You will curse yourself for having decided to do it. It is not the most pleasing thing – to have to get down at 4.30am from the cozy and warm seat of your luxury bus in the middle of the nowhere. If cutting off your sleep was not enough, noisy loudspeaker from the chai shop blares a song from the latest Kannada movie and pierces your ears. If you are still sleepy and hope to catch some shuteye at the chai shop, you will be bitten by the cold morning wind – hard enough to forget your sleep forever. It is still not morning and you need to kill time, so you order for some tea, which is nothing more than sugar syrup in brown color. Time moves slowly as you order idlis and eat them grumblingly with the cold chutney.
We were on our way for a trek to Edakumeri – an abandoned railway station in the heart of the Sahyadri Western Ghats, between the towns Sakaleshpura and Subrahmanya. Surrounded by thick evergreen forests and countless number of streams running down the mountains, it has long been known as a picturesque place by the railway tracks, visited and admired by many. And when the trains stopped plying 10 years ago, it became a paradise to nature lovers who came seeking solitude and enjoy the beauty of the nature. The abandoned station offered refuge from the cold of the night.
We climbed up to the nearby Munjarabad court after tea and breakfast. The fort is nothing more than a short elevated enclosure on the top of a hill, known to serve as a watchtower. It was 5am and dark yet. Cold of the morning kept us awake. As we watched from the fort, we witnessed a short meteor shower, with occasional streak of light dropping down once in a while. The falling stars in the silence of the morning were broken by the early sunrays after a while. We started off on the trek soon after the sunrise.
Donigal village is where we had got down the bus and where Munjarabad fort is located. Not all buses stop here and sometimes you may have to get down at the previous town – Sakaleshapura. A brief walk down the road from Donigal and you hit the railway tracks. We hopped on to the tracks and continued the journey. Initial walk took us through villages in the middle of forest and sometimes fields. An hour of walking and you will not see people any more. All that you have is thick vegetation that is bifurcated by the railway tracks you are walking on. Do not make the mistake of asking any villager with the question – “how far to Yedakumeri”. You will come with varied answers, none of which could be close to reality. Here are some samples.
“May be 4-5 kilometers. You should reach there in 2-3 hours”
“We villagers never bother to walk on these tracks, I don’t know. May be a few hours of walk”
“Don’t go there. There are elephants in the forest!!”
“10 kilometers. You should be able to do it before noon”
“Why are you going there?”
But it is difficult not to ask them time and again; curiosity is a real killer. Take the answers with a pinch of salt and just have fun with it instead of assuming them true!
It is not surprising that most villagers would not have known the real distance, because they would never have walked the way. They live in these beautiful forests, interact with it every day, use the water of the streams and the produce of the forest for their livelihood. The beauty gets taken for granted when you have spent all your life there. A villager asked me how did I feel about his village as we walked past. I said – beautiful, and said would not mind settling down here, had I had a means of livelihood. He casually remarked that while he would do anything to get to the city and find a life there, we talk about just the opposite. It is a sad truth, but reality too. It is difficult for us to find livelihood in the village and we never move out, but they sometimes find some work in the city. The cities are getting crowded like never before since they offer endless opportunities. Its seems like a natural phenomenon in the new economy and is difficult to pinpoint blame on anyone.
The railway tracks running through the forest
A few hours walk and the jungle gets thicker. The flat terrain gives way to hills, and streams appear in the intersection of these hills. These hills and streams are in plenty, and this geography has resulted in creation of many tall bridges and long tunnels for the tracks. They are a prime attraction of the trek. There are bridges and tunnels that are almost a kilometer long. Bridges can be really high from the valley floor and are definitely not for the acrophobic(People with fear of heights). And the tunnels tend to be pitch dark and infested with bats, certainly not for those who fear darkness. The total walk can be anywhere from 10 to 16km to Yedakumeri – so some fitness is necessary to make the walk.
