Experience all the sights and sounds of the lush forests of Dandeli with a wildlife 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, exotic birds and unusual reptiles.
Travel through beautiful wooded trails and appreciate the rich diversity of plant and animal life as the colours, scents and textures of this extraordinary landscape unfold before you.
If there were a 'Who's Who' of exotic creatures then the inhabitants of the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary would fill it! Elephants, wild pigs, tigers, rare black panthers, wild dogs, monkeys, deer and mongoose are just some of the fascinating mammals you can see while you are there.
For adventure aficionados, Dandeli provides a perfect holiday destination or a weekend getaway. From white-water rafting in Kali river to mountain biking in the hilly terrains to even spotting tigers as well as rare species of birds, Dandeli has it all to appease you in the lap of nature.
Sloth Bears are pretty odd looking creatures, they have no upper incisor teeth but have a very long tongue and they just love termites - love eating them, that is! The long tongue and lack of upper incisors help them to suck as many termites into their mouths as possible.
They have feet which turn inwards and long claws which they use to dig at termite hills. They also eat other insects, birds' eggs and honey, and they have been spotted shaking trees and climbing them to get fruit.
Barking Deer live quietly in the sanctuary, you would hardly know they are there, apart from their call which sounds like a dog. If you are rowing down the Kali river and think you hear a dog barking - think again! Barking deer are solitary and timid, more usually spotted alone or in a pair than in a group. Be patient (and quiet) if you want to photograph one.
The Indian Pangolin is an amazing ant-eating creature, with overlapping scales which make it look like a Medieval knight in armour! These unusual scales are made up of hundreds of tiny hairs compressed together.
Like the Sloth Bear, the Pangolin likes to snack on termites and ants and has long claws which it uses to dig them up. When it comes to defending itself from tigers and other predators, the Pangolin curls up into a ball, letting it's scales protect it.
The Malabar Giant Squirrel or Ratufa Indica is roughly the size of a small dog, with it's tail about the same length as it's body. It is very shy and, if it senses danger, it will flatten itself on a tree branch and blend in with the foliage. Although predominantly black, colouring can range through mixed red to black and off-white. Keep still and train your eyes on the nearest tree to spot one of these creatures.
The forest here is awash with colours, a mix of deciduous and evergreen trees including bamboo and teak plantations. The many fruit bearing trees provide food for the 196 species of birds in the area, and many of the plants are revered for their healing and medicinal properties. For example, the leaves of the Kydia Clycina are used to relieve muscular aches and pains.
Some of the birds which inhabit the area are the Great Pied Hornbill, Blue-Throated Barbet, Peregrine falcon and the curious-looking Malabar Pied Hornbill. This bird is quite large and has a yellow beak with a hard, helmet-like bump on top, called a 'casque'.
The city also houses a large number of migrant workers from all over India. Migrants from north Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh moved to this industrial town to look for a livelihood as this quaint town is known for paper mills. Besides Kannada, Hindi, Marathi and Konkani are also widely spoken in Dandeli. No wonder then, many term the city a "Mini India".
Besides the forest and adventure activities, there are several historical monuments and religious spots including the Ulavi temple, the SupaHhydraulic Dam, historical caves of Kavla and Syntheri Rocks. Don't wait and get all these counted in your unforgettable memories forever.
During August and September, Malabar Pied Hornbills flock to the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in large numbers to feast on the fruit trees. They create quite a show - not to be missed..!
The sanctuary covers part of the rich forests of the Uttara Kannada District, on the banks of the river Kali. In the jungles of Dandeli, one can spot several animals as well as birds including many endangered species - provided the reasonable ground for the government to declare the Dandeli forest, a National Wildlife Sanctuary in 1956.
The sanctuary now covers an area of 834.16 square kilometres. This sanctuary is the second largest wildlife sanctuary of Karnataka.Along with its adjoining Anshi National Park, Dandeli is an abode of 40 tigers. All credit goes to the government announced Project Tiger that has helped increase the tiger-count to 40 from just 13 in 1997.
It's not just tigers, the sanctuary is a natural home to leopards, black panthers, elephants, deer, beer, antelopes, reptiles and more than 300 bird-species as well. Meandering tributaries of river Kali - Kaneri and Nagajhari, when criss-cross the jungle, leave the spectators spellbound.
Altitude varies from 100m to 970m, the highest point is the Hegada Temba. Annual rainfall varies between 1250mm and 5000mm, averaging at 2500mm per year. There is easy access by road and rail, and convenient bus services.
The best time to enjoy the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is between March and October and the centre is open between 6am and 6pm.
There are so many attractions and opportunities on offer at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, whether you choose action and adventure with white water rafting or slow the pace down with peaceful birdwatching and wildlife photography. You'll be spoilt for choice..!
The package pricing for resorts in Dandeli start from ₹ 950 per person, however, the prices vary depending upon the season, on-going discount offers and group size.
Complete the form on the right-hand side to get an instant quote for the current tariff and more details on the package.
For any clarifications regarding packages and tariffs call our Booking Office:
Solad Complex, Opp. Syndicate Bank, J.N.Road, DANDELI - 581 325 Karnataka, India.
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