Into Dandeli...

A long overnight journey by car and several stops to catch up on sleep and have some breakfast, landed us in Dandeli at lunch time. We checked into the small but neat log huts in the only accommodation in Kulgi which is right in the middle of the forest. Designed to be eco-friendly it was very warm and welcoming. The few people who took care of the place had a meal ready and we quickly had lunch and went off for a walk into the woods. The road was most enticing, as it was already raining since we reached. The thick evergreen forest was so beautiful, that i was enamored all through the trip. Wanting to breath the fresh air I inhaled as much as I could. Though the smokers didn't make the experience possible always i found my way away from them...

We booked a safari jeep, which was much bigger than it is usually in the more commercial forests and set off into the forest to see what it could offer. The species in the forest here is very different from the northern forests where the jungle is mostly exploited due to tourism, there is not much shrubbery, and animals cannot hide from your view.

This place was quite the opposite. Being an evergreen forest, and the monsoon already having started, it was thick with very very tall trees and extremely thick creepers all along. The road inside the jungle was the only one again unlike other touristy jungles. Since this stretch of forests is part of the Western Ghats, we had some wonderful views of deep green valleys with fog.

We spotted the Malabar Pied Hornbill, and the Red Malabar Squirrel. It was the most exquisite animal I had ever seen. Beautiful red color and a long bushy tail. Since we do some conservation work and this was the last point the guide allowed us to get off and take some closer shots. One of the group member crossed the limits and went off to stand right under the tree. He was reprimanded as we need to respect the animal's space and privacy when we're in their home.

Towards the end of the trip I got quite sick from a severe acidity attack from the spicy food. I took the rest of the evening off and rested.

Some information on the conservation work in Dandeli-Anshi Tiger Reserve.