Nov 01, 2006 05:21 PM
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(Updated Nov 01, 2006 05:25 PM)
Dandeli is a picturesque city located at the bank of river Kali in Uttara Kannada district in Karnataka. It is about 480Kms from both Bangalore and Pune.
Offlate Dandeli has become popular tourist destination offering adventure activities. Dandeli is also famous for its wildlife sanctuary and is a home to big cats such as Leopards, Tigers and Black Panthers.
How we reached:
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Boarded a K.S.R.T.C 'Rajahamsa' bus from Bangalore which leaves Bangalore at 8.30pm and reaches Dandeli at 9.00am next morning. Rajahamsa leaves Dandeli at 5.30pm in the evening and reaches Bangalore at 6.30am next morning.
There are plenty of local buses running from Hubli to Dandeli.
Accomodations:
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Bison River Resort - It has rooms with a panoramic view of the fascinating river Kali.
Hornbill Resorts - This offers tree houses, rock houses and tents.
Kali Wilderness and Adventure Resorts - This has 9 tents facing Kali river and 11 rooms with huge reception and dining hall.
Our stay at Kali Wilderness and Adventure Resorts managed by Jungle Lodges Group was a good experience. They charged 1400 Rupees per person for a day, this includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, wildlife jeep safari, Coracle ride, Drive to Syntheri rocks and Kavala caves. The resorts managed by Jungle Lodges normally do not have off-season rates as they have tourists all the year.
Adventure Activities:
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White Water Rafting: We were taken in a jeep to a place called Ganeshnagudi which is 30 Km from Dandeli. The rafting boats can accomodate 6 people with one professional rafter. We were given 15 minute introductory lessons on white water rafting. Children below 12 yrs of age are not allowed to do rafting. We opted for a 9km run lasting 2.5 hrs with 9 rapids. Among 9 rapids, 1/6/9th rapid was really great. There is small stretch after 7th rapid where swimmers are allowed to swim. This is a must-do activity at Dandeli.
Note: You don’t have to be a swimmer to experience the white water rafting as each one on a boat is secured with life jackets and helmets.
Off-Season Rate: 1100 per person
Season Rate: 1350 per person
Wildlife Safari: Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is located 20Km away from the city. Summer is the best season to spot tigers and panthers. We were able to spot few Deer’s, Langur’s, an injured Fox, Peacocks and rare Great Pied Hornbill.
Coracle Ride: Coracle ride on the river Kali is another must-do at Dandeli. If you are lucky, you might just spot a crocodile lazing on small islands. We were able to spot a crocodile which was 2 ft below water and was moving against the current. Indeed crocodiles are great swimmers!
We ran out of time so could not venture into other activities like Kayaking, Canyoning, and Mountain Biking.
Places to Visit:
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Kavala Caves: These limestone caves are situated at a distance of 25Km from Dandeli. We had to descend 375 steps to reach the cave entrance. One has to crawl 40 ft deep to see the naturally formed Shivalinga. Candles are available outside the cave but do not forget to carry a torch. It is said that these caves have been inhabited since prehistoric times. We were also told that this cave was home to many snakes and bats. Now that sounds scary isn't it? Carry lot of water and glucose as you are sure to get exhausted climbing back those 375 steps.
Syntheri Rock: Deep inside Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary stands a 300 ft tall granite monolith on the bank of river Kaneri. Erosion has resulted in large number of nooks and cracks and is a home for rock bees and pigeons. It takes about an hour to reach by jeep and is located 30km away from Dandeli.
Shiroli Peak: It is the highest point in Uttara Kannada district. Also called as Sunset Viewpoint, offers fantastic view of the peaks of Western Ghats. This is located 25Km from Dandeli within Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.
Supa Reservoir: This dam is located 25Km from Dandeli and is used to produce Electrical Power. Unfortunately this is closed for visitors because of security reasons.
