An Experiential Take on Wilderness: Exploring Bandipur & Kabini

Is the goal of every jungle safari fulfilled on the successful sighting of the wild cat? I can understand this perfectly fits the eligibility criteria of wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, naturalists, and the like. What about the not-so-wildlife-enthused traveler? Or even more, tourists and picnickers (and mind it you’d come across many on such travels), who sign up only to catch a glimpse of the jungle cat(s) and later express resentment and demand a refund if the safari guide(s) fail to deliver.

In hindsight or simply thinking out loud, it’s as if wildlife, in general, answers to the beck and call of these hardworking private and government officials and are eagerly awaiting to meet & greet uninvited tourists in their home. Well! Such is the general mentality of the “touristy” bunch and we’d leave that aside for another day.

Coming back to the general philosophy of wildlife travel, I’d like to say that while my wife and I were excited about this trip and were hoping to get lucky in sighting the jungle cats, a part of us knew it may come at the expense of extreme patience and a lucky charm. Whether the odds were in our favor or not, remained to be seen. Without further ado, let me share the details of our thrilling journey from the West Coast to the South.

The Wilderness Beckons #1: The price of getting delayed! Practically, everywhere…

The last thing anyone hopes not to fall prey to on any travel is delayed departures or arrivals at your chosen destination regardless of the mode of transport. I’m sure you’d agree it kills a fraction of the adrenaline rush within and frustrates you to the core. After all, you want to make up for every millisecond of your journey and get away from the routine scheme of things.

While our arrival and check-in formalities at the Mumbai terminal posed no challenges, our flight (which by the way was supposed to depart 5 minutes earlier than the fixed schedule) got delayed by 20 minutes. As is usually the reason for such unaccounted delays, the pilot announced traffic on the runway, which would soon be warded off to ensure our safe departure.

While accepting this minor hiccup at the start of our journey, we diverted our attention to the in-flight comfort and facilities. The tasteful representation of the safety demonstration on-screen virtually led us to Ladakh, Kerala, the Western Ghats, and the North East. As we took off and cruised at an altitude of over 30,000 feet, we were served a delectable breakfast menu comprising parsley omelette and mixed vegetable upma with molgapodi idli.

Since a delay on arrival in Bangalore was expected, we didn’t mind it as we thought we’d still make it to our first destination by lunch time. As a side note, “hope” could be contagious sometimes!

Our next waiting period was at the baggage belt of Bangalore’s newly opened Terminal 2. While one of our bags was the first one to roll down the baggage lane, the other one refused to make its appearance. Meanwhile, I had already contacted our prebooked cab driver, who unfortunately wasn’t very fluent in broken Hindi/Hinglish. We somehow managed to understand where to meet and he mentioned to call him 10 minutes prior to our exit from the airport.

Finally, our second baggage piece arrived, and we headed towards the exit gate only to realize that the pick-up cabs receive guests at a different location than the customary airport ones. While the driver said he was on his way, we figured out where to wait for him. Thereafter, began our third waiting period. What should have ideally been 10 minutes of nothingness turned into a grueling and exasperating wait of 30 minutes. I was wondering where on Earth had this godforsaken guy parked his vehicle. There were folks who reached the pick-up point after us and were comfortably driven away by their cab drivers.

To add insult to injury, our cab driver Jeevan sucked the “life” out of me with his unwarranted display of whining and the need to halt without prior intimation for his meals. While I am not averse to drivers taking breaks, and of course they should on long road travels but sincerity and mutual respect for your customers are some basic expectations that anyone might have from a service provider. I let it go the first time as we waited patiently by a Hot Chips stall for Sir Jeevan to finish his meal.

We continued onwards and soon realized that we would be further delayed owing to the increasing traffic en route, including tolls. It struck us that we had underestimated the relevance of venturing out on a long weekend (May 01 – Labor Day) coupled with the fact that this is summer vacation for kids of all ages. Facepalm! Thus, the highway was packed at regular intervals, and it turned out to be taxing for most folks on the road.

Although we didn’t have any specific plans after reaching our accommodation in Bandipur, we were approaching lunch time and from the ETA that Google Maps was disclosing, it was evident that we’d be reaching after 2 PM. I dropped a quick note to the manager requesting him to keep aside two plates for us. He was kind enough to cater to my request.

