[procrj]

A trip to the jungles was long overdue and T-log (Kabini | The tigers are back!) by Stryker was just the motivation I needed. What started off as a quick visit to Kabini, metamorphosed into a 4 safari plan across Nagarhole and Kabini.

Many people ask me - which forest is the best? The answer to this is simple, any forest is best vs. the urban jungle we are forced to live in. Personally, I prefer to start with a safari from Veeranhosahalli gate of Nagarhole Tiger reserve, before moving to Bandipur/Kabini. The primary reason for this is the anticipation and the thrill of the hunt. It’s a ~25 min drive from the V’halli gate to the trails of Nagarhole and it sets the stage perfectly. Some of my best experiences have been on this drive towards the trails - examples here (Experiencing the wild - Trip to the Jungles of Karnataka).

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Day 1 - Evening Safari - Veeranahosahalli Gate
Since camera duty was primarily handled by my wife and son, I hung on to my binoculars as we drove through the beautiful forest. My eyes scan the trees, bushes hoping for any signs of movement, while I feel the cool breeze wash across my skin. Our driver Shivanna informs us that in the last few days, there have been tiger sightings, which is what you want to hear at the start of a drive into the forest. After a relatively quiet drive on tarmac, we turn into the forest trail and make our way into the heart of the forest. As we wind our way to the first water body, we are blanketed by absolute silence around us, quietly crushing our hopes. Absence of alarm calls equates to predators enjoying their rest, away from the sweltering heat of the day. It's hard to describe the conflicting thoughts that run through my head. The absolute joy of being in the forest, breathing in fresh clean air, experiencing the natural beauty that surrounds you, pitted against the knowledge that you might not get to see a predator in its natural habitat.

The call of the wild


Just to be clear, a jungle safari should not just be just about cats. I am happy to spend time watching baby langurs swing from branches, hoopoes forage and flameback woodpeckers peck at trees. But somewhere deep in my head, greed keeps scratching the itch for a Big cat sighting. Just a fleeting glimpse, a flash of dark stripes against green foliage or rosettes blending into the brown of drying leaves.

It's been an hour of driving through the trails, and apart from spotted deer grazing about, there hasn't been much else to see. As we drive up the slope of a trail, I see a jeep parked. Anticipation spikes and our driver quickly covers the distance to the jeep. It's a female tiger lazing about in the small open area that is mostly surrounded by grass. Here is the habitat shot that I clicked later in the day when we were driving back.

Oh tiger, Where art thou


It's just our luck that she decided to rest in the open ground and not in the grass.Since we were on higher ground, we had a clear view of her sleeping form, and we spent the next 30 minutes watching. Apparently she was injured in a fight with a male tiger, most probably this one (skip to 25:07).

https://youtu.be/lAaAxPix4VY?t=1510

You can clearly see the open wound on her forehead. She was also continuously licking her right leg, which I am guessing was also injured in the tussle with the male.

Its all about staying alive



Since we were one of the first few vehicles on the spot, we had a really good view of the tigress and after 30 minutes, I urged shivanna to drive on. I did not want to spend the next 90 minutes staring at her sleeping form. All the other drivers thought we were mad, but I politely requested that we drive on. I wanted to see as much of the forest as possible, not just stand in one place staring at a sleeping tiger. I’m pretty sure that the forest gods have a sense of humour as in 20 minutes, we were staring at the sleeping form of another tiger.

Shivanna informed me that there was a male tiger that was spotted the previous evening near a watering hole, but the issue was that he was not easy to spot, as he was resting on the other side of the watering hole. Always ready for a challenge, I asked him to drive to the watering hole. A quick 15 minute ride later we are at the waterhole. A couple of other jeeps are already there and confirm that the male is lounging about. Spotting him with the binocular was easy but my wife and son had a hard time figuring out where to point the camera. Can you spot the tiger?

The thrill of spotting this magnificient beast was something else


We spend the next 30 minutes watching him, all relaxed and happy, hoping that he gets up and gives us a glimpse of his majestic form, but it was not meant to be. We drove away, happy that we got to see this beautiful creature in its natural habitat.