Walking on the bridge
The bridges offer open and beautiful view of the valleys. Sometimes you can walk down the bridge and get into the streams, and take a dip in the clear and cold waters. You will also see water gushing down like a shower from openings in the tunnels, which serve as a refreshing shower if you are tired of the walk. We once made the walk in the middle of the monsoon, and the seeing water everywhere is a joy. You wade across the streams that seem to intersect with the tracks. The tunnels are always sounding with flow of water. Everything you see is wet, wet and wet. Its usually pouring day and night and you have to be either very well prepared or be ready to get completely wet. We had both: we were well prepared and yet we were ready to get completely wet and enjoy the rains.
Rocks, water, forest and the tracks
By around 11am, you are somewhere in the middle of the journey. You have really enjoyed the beauty of the green Sahyadris. The valleys to your right, where you can hear the sound of the streams, or the mountain slopes rising beyond the valley seem to have enriched your soul. You will love the thick forest cover visible all the way till the horizon and enjoy the occasional mist(if you are there in the monsoon) in the distance merging itself with the cloudscape. The trouble of broken sleep and the cold morning are forgotten and you feel blissfully happy. This is the time when your body begins to complain lightly, lead by the legs that are beginning to feel overworked. Add trouble with your back if you are carrying heavy luggage. This is when you will start wondering again and again about how far to go. You rest for a while and walk, rest again after seeing nothing ahead and keep limping forward. It seems to be a long way, and it actually is. By the time you arrive at the destination, it is usually around 2 to 3pm, and you would have walked more than 10kms. You are really tired, and after a quick bite for the hungry stomach, it is a good time to rest, and take a nap if you want to.
Emerging from the tunnels… One of my favourite images ever, I titled it “Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya”(from darkness to light)
By the time you get back your energy, it is 5pm. The pleasant evening encourages you to explore around. You look at the old abandoned railway station, which is almost destroyed by time. The valley below is deep and you don’t get to see much. A few hills are on the other side and are enveloped by tall trees or green grass. Weather is pleasant and you will unknowingly start humming your favourite song, which is occasionally disturbed by hum and honk of the vehicles which are far away somewhere in the valley. The sun moves beyond the horizon and you are back to this world, in your shelter, and ready for another intake of food. You
indulge in some good chat to recollect the proceeds of the day. Sleep doesn’t come early despite being tired, but when it arrives, it is deep and undisturbed sleep.
Most trekkers leave on the next morning, but those who stay on to explore are the most fortunate. There are plenty to see. Birdwatchers from the city may see many species that they have never seen in the planes. There are a couple of streams and waterfalls around the station that are worth visiting. Those who don’t mind walking further can climb up the hill for an hour or so more and enter the meadows at the high hills nearby, enjoy the full view of the valley and feel the breeze on the top. We once went to a village on the top of the hill which is located in the high grass lands. We walked beyond the village into the grass laden higher hills and visited a small watch point(often called fort) which is known to be built by Tipu Sultan’s army. There is a long bridge followed by a very long tunnel just after the station. I still remember the fun of standing under the gushing water which worked as an excellent rejuvenating shower after coming back from a tiring climb.
We found this snail on the tracks
The way back seems most difficult. You have enjoyed the journey and seen the best, but you still have to walk more than 10kms to return to civilization. It is painful and tiring for the already tired body, but there is no choice. You have an alternative if you come late in the winter or during the summer. You can walk down 4kms into the valley, wade through the river Kempu Hole which flows below and reach the road and hitch a ride. But the best time to be in Yedakumeri is during the monsoons when the river is swollen and impossible to cross. You carry the pain and tiredness even after you get into your bus, and reach the city. The pain vanishes in a few days, but the memory will stay forever.
I have been to Yedakumeri 5-6 times and this write-up is a combined experience of all the trips, which I have done in various seasons. Though I feel monsoons are the most beautiful time to be there, it is difficult to get there in the rains. At the time of writing, the railway line and the station which were abandoned are in the process of recommissioning. Trains are running on the tracks on trial basis. The station may no longer be as isolated and calm as it were, but its surroundings will definitely retain the same beauty as they did(even though you may see more people and more garbage there!)
