and do not expect lot of verities here. 

We reached Pune around 2.30 pm after attending PTA meeting at school. 

 

Highlights - 

Trip duration - 2 days (27 March 2023 to 28 March 2023) (It can be a day trip from Pune.)

Distance travelled - 340Km

Budget - 8K

Useful information-

1. Pithal Bhakri plate(excluding rice) - 80 Rs.

2. Rope way charges - 310 Rs. per person.

3. Guide Charges - 500 Rs.

4. Website for rope and accommodation - https://raigadropeway.com/ticket.html

Useful contacts-

1. Gajanan Aukirkar (for lunch at the fort) - 9370842834

2. Guide Sandip Dhawale - 87668 22503

3. Hotel Raigad Uphargruh - 7947411674