Lets keep it slow and on the down low




We wander through the trails again and as the angle of sunlight gets lower, shivanna turns back onto the trail where we had spotted the injured tigress. There are no other vehicles at the spot and tigress is also not visible. We wait for a minute, scanning the grassy slopes and there she is, lying down in the grass. We only get to see her flick her tail every few seconds. I say a quiet goodbye as we drive away.

https://youtu.be/Rv9GcLKFKHg

As we turn onto the main road, the three of us (wife, son and me) are happy that our jungle sojourn has got off to a great start. We drove some distance on the tarmac and near a speed breaker, the driver of an oncoming car screamed “Cheetah, Cheetah”. It's all stations alert now, I am grinning ear to ear and at the next speed breaker, another driver says “leopard ide” (there is a leopard) in kannada. “How far away” shivanna asks and he says one kilometer. I ask my wife to scan the left field as I take the right. I give my son instructions to keep his eyes trained on the trees as the jeep races down the road. While my heart is pounding away, some part of my brain keeps repeating - if it's a crossing, you have no hopes son.

I can't describe how hard it is to spot a leopard in the jungle. Their rosettes blend in very well to the dry ground, brown trees and the dry branches. Trying to spot one in a vehicle that is doing 60 kmph is near impossible. We take a curve at speed and as we slow down for another speedbreaker, we pass a broken tree that's a few feet off the ground. I thought I saw something on it.

I spy with my blurry eye...


We are 10 feet past the tree when I realize that there is a leopard on it. Shivanna slowly reverses and we see this gorgeous leopard on the branch, trying not to move his body as he digests a heavy meal.

Heavy batting maga, swalpa adjust maadi


After 20 minutes, we drive towards the gate as it's already 6.15 pm and we have some distance to cover. About 1km from the gate, a pack of 5-6 wild dogs quickly run across the road and disappear into the lantana. A few meters ahead, we see this beautiful tusker grabbing an early dinner.

Do you want me come there?


Who let the dogs out?

2 tigers, 1 leopard, wild dogs, a tusker, gaur herd - that was our list at the end of the first safari of the trip. With big grins on our face, I drove the 40 odd kms to our homestay in Kabini, hoping that I get a glimpse of beautiful magge (tigress from Kabini) tomorrow morning ��

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Day 2 - Morning Safari - Kakanakote Gate
Mornings in the jungle are always more exciting IMO, the forest is walking up, the shades and hues are different. Early morning fog wraps everything in its cold embrace and as you drive through the forest, you wonder what creature is watching your progress from behind the screen of lantana. As time crawls to 7.30 am, the morning haze is replaced by the chitter of birds in the warm glow of the morning sun.
We drive through the trails, searching for magge but she is not to be found. We spend a few minutes with an elephant calf and its mother, before they vanish into the forest. After nearly two hours of driving up and down the trails of the forest, all hopes for a rendezvous with this beautiful kabini tigress has evaporated.

A cute littly baby elephant


As we begin to drive down a twisty trail, we see two vehicles up ahead. We crawl to a stop and someone whispers “leopard leopard”. I scan the trees but can't spot the spots. The guy next to me is busy shooting away, his lens pointed to the ground. Cursing myself, I train the binoculars to the forest floor and I still can't see a leopard. My son and wife are as clueless as me and a kind soul points to a couple of bushes and asks me to focus hard on the gap inbetween.

camo on, i'm gone!



It took me close to a minute to spot the leopard even after this as it was so well camouflaged. As I watch, this lithe creature goes into hunt mode and slowly makes its way through the dry ground, without making a sound. A spotted deer alarm call breaks through our whispers and in a flash the leopard disappears into the forest.

Stealth mode activated



We spent some more time in the area, hoping to spot the leopard again. After a quick trip to the power line, we head back to the safari point, happy that we got to watch a leopard stalk its prey.

Symmetry


Whatcha looking at?


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Day 2 - Evening Safari - Kakanakote Gate
This was the Magge show. Period.
We head into the forest, cutting across Taraka backwaters area and we see two jeeps racing down the path. A quick reverse and we are also racing down the trail, onto MM road. As we zip down MM road, up ahead we see 2 jeeps and as we park behind them, I get the first glimpse of this beautiful female tigress. She is sitting on a small patch of grass, right next to the road.
The sad part was that the jeep that was right in front of the tigress was positioned such that it was hard for anyone behind them to get a clear view of the tigress. Additionally, the folks in the jeep were least bothered about anyone else getting a chance to view the tigress, and were busy standing up and taking shots/videos of her using mobiles.

