AN ENCHANTING JOURNEY THROUGH THE NAGARAHOLE NATIONAL PARK, Karnataka

The Nagarahole National Park, Kabini

After a quick breakfast at The Potluck Cafe, Gateway Hotel at Residency Road, Bangalore early in the morning, we left for Kodagu (Coorg), one of the most beautiful districts in India and relatively spared by tourist's invasion.
The excitement was further mounted as our journey was to be through one of the Asia's top elephant reserve and a wild life wonder-The Nagarahole National Park (now renamed The Rajiv Gandhi National Park).

It was a pleasant drive till Srirangapattna, took a right before the beautiful palace town of Mysore, headed toward the town of Hunsur, took a deviation and were on the forest road inside  
The Nagarahole National Park.
The Park is flanked by Karnataka's Bandipur National Park to the southeast and Kerala's Wynaad Wildlife Sanctuary to its southwest. These three protected areas, together with Tamil Nadu's Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Kerala's Silent Valley National Park constitute the Niligiri Biosphere Reserve, which is perhaps the best remaining stretch of habitat for the Asian elephant. It is also India's first Biosphere Reserve, and encompasses an area of about 5500 sq. km.
The grandeur unfolded suddenly. The thick moist forest with the abundance of rosewood and teakwood, patches of swampy fallows that were dominated by grasses and sedges, providing ideal grazing areas for many wild herbivores and surrounded by misty background of Brahmagiri mountains!

My goodness! What a sight it was!
We were heading towards Kabini river and the resort where we intended to have a short stay. A herd of “four horned” antelopes crossed our path. Further on the way, we were extremely lucky to see elephants, warblers, horn bills, spotted deer, mouse deer, pangolin, gaur and giant flying squirrel. It was a fantastic moment.

Unfortunately, His Majesty,The Royal Bengal Tiger eluded us

The Kabini River Lodge turned out to be at the breathtaking locale with the tranquil backwaters of the River Kabini presenting an ideal setting for a vacation.

 Oh… wish we had time!
Later we came to know that Kabini River Lodge was rated by the British Tattler’s Travel Guide as one of the top 5 wildlife resorts in the world!! At the lodge, we had an afternoon coffee with pakoras (deep fried spicy lentil dumplings) and left for another enchanting place- Iruppu Falls on our way to Kodagu (Coorg),

Irpu is a beautiful waterfall coming down from Brahmagiri hills where river Laxmana Teertha originates. It was a fascinating sight. We spent about an hour and then headed towards the town of Madikeri (Mercara) the the district capital of Kodagu
APPROACH
By rail and road from Bangalore to Mysore (140 km), then by road to Hunsur (45 km) via Murkal inside the Sanctuary. The Kabini River Lodge at Karapura, run by the Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd., can be approached from Mysore via H D Kote Hand Post (50 km), and then on to Karapura (30 km).
INFORMATION FOR VISITORS
Departmental vehicles are available for wildlife viewing. The ideal time to visit the Park is between September and May. Nagarahole has one two-room lodge, one four-room lodge, and 2 dormitories with 12 beds each, accomodating up to 36 persons.
CONTACT ADDRESS
Conservator of Forests
Wildlife South Circle, Aranya Bhavan, Ashokapuram, Mysore 570008, India
Phone: 91-821-480901
KABINI RIVER LODGE
The Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd. runs the Kabini River Lodge at Karapura, on the banks of the Kabini River. The colonial styled lodges at the resort houses visitors in 14 luxurious rooms. Apart from this, there are also 6 twin-bedded cottages by the river. A day's stay at the Lodge includes a drive through the Park in a jeep or a boat ride along the Kabini River in the evening, and another drive into the forest followed by an elephant ride the next morning.
For reservations, contact:
Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd., Kabini River Lodges
Phone: 91-8228-264402/03
Email: junglelodges@vsnl.com
Website: http://www.junglelodges.com/