And then, Mr. Life (Jeevan) did the unthinkable. He gently slowed down next to a small hotel without any intimation. On being asked the reason behind it, he said he wanted to have lunch. I quickly looked at the time. It was 1:25 PM. Shruti and I were tired and hungry too as the only meal of today was what was served on the flight around 7 AM. Moreover, there seemed to be no more roadblocks or traffic on the route that we were taking. Given that we were only an hour away from our destination coupled with the indecency displayed by the driver, I had lost my patience by now. A “hangry” me told him to speed ahead and make up for lost time. His response angered me further when he gestured (by randomly pinching his fingers) to indicate that his legs were “dub dub dub” because of the traffic we faced along the way. He should certainly thank his stars for not trying to justify his condition further or a Level 5 cranky version of me would have unleashed himself on his “life.”

I instructed him to take a quick halt for a cup of tea, biscuits, and of course, his mandatory cigarette, but I definitely did not want him to take another unofficial break. He was mumbling something all along in his local language and it didn’t bother me as long as he wasn’t stopping again.

We were approaching closer to our destination. I knew (from my earlier communication with the homestay manager) that the last 800 meters would be a beaten path. We also crossed the signboard listing the accommodation. Jeevan, however, seemed totally unconvinced with this route. He wanted us to be sure of the address. There was a momentary lapse in the mobile network too.

I knew we were on the right track but what Mr. Life was worried about was the car tyres. He wasn’t expecting a rough patch and was expressing his concern. By now, I had clearly lost all interest in striking even the smallest of conversations with him. Fortunately, we saw a jeep passing by and I noticed the driver wearing a t-shirt with the name of our accommodation. He signaled us to go ahead for another 500 meters and turn left.

Five minutes later, we were finally entering the Land of Shaka and Zulu aka Dhole’s Den. On exiting the cab and making the payment, “life” took his chances of trying to solicit more than the final check, but his spontaneous yet polite gesture wasn’t entertained. As the homestay staff made their way towards us, I noticed a hound slowly approaching us and doing his customary “sniffing” verification. More on the Hounds of Bandipur later as we didn’t want to waste any more time engaging with anyone but food.

To our surprise, not only did the staff set aside two plates of food, but we ended up feasting on multiple items, including curries, paneer, fish fry, hot chapati, methi rice, and sweets. This turned out to be one of those rare instances wherein controlling hunger pangs beyond scheduled meal times bore fruit.

One of the hotel staff approached us to inquire if we’d be interested in an evening walk around 5 PM and explore the neighboring villages. He mentioned that we could engage in bird watching too. We gave him a thumbs-up before continuing to fill our stomachs with the lavish spread on the table.

The Wilderness Beckons #2: Not your regular welcome, but a mighty “hound-erous” one

Beaming smiles and fulfilled appetite ensued as we were led into our “habitat” room on the first floor of the Den. The room was spacious with splendid and panoramic views of the Nilgiris and the landscape of Bandipur and Mudumalai National Parks from the balcony. The accompanying silence with the friendly intermittent bird calls in the distance was just the ambiance that we needed after a demanding first half experience.

We were in discussions with the front desk manager about booking us for a morning private jungle safari despite having prebooked a government one online. From what we gathered, the private one would be better organized.

Before disclosing the proceedings of the rest of the evening, it becomes important to give an account of this not-so-regular homestay as it certainly deserves a mention.

Dhole’s Den is the home of Karthik and Ingrid Davey and has been named after the underrated animal that resides in the dense forests of Bandipur and neighboring jungle reserves – the Asiatic Wild Dog (the Dhole). In a nutshell, Dhole’s Den is dedicated to everything that is dog or dog-like, and the Asiatic Wild Dogs are fascinating hunters in the Indian jungle with a complex and unique social hierarchy.

As some of you might have guessed already, the owners are ardent dog lovers and call their home “Uhuru,” meaning freedom in Swahili. My conversations with Ingrid provided insight into their previous adventures in the African jungles, which they carried solemnly in their hearts, and decided to create something for themselves and like-minded travelers in India.

The place feels like home from the minute you step inside and the subtle and simple interiors don’t really shy away from the modernity that one potentially demands. Yes, it may not seem luxurious to many, but isn’t luxury a definition carved by every single individual to suit his/her needs? Dhole’s Den helps you unwind and relax, even if that means doing nothing and simply staring at the hills and focusing on your breathing. If you fancy a read, simply sit on a comfortable chair on the spacious balcony with a cup of steaming coffee and get lost in the fascinating world of your novella. For the creative minds, unleash your imagination and use the freedom of time to generate new ideas.