Simply beautiful - magge female




While we had some view of magge, there were vehicles behind us who had absolutely no view of the tigress.After a frustrating wait of 30 min, the first jeep decided to move, which is when magge also decided to move into the forest, giving us a first row seat to the show.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=7ls1sML6Zzk

Video Credit - Bhpian Jithu, who I met on the safari

During my last trip to Kabini, she made a quick escape into the forest, but this time around she decided to put on a show. The pictures and video don't do justice to the beauty of this creature. The fact that I got to spend a lot of time watching her is just icing on the cake. I was very happy that I didn't have the camera in my hands.

After spending almost 90 minutes with magge, we drove back into the forest. As we neared another waterhole, we spotted this tusker scratching an itch. Interesting part was that he only had one long tusk and seemed to be old, in terms of elephant years.

https://youtu.be/5rSB04-_tCs

Clouds darkened the horizon and a few minutes later it started to rain. The forest in rain is an experience in itself and a part of me yearns to walk down trails in the rain. After reading Kenneth Anderson and Kipling, I feel that the jungles that they experienced were very different from the ones that we see today.

Let there be rain


Perfect, for pluviophile me


The last 30 minutes of the safari was again spent watching magge in repose.

Can i get some alone time?



A riot of colors


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Day 3 - Morning Safari - Kakanakote Gate
I had booked a 1.5 hour safari as the 3 hour safari was booked out, by what seemed to be a gang of bikers. As the old bus crawled its way through the trails, I was yearning for one last glimpse of magge. It was not meant to be. As we made our way through the trails, I bid goodbye to the jungles, hoping that I would be back soon.

MM Road - until next time

[procrj]

Trip Details
Day 1 stay - Rathnaprabha Farm
A basic farmstay that's 15 min from the safari start point. Clean rooms, good home cooked food and covered car parking. Don't miss the really tender roasted corn on the cob.

Day 2 stay - Trogon Resort
Kishan and team ensure that they take really good care of you. The rooms are very comfortable but do expect insects, lizards and frogs around as the property is right on the backwaters. 5 stars for the food served and they ensure that they ask you for your preferences in advance. 20 min from the start point, the last 750m to the resort is a short off road section that can be covered in any car, if driven carefully.

Another good option to stay, based on feedback from folks who I met during the trip - Royal Inn Grand.

Safari booking - Nagarhole Tiger Reserve website

My 2 cents:
1. Govt Jeep safari in Kabini is always booked out - IMO they don't allow for online booking of the same as there is sufficient demand from homestays/resorts in the area. Hence if you want to do a jeep safari, your homestay/resort manager is the best person to arrange for it.
2. The New buses in Kabini are good and can take you to most of the places in the forest, but there are still some trails that only jeeps can drive.
3. Some of the bus drivers are so focused on cats, they don't bother stopping for birds, langurs, mongoose and other small but beautiful creatures of the forest.

Drive - Avoided Mysore expressway as I was in no hurry. Drove down Kunigal - Pandavapura - Srirangapatna - Mysore Ring Road - HD Kote to get to Kabini. Driving time was ~ 3hrs 45 min from Parle-G toll to Safari Start Point.

[Gannu_1]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[NPV]

Excellent, short travelogue and nice pictures, thanks for sharing @procrj!

Did you take the SH 33 from Kunigal towards Huliyurdurga or the NH 150A from Bellur cross towards Nagamangala and Pandavapura?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by NPV

Did you take the SH 33 from Kunigal towards Huliyurdurga or the NH 150A from Bellur cross towards Nagamangala and Pandavapura?

I drove Nelamangala - Kunigal - Nagamangala.
My biggest issue with Magadi - Huliyurdurga - Nagamangala is getting to Magadi. That stretch from ORR to Magadi is a pain, especially during peak hours and weekends.

[Stryker]

Excellent visit report and sightings! 2 tigers, a leopard and wild dogs in the same safari is total bumper draw!

Originally Posted by procrj

We crawl to a stop and someone whispers “leopard leopard”. I scan the trees but can't spot the spots. The guy next to me is busy shooting away, his lens pointed to the ground. Cursing myself, I train the binoculars to the forest floor and I still can't see a leopard.