YEDAKUMARI INFORMATION
To reach the place, take buses plying from Bangalore to Mangalore. If you take the night bus, you can reach early in the morning. You need to get down at the last town where the bus stops – Sakaleshapura. The trek starts from a small village called Donigal. Take a local transport to Donigal village, which is a short trip further on the Bangalore to Mangalore road. Some buses from Bangalore may stop at Donigal on request, but ask in advance. Otherwise you may be able to hitch a ride from a friendly truck driver who would not mind some extra buck. Those who know the route well get down much ahead of Donigal and then get into the track to reduce the total walking distance.
The trek itself is around 16km if you start from Donigal. It takes around 6-8 hours to complete. You could take shelter in the abandoned station then, but unlikely it is abandoned now. But if you have a sleeping bag and/or a tent, you may be able to manage. Those interested can head further next day on the track to reach next station Sirivagilu and then to Subrahmanya and then return by road. But there is much to explore in Yedakumeri and I advice to stay there for another day.
There are other options for the return journey. Late in the winter or during summer, you can walk down the valley and reach the Bangalore – Mangalore highway after walking for an hour. But this option is ruled out in monsoon since you won’t be able to cross the swollen river on the way. Another option is to head to a village up on the hill and find further transportation to Sakaleshapura. Note that either option will require help from someone who knows the way.
A short detour in Donigal village will take you to Munjarabad fort. Note that these days you have to wait till 6am to get into the fort, since the doors will be closed before that. We had the luxury to get into the fort at 5am once and watch from the top the arrival of the sun, but that is no longer possible.
We decided to head towards Coorg on a pleasant winter morning. There were four of us, and we took my car. My car was pretty new for me, I was new to driving, and so were rest of the gang. This was my first outing in my car, and I was then not used to travelling much as I now do, so we were a bit anxious. Things worked out fine though. Though this was my first trip, I went back to Coorg many times later.
More about Coorg on paintedstork.com
* Hiking up the Brahmagiri
* Relaxing in Coorg in the monsoons
It was a weekend whirlwind trip. We planned to start early in the morning, something that never really happens ever! After herding everyone, we finally left Bangalore around 8am, sulking about being late.
It was a pleasant drive most of the way. We took the Mysore road, and the road was good till Srirangapattna where we turned right to avoid Mysore. The next stretch of road was narrow and pot-holed ridden till we reached Mysore-Hunsur road. We took deviation towards Nagarahole National Park(Not called Rajiv Gandhi National Park) after Hunsur and continued on the forest road.
This road passes through the National Park. You may sometime get to see some wildlife, primarily Chitals(Spotted Deer), Sambar, Elephants and Bisons when you are driving by. All we got to see were a few Chitals grazing by the road. We reached the park office in the afternoon and decided to take the jungle safari.
The safari must have lasted for an hour and we saw wildlife in plenty. Most of my sightings were first time in the wild, though I am now used to seeing them in plenty. We saw a few herds elephants which walked pretty close to our van. There were Chitals, Sambars and Bisons. I don’t remember well, but I think we did see a few peacocks.
Wild Elephant at Nagarahole
We drove further towards Kutta village(which is in Coorg) from Nagarahole, had a quick coffee and then reached nearby Irpu falls in the evening. Evening is the best time to be at the waterfall. Irpu is a beautiful waterfall coming down from Brahmagiri hills where river Laxmana Teertha originates. We wandered around the falls for an hour or so and headed towards Madikeri.
Irpu Falls
Madikeri is more than an hour’s drive from Irpu. We reached there around 8pm and checked in to a small hotel.
Before everyone woke up next morning, I made a quick sneak visit to Raja Seat to take some photographs. Raja Seat is a small garden beyond which is a beautiful valley, often foggy in the mornings. The name comes because the King of Kodagu had constructed a small canopy here and often came to relax.