Besides the homely vibes that this Den offers, Ingrid’s handmade paintings don the walls and corners of the property and bedrooms. Karthik’s love for the hounds and his business ethic are no secret as that’s evident through his personality and communication. It was our pleasure getting to know them both.

The Wilderness Beckons #3: Getting to know the Hounds of Bandipur…It’s their territory after all!

Having introduced the creators and purpose of Dhole’s Den, it’s time to move onto the next best thing about this Den. Dhole’s Den is home to the “Chippiparari” hounds. Not one, not two, but a pack of 6. You are greeted by the signboard: The Land of Shaka & Zulu. Like their wolf cousins, they do howl in the mornings and sometimes in the evening. This call is their way of welcoming you into their pack. They don’t bark excessively, but we were fortunate to hear them communicate with their distant relatives through short sounds and whines. The relatives reciprocated their call from the nearby forests and I wouldn’t be surprised if the calls were being made by the wild dogs themselves. After all, it is believed that these sounds from the hounds of Bandipur are the closest that one can safely get to a Wild Dog. They don’t need to be pampered and mind their business for the most part. Guests are requested to show some compassion and respect for these mascots as they approach you gently and subtly showcase their traits to make you feel comfortable.

The grand lady, Zulu, is elusive and we were told that excessive effort would need to be made to even be an object of interest for her. Shaka has left for a better world. His resting place is on the grounds, and you will see it when you take a property walk.

To summarize, these are South Indian sight hounds resembling the Saluki and the Sloughi from Arabian countries who are mainly used for hunting. The others on property are Zulu’s son, Simba, the two damsels from Dindigul – Thabisa and Jameela, and the youngest ones in the pack – Jabu Junior and Baby Ulinda.

The Wilderness Beckons #4: A date with Mother Nature by the village lake

Before we knew it, it was time for us to leave for our evening walk with Girish. He was kind enough to let me borrow one of their high-end Nikon binoculars, which turned out to be one of the exciting highlights of this trip. It’s given me vivid memories of the sightings that I managed to capture over the next couple of days.

After leaving the premises, Girish lured us into his interesting experiences in spotting leopards on his not-so-jungle escapades. In fact, his encounters with this wild cat happened serendipitously. There was this one time when he was clicking a photograph of some birds by the village lake and the jungle cat happened to be standing around 400-500 meters from him. Girish remained motionless and despite the close proximity of this unpredictable animal, maintained his composure. The animal walked past him without any qualms.

Another incident occurred when his friend (and wildlife enthusiast) and he rode into the dense confines outside the boundaries of the National Park and spotted a leopard lounging near a herd of spotted deer. Their safe distance and honest intentions did not alarm the wild cat as it simply crossed their path and disappeared into the forest, but not before providing some great captures for Girish’s friend with the expensive camera.

Now, folks! What’s the moral of these stories? Wildlife sighting purely depends on luck and happens in the most unexpected of circumstances! As long as you respect the wild animal’s space and don’t display any harmful or idiotic signs of human behavior, the former wouldn’t really consider you as an “object of interest.” But hey! Don’t take my “limited knowledge” theory for granted as an element of uncertainty in these territories do exist.

We made our way towards the village temple that was receiving shade from the majestic Gulmohar tree in full bloom. The deep red flowers atop the tree felt fresh and comforting to our eyes. Right opposite the temple, we sighted a Spotted Owlet sitting calmly on one of the branches. It was time for me to put the Nikon binoculars to good use. After a few snaps from various angles courtesy of our wildlife photographer, Shruti, we were driven to the lake.

Perhaps not as enticing to villagers and locals, but it was love at first sight as we made our way towards the lake. The still waters harboring a few Spot-billed ducks, Indian Cormorant, Indian Pond Heron, Black-necked Ibis, and the Intermediate Egret were a treat for the eyes. These birds didn’t pay much heed to our presence and were enjoying their freedom amidst the calmness. The dense foliage beyond the lake was cue to the numerous species being housed and not being captured by the naked eye.