I know this feeling exactly! Many times I'm left asking "Elii? Elli? Nang kaansta illa!" (Where? Where? I can't see it!) just to have other people say it is right there between those two trees. "See that whitish tree, left of it, see that branch? Below it!" etc etc and I'm simply unable to spot the animal! Ah, the sheer joy of those moments and worry that I'm missing a photo opportunity!

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Stryker

Excellent visit report and sightings! 2 tigers, a leopard and wild dogs in the same safari is total bumper draw!

Absolutely, that's just unbelievable luck.

Many times I'm left asking "Elii? Elli? Nang kaansta illa!" (Where? Where? I can't see it!) just to have other people say it is right there between those two trees.

This was a new feeling for me as most times, its me pointing it out to others

[speedster786]

Wow, what an amazing jungle adventure! From two tiger sightings (including the injured tigress), to two elusive leopards, wild dogs, a majestic tusker, and finally the stunning Magge putting on a show—this sounds like a dream trip for any wildlife lover.

[swparth18]

I was under the impression that most safaris in Karnataka is accessible only through JLR. For me, that falls out of the budget for safari getaway since the cost is always per person. I see that you booked stay separately and safari separately. So, is it possible only for nagarhole and or elsewhere as well?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by swparth18

So, is it possible only for nagarhole and or elsewhere as well?

Just about every forest in KA has a govt run safari:
1. Bhadra Tiger reserve - https://tickets.bhadratigerreserve.i...ng/activities/
2. Bandipur Tiger reserve - https://bandipurtigerreserve.org/
3. B.R Tiger reserve - Doesnt have online booking but you can get tickets here
4. Kali Tiger reserve - Doesnt have online booking but you can get tickets here

JLR is the best way to experience jungles of KA:
1. Their drivers and guides understand the forest, take time to explain flora/fauna behaviour and most importantly, dont focus just on cats
2. Their pricing includes all meals, stay and safari costs - that way, you dont have to book safaris online or make other arrangements
3. Food and hospitality is top notch
4. You tend to spend 2.5-3 hours in the jungles every safari, sometimes more. If you spot an animal towards the end of your safari, JLR jeeps will stay extra 15-20 min whereas Govt jeeps/busses will typically rush out of the forest, irrespective of what/when you spot wildlife.

JLR Kabini, Bandipur are their most expensive properties IMO, but thats because of demand.

Challenges with Govt safaris are:
1. Drives dont start on time and many drivers dont care about what you get to see. Example from the recent trip, at the start of the safari the driver says - "why the hurry, you anyways wont get to see anything" Perfect encouragement for anyone hoping to immerse themselves in the forest.
2. Drivers only focus on the big mammals - elephants, leopards, tigers, gaurs - these are the only creatures of the forest. Eveything else is just a waste of time.
3. Mostly shorter duration vs. JLR safaris - 1.5 hrs for Govt. vs 2.5-3hrs that you get from JLR. Would suggest you check details and compare with JLR before you book.

If you have young kids and want to give them the best experience, I would definitely recommend a JLR safari over the Govt safari.

[Arun_S]

Originally Posted by procrj

If you have young kids and want to give them the best experience, I would definitely recommend a JLR safari over the Govt safari.

Thank you for all the inputs.

Would you be able to share what are the best months to visit so as to have better sightings?

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Arun_S

Would you be able to share what are the best months to visit so as to have better sightings?

Summer is considered the best time as most mammals will visist waterholes, hence the chances of sighting are higher. Even then there is no guarantee. I start every safari with zero expectations, I only think of it as a drive into the forest.

[GhatWanderer]

Right then, @procrj, lovely travelogue that. Read through it just now.

Some fantastic luck you had there, eh? Two tigers, leopard, a deer... all in one go on that first safari itself! That's what keeps drawing us back to the jungle, isn't it? That chance of hitting the jackpot.

Your pictures capture the moments well. That leopard spotting difficulty – yes, know that feeling exactly! Sometimes they are right there and still manage to hide in plain sight. And getting such good time with Magge, that too is special.

Good to see these forests still holding such treasures. Thanks for sharing your trip, brought back some nice memories. Need to plan a trip soon myself. Cheers.