Kabini - Gateway to the Wild
From a monsoon soaked Wayanad , our next destination was Kabini. The excitement of exploring a new destination was high which took away all the fatigue of hectic travel. We left from Wayanad post lunch around 3 pm and had to literally rush through , as the fear of the forest gate getting closed by 6 pm was in the back of our mind. For the driver just above 75 km we chose the route Panamaram-Kappumchal-Kattikulam-Bavali-Kabini which was expected to be done in 2 1/2 hours.
From Bavali the drive just got better with unbroken stretch of greenery, green farms on both sides, small villages with cattle gazing around, people living in close harmony with the nature and nothing but agriculture for a living, in total contrast with their cross border counterparts of Kerala, where agriculture practices are fast dying and on the verge of being a 100 % consumer state, depending on the trucks from neighboring states to feed through his ever active mouth.
The drive through the forest was interesting, roads were so good, rubberized with scanty traffic and the thrill element of driving through the forest started creeping in. I was on the constant look out to spot the wild, after hearing tales of charging lone tusker, Indian Gaur and the occasional big cat. My observation skills paid some dividends with out much wait as we spotted the stand still grey image of a young tusker , quietly chewing his tea time snack. No time wasted saying "Cheese", and the tusker was " Clicked" mercilessly till our fingers went numb. Herds of spotted deers were found which is quite common and some bird varieties to please the ornithologist in you.
Important- Watch out for the no stop zones and there could be heavy penalties in the range of 10K if you are caught by the forest warden who do keep moving around.
By around 5.30 pm we reached our accommodation, Kaav which was a only few minutes drive away from the sanctuary, tucked away in a large green compound, with electric fencing around it. Kaav in malayalam mean the Sacred Groves , once a part of Kerala Hindu families and used to be a place of worship.
It was a single block building, with 4 rooms on the 1st floor. The building was compact, contemporary and had most of the comfort elements. All 4 rooms shared a common living room, with a lot of wood furnishings.
The rooms were really good, cozy and came with a spacious balcony. Bathrooms were split into 2 cubicles, one for the shower and the other with WC. I wished if the shower cubicle could have had a bit more space, for my frame. The toiletries, accessories and guests supplies were of high quality. Television lovers, please excuse , you must be prepared to miss your daily dosage of soaps and reality shows. There are no TVs in any of the rooms including the common living room, so please just forget the idea, as there are better things to see around. Pavithra Kumar aka PK the resident manager of Kaav was very much welcoming ,helpful and possessed rich knowledgeable about the terrain.
It was a single block building, with 4 rooms on the 1st floor. The building was compact, contemporary and had most of the comfort elements. All 4 rooms shared a common living room, with a lot of wood furnishings.
The rooms were really good, cozy and came with a spacious balcony. Bathrooms were split into 2 cubicles, one for the shower and the other with WC. I wished if the shower cubicle could have had a bit more space, for my frame. The toiletries, accessories and guests supplies were of high quality. Television lovers, please excuse , you must be prepared to miss your daily dosage of soaps and reality shows. There are no TVs in any of the rooms including the common living room, so please just forget the idea, as there are better things to see around. Pavithra Kumar aka PK the resident manager of Kaav was very much welcoming ,helpful and possessed rich knowledgeable about the terrain.