Meanwhile, the evening sky was playing a track in concordance with the bird songs as it romantically portrayed different hues in our line of sight. What seemed to be a dedicated colorful patch slowly started spreading across the sky and displaying an ambiance like none other. We left the scene only after the sky normalized and dusk began to set in.

Our day wasn’t meant to end without further experiences. Once we were back at the Den and stood on the balcony sipping our hot beverages, we noticed frequent flashes of lightning in the sky at different locations without any sound – a phenomenon that we later got to know as heat lightning. Simply put, heat lightning represents faint flashes of light reflecting outward from distant thunderstorms. The light that we observe is basically the regular lightning over the horizon. The reason behind it being termed as “heat lightning” is because they often occur on hot summer nights.

Bouts of flashes continued to be seen for the next couple of hours as Girish accompanied us on a short night walk in the property. We found a perfect spot to capture videos of this phenomenon while trying to get a refund of our prebooked government safari given that we had now decided to book a private one. Girish was kind enough to speak to one of his friends at the National Park and try and arrange for a refund.

As we were settling down for supper, a family returned from their afternoon jungle safari. An aunty approached us gleefully and thanked her stars for having successfully sighted a tiger. Her body language showcased a clear sentiment that her mission was accomplished as the jungle cat made its appearance in her line of sight. We hoped something similar was in our destiny as well as we diverted our attention to the dinner menu.

The Wilderness Beckons #5: Trying our luck – Jungle Safari No. 1

It was an early start to the day. We had to depart for the starting point in Bandipur Tiger Reserve by 545 AM. I woke up on the sound of my first alarm and stepped outside to capture the incessant calls of the “brain fever” bird (common hawk-cuckoo). I’m unsure as to why it kept chirping nonstop through the night but one thing I can guarantee is that it remained true to its Indianism aka “brain fever.” If you ever hear the call of this cuckoo, be prepared to go cuckoo!

As we left for our starting point in our designated jeep, we were faced with an unpleasant surprise 8 kms from the National Park entrance. For the unknown, this is the primary route that connects Karnataka to neighboring the neighboring southern states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Though it sounds scenic and adventurous, the infamous toll mongers need to fill their deliberate pockets with extra cash as apparently, toll collection is extremely hard-earned money and demands long queues and traffic jams with the added stupidity of drivers who block lanes by a few centimeters and create more ruckus.

Unfortunately, this was something that we did not expect at 6 AM. We were helpless as we saw the time ticking but couldn’t move ahead. At one point, it seemed as if we were going to miss our safari. Frustrations crept in as we observed more idiots maneuvering their vehicles and blocking our path. It took a good 20 minutes for us to slowly and dexterously steer clear of the traffic and speed towards the entry point. As soon as we entered the gate, my eyes fell upon our guide who, for obvious reasons, wasn’t in the best of moods. Our driver explained the reason for our delay, but that didn’t seem to satisfy him. Meanwhile, I rushed towards the restroom as our morning adventures and the remnants of black coffee were making my bladder extra sensitive.

Moments later, I was in the canter, relaxed and ready for our first jungle safari. Another jeep arrived and I noticed the rest of the travelers enter our vehicle. They also experienced the same pain as us. My eyes rested upon a tall guy wearing a light brown uniform and a cap. He was in conversation with the driver and without wasting any further time, both took their seats and we were off. The guy introduced himself as Anish, a naturalist with the Serai (a luxury jungle resort in Bandipur) and mentioned that we would enter the jungle through a shorter route since we got delayed. Within minutes of this brief introduction, we were on our way through the dense forest of Bandipur.

Despite the heat, the forest wasn’t barren. For as far as I could see, there was greenery all around and our first sighting (which by the way is common in this region) of the spotted deer officially kick-started our wildlife journey. We just didn’t spot one deer as they typically tend to flock in herds. Our eyes, however, were in search of someone else. Patience, my child!

We reached a point where we observed a female elephant and her kid feeding off the branches of a tree. We drove further and sighted a small herd of Wild Gaurs. One of the female Gaurs was camera-friendly and posed for a perfect click. We continued onwards and sighted another female elephant and its baby. The driver stopped and shut off the engine. Moments later, the elephant and its kid crossed the fire lane onto the other side. We drove on.

Our other sightings included the jungle fowl, painted stork by the lake, a feeding flock of bee eaters, green pigeon, and the Brahmini Starling. Unfortunately, no warning calls were to be heard, which was indicative that no jungle cat was in the vicinity at that point in time. We didn’t lose hope and moved ahead.