Foggy morning at the valley beyond Rajaseat
When back, we had a small debate about places we should be visiting for the day. Being a short trip, and a car at our disposal, we wanted to cover every place, and each one of us wanted to be at a place of their choice. After much debate over breakfast, we headed towards Abbey(Abbi) falls, that being the nearest place.
Abbey falls is a not-so-big waterfall that happens to be inside a private coffee estate. With habitation upstream, and probably some coffee related work happening, water is not clean and you won’t feel too good about it. Nevertheless, a nice waterfall which is a much visited place in Coorg.
Abbey Falls
Our next stop was Bhagamandala and Talakaveri. Bhagamandala is the place where three small rivers unite to form Kaveri. As it usually happens(!), we saw only two rivers, and the third one is said to be hidden somewhere! Must be an influence from Allahabad! Anyway there wasn’t much to do in Bhagamandala. So we haded straight up to Talakaveri. It is a steep uphill and winding road to Talakaveri, and it took some 30 minutes to cover those 7-8 kilometers. But we stopped occasionally to enjoy the vistas of the planes below. Talakaveri is said to be the birth place of river Cauvery. It is on the top of a hill and houses a temple(like every other hill!). There is a small pond in front of the temple, from where the river is known to originate. The Brahmagiri hill ranges, which is part of the wildlife sanctuary starts from here. The peaks around look green in monsoon and are a treat to see.
We headed back to Madikeri and reached there for lunchtime. Our next stop was on the way back towards Mysore – Kaveri Nisargadhama near Kushalnagar. The Nisargadhama is a large area on the banks of Kaveri and has been developed into a touristy place by forest department. You can take a walk by the river, wet yourself in the water, see some deer in enclosed area or take an elephant ride here. We did not find much to do here, so we returned quickly and headed back to Bangalore.
You can take elephant rides at Nisargadhama, but keep in mind that these pachyderms are often beaten and treated badly. You will be better off buying this guy a bunch of Bananas than trying to take him for a walk.
The drive back was uneventful till we reached Mysore Road. Being Sunday evening, Mysore Road was pretty crowded and it was a tough job driving in the lights. After a painful three hours drive in the night on Mysore Road, we finally reached back Bangalore around 11pm. It was a not-so-great trip, but being the first time driving trip and (at that time)being very infrequent travellers, we really had a great time.
COORG INFORMATION
Kodagu, or Coorg as it is written in English, is a small district south of Karnataka. It is a hilly region in the Sahyadri ranges and is known for many things including their distinct Kodava Culture, the green beautiful hills, waterfalls and coffee estates. Madikeri, sometimes written as Mercara is the district headquarters.
You can take ksrtc buses from Bangalore or Mysore to Madikeri. To reach Coorg from Bangalore, take Mysore road and drive till Srirangapattna. Turn right little ahead of Srirangapattna and drive till you reach Mysore – Madikeri main road and continue to Madikeri from here. You can also visit KRS dam, Balmuri falls, Ranganathittu and Srirangapattna if you have time, as they all are a short detour near Srirangapattna. Madikeri should be around 250km from Bangalore and can be driven in 6 hours.
ACCOMMODATION
Orange County is the only upmarket resort in Coorg. But there are hundreds of mid-range and budget places to stay all over the district of Coorg. Home stay is a popular concept in Coorg where you can stay with Kodava families and get a taste of local culture and cuisine. There are a few budget hotels in Madikeri where you can find accommodation easily.
PLACES TO SEE
Places to see in Coorg are plenty, and you can easily spend a month if you want to go to every one of them. The popular places are the Irpu waterfalls, Kaveri Nisargadhama, Tibetan monastery and settlement in Bylakuppe near Kushalanagar, Hebbe falls, Talakaveri where Kaveri originates, Dubare elephant camp, Harangi dam and many more. Nagarahole National Park is in the border of the district and can be done along with your Coorg trip. Depending on where you are staying, your hosts may be able to take you on short treks or coffee estate walks. Most people who come to
Coorg prefer to stay at a place and enjoy its beauty instead of going sightseeing.