A quick shower and we were down at the dining area on the ground floor overlooking the Swimming pool. After a recharge dose of piping hot tea and dal vadas ( crispies made with split lentils), we were out venturing on the 05 bicycles available at the resort. It was already dark by then, but no stopping us. From the compound we cycled on to the main road , which leads to Mysore and yet again was in great shape and inviting. Hardly any other vehicles, it was a great experience cycling through the small village homes on both sides, huge trees and small worship places. After a while we passed on the cycles to the other friends,and took a long walk ahead talking ........ for a good 30 minutes or so when we were hit by the first rain drop... followed by the second , third and the thousandth one. In a moment it started pouring and we were running for cover but in vain and finally settled down under a tree, fully drenched but enjoying every minute of it ... like in our school days. Mobile phones were left behind at the hotel and there was no way we could get to our friends and call for help. A "lift" was the only thinkable option and after a couple of attempts a jeep stopped and we were on our way back ........ a few meters drive and we spotted one of our friends stranded with a damaged cycle pedal in the rains wondering what's next ,and to his relief our jeep stopped and "lifted" him along with the cycle held outside the jeep with our hands. The jeep driver was kind enough to make a detour and drop us right till the reception , where the rest of the gang was anxiously waiting our return ............... only to to make fun of us.
A soothing relaxing session with " great spirits" and lighter moments was to follow Meantime we did manage to get slots for the next days early morning jungle safari which injected the thrill element back into us yet again.
Dinner was announced and we rushed !!!! They arranged a mini buffet with 6 items or so, such a great balance and right portions ensuring zero wastage. The Bagara Baigan (aubergines), Chicken curry ( in local style with lot of green corriander), hot Phulkas and the local lentil salad were so very delicious.
The chat session continued way past midnight and finally we retired to bed all excited about the early morning safari.
Thanks to the wake up call by hotel staff , we were up by 5 am and were served with hot tea, got ready and in our casual attire moved on to the nearby Kabini River Lodge, owned by the Karnataka State Government which happens to be the starting/drop point of the safari jeeps and boats. The Wild Excitement still alive and kicking.
There were around 4 vans an jeeps which moved as a convoy towards the park by 6.30 Am and picked up guests from other resorts enroutes. Around15 minutes drive , passing through the village we arrived at the park gate where the tickets were exchanged by our driver. There was a strong drizzle through out which however failed to dampen our spirits. ( The charges for Safari is approx INR 1250 for Indian nationals and INR 2500 for the foreign nationals). There were quite a few foreign nationals who were armed with the latest and most professionals cameras meant for the prize catch. The lenses protruding resembled Canons, justifying their brand name.
Well I must admit that the sighting didn't live up to our expectations mainly due to the ongoing monsoons, which allowed the animals to stay within the comforts of the deep forest rather than venturing out to the riverside for water. It was a boon for them , sadly not for us.
So advice no: 1, Safaris during Monsoons( JUN- AUG) can leave you disappointed. October to April period however is the best time to spot the wild cats and hence plan your trip accordingly. It wasn't too bad either as we did see some wildlife included the Serpentine Eagle, Spotted Deers, Sambar Deers, Water Otters, Peacocks and elephants. Yet again the Indian Gaur & wild cats evaded. There was a sudden rush of adrenalin when the guide mentioned about the alarm call seeing the herd of spotted deers , sensing the presence of a big cat, however was short lived, though we waited a while to catch a glimpse of the wild cat pouncing upon the herd. the safari lasted for around 3 hours and we were back at the base camp by 1000 hrs and didn't wait a second to rush back to our resort to pounce upon the breakfast... the canine instincts transferred to us !!!
Breakfast was ready at the restaurant , yet again a mini buffet of 6 items. It looked to me that the buffet supply might be inadequate, but held its forte even after a pretty generous serving for 10 odd in-house guests. I would say it was a NIL leftover scenario and was quite impressed with it as we are used to seeing criminal wastages, at many places with certain items not even touched. There was bread, stuffed paranthas, Upuma , fresh fruit cuts, sausages and cereals + eggs and dosas to order Its all about the right choices & right supply which makes the portioning was so very perfect. Also I have always felt with too many choices we tend to try many and ends up eating more but you really don't really enjoy the meal ......at least in my case. The dinner and the breakfast had here, would easily rank amongst the best enjoyed meals in recent past.
Quick shower , packing and we found some time to thanks the Kaav team for the warm hospitality, and did find some time to take a photograph with the staff there.