Then came a point where a peacock was performing live and attracting a couple of peahens. This was my first encounter with a dancing peacock, and I was mighty impressed by its unrelenting efforts. Needless to say, it was a beautiful sight to behold! While we were enthralled by this public display of this captivating species, his opposite sex didn’t seem too interested. A shame and potential lesson that while beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, it may not necessarily bear fruit instantly. Haha!

The peacock dance was the prime highlight of the morning safari. We returned to our Den for breakfast, which was followed by a farm visit. We were gearing up for the afternoon safari.

The Wilderness Beckons #6: Not losing hope – Jungle Safari No. 2

Our afternoon safari was also prebooked, courtesy of the online services of Bandipur National Park. I was fortunate to have booked us a gypsy/jeep safari that accommodates 4-5 persons. After the morning traffic fiasco, we had decided to leave earlier than usual. We faced no concerns along the way to our starting point. Once there, our driver helped us procure a hard copy of the tickets, which also had the gypsy number listed.

We had another 30 odd minutes to kill before the afternoon safari started. We were in the middle of a conversation when a lady with her kid approached us requesting if they could join us on the gypsy. At first, I couldn’t quite understand what she was asking, but on listening closely, she mentioned that the official at the booking counter mentioned that we had booked the only afternoon gypsy safari and if we agreed to having them onboard, the cost could be split among the four of us.

It still didn’t make sense as I told her that while I had booked two seats online, I wasn’t sure if there were others who had also reserved it. Logically, I was under the impression that another couple may have booked online too. The lady nodded her head saying that is not what the official mentioned. Right then, one of the officials who perhaps oversaw the bus roster interrupted our conversation and cleared up the confusion. It was then that I realized that I had in fact booked the entire gypsy for us. And all this while, I kept thinking that I had only reserved two seats. Duh! A momentary flash of pride and my chance at showing off in front of my wife ensued right before we decided to let the couple and their kid join us on this trip. On the bright side, we saved 2000 bucks too.

However, the jungle cat wasn’t interested in presenting itself through the course of the next couple of hours. In fact, this was one safari ride I’d like to forget for the most part considering that our driver cum guide wasn’t well-versed with English or Hindi and appeared to be least interested in sighting any wild animals for that matter. His demeanor suggested that he might have been asked to escort us at the last minute, which may have led to cancelation of his personal plans for that afternoon. It felt as if he was doing us a favor by driving us around casually through the Reserve.

Anyways, we couldn’t shout or complain in the middle of the jungle; so, we simply played along. When he met a fellow gypsy driver, the latter informed us about a pack of Wild Dogs sitting a few hundred meters ahead. So, we drove towards that area. A pleasant surprise awaited us as we saw a pack of 14 Wild Dogs (Dholes) sitting on either side of the fire lane. We maintained a safe distance to ensure they were not disturbed, and we got a few snaps. Even the slightest movement or sound would have driven them away. Well! As I said, when things don’t always work in your favor, try to look at the positives. In this case, the sighting of these Wild Dogs, which coincidentally was the reason behind choosing Dhole’s Den as our abode in Bandipur, paid off. This was my first sighting of Asiatic Wild Dogs. As soon as the engine started, the pack rushed into the jungle.

The rest of the journey was pretty boring. Oh! Before I forget, this safari began with spotting a Serpent Eagle atop a scarcely branched tree. As the safari timing drew to a close, our disheartened souls returned to Dhole’s Den. Girish did his best to comfort us and offered to take us on a short night drive after 630 PM. We agreed. Not that we had something better to do anyways!

The Wilderness Beckons #7: The impromptu night drive – courtesy Girish from Dhole’s Den

Punctuality is everything when it comes to jungle safaris, and I admired that quality of Girish and the Dhole’s Den staff in general. Always prompt and ready to attend to their guests and strike necessary conversations.

We left for the night drive in one of the homestay jeeps. This was also something that I hadn’t experienced on previous safari trips. Considering that these lodges, camps, homestays, or resorts are within the confines of the respective National Parks, visitors are strictly advised not to venture out on their own after dusk for obvious reasons.

We spotted a Jerdon’s nightjar, lark, and a rabbit during our 30-minute drive. Not that we were expecting a tiger or leopard to jump out of one of the bushes and cross our path, but no harm in thinking there could have been a statistical probability of <1%. Alas! This isn’t a movie where such peculiar randomness would occur.