For those interested, there are a few options to trek in the forest. Thadiandamol is the tallest hill in Coorg and can be done as a full day trek. Trek to Brahmagiri Peak requires two days though you can do it in a day if you are fit enough.
No matter how many times I go there, I never have enough of it. I had visited Dandeli region, where river Kali flows, three times in last 16 months. The place was enchanting enough to draw me again last week. And I know I will return there again many more times in the future.
My first visit to Dandeli was more of a sight seeing trip where we saw many beautiful places around the town. We stayed in the heart of Anshi National Park and Bison River Lodge on the bank of the river and drove around all the beautiful places. Next time was a river rafting trip on Kali(about which I shall write soon). The third time, we visited the dams and power stations built around Kali and also saw the nature at its beautiful best in the Monsoon. Like each of the earlier trips, this one was different too. It was a birding trip.
DAY ONE
We took the car to Dandeli this time. I think that was not necessary, but we did anyway. We happened to see some kind of a fox on the way during the drive. Since most of our travelling within Dandeli was taken care by our hosts – Jungle Lodges and Resorts in Dandeli, I really did not need my own vehicle. But I did get to use the car a bit when their naturalist offered to take me to a few birding places nearby. We reached on a Thursday afternoon, tired after the drive and freshened up after checking in.
The Jungle Lodges And Resorts at Dandeli
In the evening, we drove to Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in search of some wildlife. The JLR naturalist Shashi, who is very knowledgeable of the flora and fauna, showed us a paradise flycatcher, nightjars, emerald dove and a few more birds. We did not see many animals but managed to see a few Bison and a couple of Malabar Giant Squirrels. The thick forests and undergrowth in Dandeli make it difficult to sight mammals through they are in good numbers.
A Gold Mantled Chloropsis Taking Off
Pair of Jungle Babblers
At the end of the safari, we gave a visit to Shiroli peak to watch the sunset. Shiroli Peak is the tallest point in entire district of Uttara Kannada. It offers unhindered views of the peaks of the western ghats and the winter sun in the backdrop was very beautiful. We returned to the lodge soon after the sunset. After the tiring drive and the busy day, we had a quick dinner and retired to bed. They make a campfire at the lodge, which is attended by most of the visitors and there is quite a bit of noise during the night. But I was there to feel the nature, its quietness and the peace, so I stayed away from it during my stay.
THE NEXT MORNING
I am not sure if it is the chirping of the birds or my internal clock that woke me up. I got up early enough to feel the morning.
Kali River is hardly visible in the early morning fog
It was foggy outside. The cold in the air bit my skin mildly, just enough to keep me aware of it. Visibility was still good and I could see everything around me – the trees, the earth, the structures, all of them trying to hide under the fog without success. A couple of plum headed parakeets made loud noises declaring their presence, which was followed by the slow call of chloropsis. The human world was still asleep and it was a lonely and pleasant walk up to the river. I put aside my camera and seated myself just besides the water. It was flowing slowly and definitely, and you could feel the rhythm of the river. Few tadpoles were moving aimlessly and some insects walked on the water as easily as we walk on the earth. There was mist rising from the river in the early morning cold and it disappeared into the thick fog that crowded the air. A pair of hornbills were up at a distance and announced the arrival of the morning. The cold, yet nice water seemed to be inviting me for a swim and feel one with it, but the crocs in the water would not like me in there. A few egrets that woke up early in the morning were flying just above the water, looking for their breakfast. A grey wagtail flew in and walked around me for a while. A malabar giant squirrel came looking for its breakfast. All the time, the river kept flowing, ignoring all of it and inviting me into it with much greater force and inducing an irresistible temptation. The crocodiles were never seen but their thought still kept me away from the water. The Sun was nowhere to be seen and seemed to be playing a loosing battle with fog. The blare of horns from a motor vehicle at a distance kept reminding me of the civilized world I was surrounded with. More egrets flew past in search of morning breakfast. Few pompadour green pigeons decided to sleep a little more in the cold morning, and woke up late and started preening and removing the dew off their wings. The feel of the place, the silence, the river, everything occupied my heart and seemed to be blessing me and fill me with happiness.