Before leaving Kabini we tried a boat cruise to cross the kabini river,known to be home for crocodiles. The water levels were quite high due to the ongoing monsoons, and the strong waves kept banging the boat, rocking it hard and splashing water on us. The cruise was however enjoyable and the sight of the meadows on the river bank with gazing cattle was picture perfect.
Soon we were rushing back to Wayanad and the Curtains were drawn on a short but memorable trip to Kabini with its share of "soft" adventure !!!
Dinner was announced and we rushed !!!! They arranged a mini buffet with 6 items or so, such a great balance and right portions ensuring zero wastage. The Bagara Baigan (aubergines), Chicken curry ( in local style with lot of green corriander), hot Phulkas and the local lentil salad were so very delicious.
The chat session continued way past midnight and finally we retired to bed all excited about the early morning safari.
Thanks to the wake up call by hotel staff , we were up by 5 am and were served with hot tea, got ready and in our casual attire moved on to the nearby Kabini River Lodge, owned by the Karnataka State Government which happens to be the starting/drop point of the safari jeeps and boats. The Wild Excitement still alive and kicking.
There were around 4 vans an jeeps which moved as a convoy towards the park by 6.30 Am and picked up guests from other resorts enroutes. Around15 minutes drive , passing through the village we arrived at the park gate where the tickets were exchanged by our driver. There was a strong drizzle through out which however failed to dampen our spirits. ( The charges for Safari is approx INR 1250 for Indian nationals and INR 2500 for the foreign nationals). There were quite a few foreign nationals who were armed with the latest and most professionals cameras meant for the prize catch. The lenses protruding resembled Canons, justifying their brand name.
Well I must admit that the sighting didn't live up to our expectations mainly due to the ongoing monsoons, which allowed the animals to stay within the comforts of the deep forest rather than venturing out to the riverside for water. It was a boon for them , sadly not for us.
So advice no: 1, Safaris during Monsoons( JUN- AUG) can leave you disappointed. October to April period however is the best time to spot the wild cats and hence plan your trip accordingly. It wasn't too bad either as we did see some wildlife included the Serpentine Eagle, Spotted Deers, Sambar Deers, Water Otters, Peacocks and elephants. Yet again the Indian Gaur & wild cats evaded. There was a sudden rush of adrenalin when the guide mentioned about the alarm call seeing the herd of spotted deers , sensing the presence of a big cat, however was short lived, though we waited a while to catch a glimpse of the wild cat pouncing upon the herd. the safari lasted for around 3 hours and we were back at the base camp by 1000 hrs and didn't wait a second to rush back to our resort to pounce upon the breakfast... the canine instincts transferred to us !!!
Breakfast was ready at the restaurant , yet again a mini buffet of 6 items. It looked to me that the buffet supply might be inadequate, but held its forte even after a pretty generous serving for 10 odd in-house guests. I would say it was a NIL leftover scenario and was quite impressed with it as we are used to seeing criminal wastages, at many places with certain items not even touched. There was bread, stuffed paranthas, Upuma , fresh fruit cuts, sausages and cereals + eggs and dosas to order Its all about the right choices & right supply which makes the portioning was so very perfect. Also I have always felt with too many choices we tend to try many and ends up eating more but you really don't really enjoy the meal ......at least in my case. The dinner and the breakfast had here, would easily rank amongst the best enjoyed meals in recent past.
Quick shower , packing and we found some time to thanks the Kaav team for the warm hospitality, and did find some time to take a photograph with the staff there.
Before leaving Kabini we tried a boat cruise to cross the kabini river,known to be home for crocodiles. The water levels were quite high due to the ongoing monsoons, and the strong waves kept banging the boat, rocking it hard and splashing water on us. The cruise was however enjoyable and the sight of the meadows on the river bank with gazing cattle was picture perfect.
Soon we were rushing back to Wayanad and the Curtains were drawn on a short but memorable trip to Kabini with its share of "soft" adventure !!!
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