It was time for dinner soon after we returned, and we resigned for the night after packing our bags. We were due to leave for the second leg of our experiential travel on the following day.

The Wilderness Beckons #8: Hoping that Kabini might grant us our wish

Since the first half of today only involved traveling to Kabini, we were in no rush to get ready. After breakfast, we left for Kabini around 9 AM. Google Maps reported the ETA as 2.5 h and given the roads were good for the most part, we arrived by then at the Kabini Lake View Resort.

Nestled in the southern fringes of the Nagarahole National Park, Kabini Lake View Resort is a perfect getaway for nature lovers. The breathtaking locale with the tranquil backwaters of Kabini presents an ideal setting for a long-awaited vacation. The cozy cottages are widely spaced throughout the property providing ample privacy for each guest. Shruti and I even indulged in a game of football on the following day on the lawn.

Once we checked in, we walked towards the Kabini backwaters. It took us around 10 minutes to reach the still waters of the major river in this region. The primary source of water in the Kabini tributary comes from the larger Wayanad river in Kerala, which also happens to share the jungle reserve with the dense forests of Kabini and Bandipur.

After spending around 20-30 minutes at the backwaters, we walked back to the property to have lunch and prepare ourselves for the only boat safari of this trip.

The Wilderness Beckons #9: Acclimatizing to the forest waters – Boat Safari

Do you recall me saying that the Universe weirdly conspires to test your patience sometimes when you just want things to work as expected? So, here’s what happened! At the time of checking in, I clearly told our driver that we’ll be departing for our safari starting point around 230 PM and it’s best that he has lunch before that and wait by the car.

Cut to: The guests are ready to leave. On reaching the parking lot, I noticed that the driver wasn’t around. I tried calling him multiple times but couldn’t get through. On asking the resort security guard, he seemed clueless. Meanwhile, the clock’s ticking YET AGAIN and people were waiting for us. Ten minutes later, I finally got through to him and much to his astonishment, he heard an unpleasant version of me. Moments later, I saw him running out of a shed in the distance. On being asked about his whereabouts, he conveniently blamed the security guard stating he had mentioned to summon him at the time of departure. I didn’t feel the need to argue any longer. We left for our starting point, which was around 12 km from the property.

Half an hour later, we were on a boat ready to explore the Kabini waters and looked forward to some sightings by the shore or in the water. We spotted Otters who weren’t too pleased with our interference as they snuck in and out of the water. We saw some elephants grazing on the green lands with one female elephant and her baby closer to the shore. A dead deer lay on the banks and we were informed that the Wild Dogs killed it a day prior and this will possibly be feasted by vultures. Three vultures nearby were awaiting the right “muhurat” to begin feasting on it. Then, there were some birds who made their cameo appearances on either side of the river.

As we were approaching the end of our boat safari, our paths met a swimming crocodile with just enough exposure for identification. We maintained a safe distance and soared ahead minutes later.

Once we returned to the property, I confirmed our land safari for next morning and we had our dinner and resigned for the night.

The Wilderness Beckons #10: Our hopes, by now, are almost crushed! Jungle Safari No. 3

A new day brought with it the hope of getting to see what we came here to see. But, as luck would have it, our driver cum guide was another dull-headed sleep-deprived personality attempting hard to stay awake and show some keenness for the next 3 hours. We were assigned Zone A, which apparently is not famous for sightings, but we’d later learn that Zone A is in fact the Core Zone where all wildlife photographers and enthusiasts flock to. We know this is all hearsay, but at the heat of the moment, it does pinch you if you end up in the “infamous” zone.

Our lazy bug of a driver was in his own world as he drove around on random routes and stopped to give us a flavor of wildlife in the form of elephants, spotted deer, and some bird species that we’d already seen. And then, there were the peacocks dancing again! I wondered if the peacocks were mocking me and purposefully testing my patience as their “wildlife instincts” had already (and weirdly perhaps) alerted them about no wild cats in the vicinity.

An uneventful start to the day!

The Wilderness Beckons #11: The last ride – Jungle Safari No. 4

They say it isn’t the end until it is, and that is how I’d summarize our last drive into the dense forests of Nagarhole National Park. With nothing further to explain or expect, we ventured into the forest one final time to see if something out of the extraordinary happens. This time around, we were accompanied by a Naturalist and were assigned Zone B.