Kali River. The two circles are coracles turned upside down
With the arrival of more light, and a few more people, I came back and walked around looking for birds. A little later, hunger pangs forced me to head into the restaurant.
LATER IN THE DAY
I met Shashi after breakfast, who was keen to show me around and do some bird watching. Within a few minutes, we had seen a large number of birds and I had some photographs captured in my camera. We wandered around, spotting bar winged flycatcher shrikes, pompadour green pigeons, yellow browed bulbuls, pied hornbills, jungle babblers and many more birds. It seemed as if the birds just decided to drop by and say hello to us. After an hour or so, we drove out to some wooded area where I could photograph a beautiful coppersmith barbet. We moved on to a big lake that housed some water birds, where I sighted many birds that I had never seen before. Just as we were planning to head back, a lovely blue tailed bee-eater showed up, showed off itself and flew off after posing me for a few shots.
Malabar Pied Hornbills. They are pretty common in Dandeli, but I never managed to get a good image
Shashi knew well about the birds. He explained me why some birds stay in a flock of different species. He told me about the trees, the birds that love the berries from the trees and taught me some basics on the behavior of birds. I would never have got to see so many birds without his help.
We decided to do some sightseeing later in the day and headed to Syntheri Rocks(Citheri, Cinthery, Sintheri, Sinthery, spell it as you please!). Cinthery Rocks are a tall rock formation on the bank of Kalindi, a small river that eventually merges into Kali. It was a beautiful place in a valley where you have a small waterfall that falls into a deep rocky ravine. As our guide fed them we enjoyed watching the masheer(a kind of fish) in the deep water fighting to get their share of dough. We stayed there till dark and enjoyed its beauty.
Cinthery Rocks
Back in the resort, and after dinner, I retired quickly while the campfire continued like yesterday.
THE LAST DAY
I was addicted to the river by now. I returned to the river as I did yesterday. Most of the things were happening like clockwork. The egrets flew over the water and the grey wagtail gave a short visit. It was not very foggy today and visibility was much better. The Malabar Giant Squirrel did not show up. I spent less time at the bank and wandered around in search of birds.
We took a coracle after breakfast and travelled down the river. It gets shallow and wide a little downstream and gathers speed and cruises quickly. You get a glimpse of people living by the river – washing clothes, taking a bath or waving a friendly hello to us. A few egrets and cormorants occupy the small islands we encounter. A little ahead is a den of crocodiles where we spotted three of them. They were pretty small and were not pleased to see us and decided to hide themselves. The ride lasted for an hour and yet seemed short, as we longed for more.
Coracle ride in the river
Our visit to Dandeli ended with the coracle ride. It seemed too short and I wish I could stay on. While I returned back unwillingly, I decided to come back soon which I hope to do very soon.
DANDELI INFORMATION
The number of places you can visit in Dandeli are plenty, so try and keep as much time as you can when you plan a visit. Dandeli is nearly 500km from Bangalore. It is also very close to Goa and Maharashtra and is hence visited by many people from Goa and Bombay.
To reach Dandeli from Bangalore, you can take direct ksrtc buses, but book in advance. But it is preferable to take your own vehicles since the distances are high and you can’t rely on public transport. To reach Dandeli, you can drive to Dharwad which is on NH4(via Tumkur) and then take a diversion to Dandeli. You can also choose an alternate route that goes via Shimoga, it is longer but is more pleasant and scenic. You can also deviate a bit and visit Jog falls on the way if you take this road. To take this route, take NH4 to Tumkur, turn left and reach Shimoga and then Sagar which are on NH206: Bangalore – Honnavar road. From Sagar, you have to go via the towns Siddapur, Sirsi and Yellapur to reach Dandeli. Jog falls is a short deviation between Sagar and Siddapur. Expect bad roads in the later part of this journey, but it takes you through forests and good landscapes unlike the Dharwad road.
