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.
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| 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.
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| 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