Around 30 minutes into the drive, we arrived at a point where we were advised to maintain pin-drop silence. There were active warning calls by the Langurs indicating the possible presence of a wild cat nearby. We waited in anticipation of its appearance as the calls became louder and intensified. All of us had our eyes glued in the same direction. We even recorded the warning calls that lasted a good 10-15 minutes. Once it dissipated and nothing emerged from behind the thick foliage, our expressions and the sudden adrenaline rush dampened.

We drove ahead and deeper into the forest and spotted the Indian Roller, Hawk Eagle, the Sambhar Deer, and a herd of elephants. As another vehicle approached us at a junction, our naturalist and driver notified them about the warning calls and asked them to venture onto another route to check if they spot one.

Approximately, fifteen minutes later, as we were in the middle of capturing a couple of Wild Gaurs, our driver received a phone call. We saw him reversing the canter. The naturalist gave us a friendly warning to hold onto our seats tight as the drive was going to get bumpy. He didn’t reveal much, but I could sense a sudden spike in adrenaline levels and a hint of gleam in his eyes.

And then, we were speeding ahead through the forest fire lanes. The drive was thrilling, and for the first time on this trip, we felt that something exciting was about to happen.

Yahoo! Lo and behold a sub-adult Leopard relaxing on the branch of a tree right within our line of sight. If I was to measure the distance, I’d say we were approximately 800 meters away from this attractive jungle animal. We saw two other canters ahead of us excitedly eyeing it. All the cameras were out, and none wanted to miss this historic moment. The leopard was least interested in what we were up to and was busy licking itself and shaking its head momentarily as bugs and flies were irritating him.

He was so engrossed in self-entertainment that he even switched positions on that branch and gave us an account of his flexibility. Show off! We were in no rush whatsoever and we spent a good 25 minutes observing his movements. We were told that the earlier warning signs of the Langurs were associated with the movements of this animal who presently wasn’t interested in building an appetite. Our naturalist cum guide also figured out an effective way to capture videos and photographs by strategically placing the phone camera lens against the binoculars.

A part of me was ecstatic for having spotted the leopard. Now, the trip felt complete if you know what I mean. Yeah! Yeah! I’ve been ranting about “experiential travel” all along and not get impacted or disappointed if I don’t sight a tiger or leopard, but you got to admit that it feels like “mission accomplished” once you do.

We still had an hour before our designated safari ended. So, we ventured into another route and came across a jeep where we overheard the driver saying they heard deer warning calls nearby. We stopped at a distance from the jeep. Along the way, we sighted a couple of Malabar Giant Squirrels, which are way bigger and attractive than your cute-looking ones. As we patiently awaited more sightings of another wild cat, I knew it was too much to expect another sighting in such a short span of time. Nonetheless, hope is a dangerous thing! We didn’t spot any other wild animal and returned to base with a smile on our faces.

An “Experiential Summary” of our Wilderness Spree

Now that you’ve traveled this far with me, what is your final take on the entire experience? Would you call this fulfilling or is there one tiny corner still saying, “How I wish you guys had spotted a tiger or more leopards? Even better, a sloth bear and its cubs…” My earnest response to this would be – Hey! No matter how much we desire to witness or experience certain things in life, something always will get missed out. We can’t possibly blame our stars or get all judgmental and critical about how things could have panned out in our favor had we done things differently. It’s just life’s way of saying – you win some, you lose some!

And then, there’s perspective! You could either see the brighter side of things and smile about the smaller elements and experiences that unfolded on such travels, or you could sit back all grumpy and disappointed and curse every blessed person on the planet for testing your luck and patience.

I chose the former, which is precisely why this was an experiential travel for me and is something that I’d remember for years to come. I was genuinely enthralled by some species and read up on them once I returned to base; something that I’d not typically indulge in.

Besides the grand finale, there was much on offer and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to see what others possibly don’t or wouldn’t want to. While I’m sure we’d be doing more safaris in the future, this chapter of Bandipur and Kabini would hold a special place in my heart.

Farewell, my “wild” acquaintances and thank you for hosting us with the best of intentions.

Our paths may cross with your peers and co-existential species in another forest! Until then, take care and live free within the boundless confines of your core jungle home.