ACCOMMODATION
There are a variety of places to stay at Dandeli. There are a couple of resorts costing Rs.1000+, a few tented accommodations from the forest department, and some budget hotels within the town. For tented forest accommodation at Kulagi and Anshi, contact forest department office in Dandeli. The resorts include the Jungle Lodges and Bison River Lodge. The only decent budget accommodation within the town is the State Lodge in front of ksrtc bus stand.
PLACES TO SEE
Here are some places to see in Dandeli. You can get directions for these easily after you reach Dandeli. But keep in mind that many places have restricted access and you will require appropriate permissions. Also keep in mind that each of these places could be anything like 15 to 30km from Dandeli in different directions!
Sykes Point: Named after the person who discovered this place. This is a vista point where river Kali flows throws a narrow valley. The vista point suddenly drops into the river, and hence offers amazing view of the river for a long distance. I can tell you without any doubt that this the best view of a river I have seen anywhere yet; and being here at the time of sunset is something I can die for. There is a power station just below Sykes point, which is operated by Karnataka Power Corporation(KPC). The sad thing is that they treat this as a high security zone and so you need permissions to get there. Permissions can be obtained at Ambika Nagar’s KPC security office. Sometimes they act tough, and last I heard they were not allowing people to go there owing to some non-existent security threat. Taking photographs is a strict no no!
Cavala Cave: I have not visited this place, but have heard from people that this is a nice cave with a shivalinga inside.
Anshi National Park, tented accommodations: Forest department has some tented accommodation for tourists inside Anshi National Park. You have to book at the forest department office in Dandeli and get a letter. Going directly and asking for rooms is a no no. If you are heading here, reach early enough before dark because they will have no stock of rations with them and will need to buy them only for you. An excellent place for birding, and the local care taker can take you around for some treks.
Kulagi village, tented accommodations: Tented acco from forest department again. Pretty much same as Anashi.
Shiroli Peak: This is the highest point in Uttara Kannada, the district where Dandeli is. Offers great vista of the peaks of the Sahyadri ranges and is not to be missed. Be there to watch the sunset. This is inside Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and you may need permissions from forest department. Check once you reach Dandeli.
Dams on Kali: The river has been dammed at several places including Nagajhari, Thattihalla, Ambika Nagar, Kadra and Kodasalli. None of these can be accessed by public unless you manage special permissions from KPC somehow. The area around Kodasalli dam is especially beautiful.
Cintheri rocks: A rock formation and a small waterfall. See the image with this post.
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: Again, you need permission from the forest department. The sanctuary is really big and is a great place for birding. It is difficult to sight mammals due to thick vegetation, but you might see a few Bisons and Malabar Giant Squirrels.
Adventure Sports: KaliO2, an affiliate of Jungle Lodges runs several adventure sports activities around the Sanctuary and the river. The most popular is rafting, which is really great experience. Other activities include canoeing, coracling, kayaking, bicycle rides in the jungles and trekking. Check with Jungle Lodges for more details.
Birding: The biodiversity you can see in Dandeli is amazing. The sanctuary even houses tigers but are rarely seen. The variety of birds you can see here is excellent. I spotter more than 50 species in a single day, despite being an amateur with birds. Dandeli is more known its hornbill population.
Ulavi Channabasappa Temple: A famous temple for those inclined. It is more known for the fair that I think is an annual event. A local fisherman told me that there are some excellent caves around this temple which are much more beautiful than Kavala caves. But they are not well known and you may have to search for them or have to make long walks.
With all this, I think I still haven’t covered about everything you can do in Dandeli. For example, there is a really big waterfall you can visit just after Anshi village. There is a lake around 10kms towards Ambika Nagar which is a good place for birding. There would be many more that I can’t recall or I just don’t know about. You could go swimming in the river, catch some fish or get eaten by a croc yourself(!) Its an exciting place where you can do many many things. Just go ahead, take your time and explore. And if you discover something interesting, do post it here in the comments so that the information gets shared with everyone.