MASINAGUDI 2015

Masinagudi, a Village on the Mysore-Bandipur-Ooty Road. Its about 280 Kms from Bangalore.  Its just after Bandipur. Masinagudi is in Tamilnadu  and part of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

There are too many resorts in Masinagudi. We stayed in "Forest Hills Farm & Guest House". We found it thru Tripadvisor. www.foresthillsindia.com

The resort is located right on the foothills of Mudumalai, which itself is a fantastic location. They have Tree Tops, Bamboo Huts and Machan. The Machan and the Tree Houses are located at the end of the property, which is about 200 mts away,opening to the foot hills of Mudumalai.

We visited in May 2015. We were a group and stayed in the Machan and Tree Houses for 2 nights. The setting is so beautiful and serene and you will get the feeling of staying deep in the Jungle, especially when its dark.

The Machan

We arrived in the resort on time for lunch and checked in to the accommodation. After sumptuous lunch, we rested for some time. While resting in the Machan, we spotted lot of birds around and some wild boars and also heard the elephant trumpet. The Machan has a room to stay for 2, max 3 and a covered terrace on top which gives you a 360 deg view.

Tree Tops, very close to Machan

At around 6 pm we left for a drive in our vehicle(Thar,Duster) to Moyar Village road.  To reach Moyar Road, we have to go to Masinagudi Village, take a right turn (almost a U turn) at the jeep stand. We are told that this forms part of the core area of the forest. Access is allowed because the Moyar Village is situated at the end of the road. The distance from the Resort to the end of the core area(Moyar Village) is about 20 Kms.   We did spot a sloth bear, a bit far and it was getting dark. You can take a night drive on this road, but we should be back by 8.30 pm I believe. This drive was very nice as its very rear that you can take a night drive in the forest. If you don't have an SUV, the resort can arrange a jeep drive for you on this road.

Moyar River, Moyar Village

We came back to the resort, time for dinner. The resort has a very ethnic dinning area, with a fire place in it. We had dinner and proceeded to our rooms in the vehicle. It isn't advisable to walk back to the tree top or the machan after 6.30 pm. It is most likely that you might come across a silent Bull Elephant or Wild Boars or any other wild life standing in the dark, without you noticing. Some of the guests have sighted sloth bear very close to the machan.

We settled in the terrace of the machan for the night. We decided to sleep in the terrace and requested the resort people to spread the beds for 4 of us, which they did willingly. We dropped the rest of the group to the tree top by car, even though its just about 200 ft away, its safer that way.

The weather was great and it started becoming a bit chill as well. As night grew, we started to hear the calls of many wild life from the forest. The Elephants trumpeted a lot of times and there were Spotted Deer calls now and then. We were cautioned not to come down from the machan as there might be wild animals around especially at night.

It was around midnight we heard a faint noise of the branch being broken, close to the resort. We were half asleep. After a few minutes the noise was much nearer, but from the opposite side. The Elephant had crossed from the Hill side to the left of the Machan and closer to the resort. Then we heard a lot bamboos being broken and chewed. It was middle of the night and we could hear all the noise made by the elephant. It was amazing and thrilling though a bit scary. It wasn't a sound sleep after that, always expecting some call from the wild.

We got up and left at 5.30 the next morning and went for the Moyar Road safari for some sightings. We saw Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Indian Gaur, Peacocks on trees and some Langurs. That's it and we came back for Breakfast.

The Masinagudi village has some Bakeries, Medical shops, Tea stall and a couple of Bars as well.

The afternoon we had lunch and relaxed in the Machan. We were discussing if we need to go for the drive to Moyar Village or wait on the machan terrace and be lucky  for some sighting. It was around 4.30 pm and we were watching some birds on one corner at the edge of the resort, where the forest starts. We took our eyes off and started to have some hot tea brought from the resort. After a few seconds I raised my head to look at the birds again and guess what, I saw the Mighty Tusker standing there. It took me a few seconds to react and to say others about it....

http://youtu.be/L_ID9zOpL74  This is the video link.

We were all thrilled to see the elephant very close to us and for almost 20 mts, sitting on the Machan. It was a fantastic experience we all had and wouldn't forget it.

The night became cloudy and started to rain heavily. We had to sleep inside the machan. We got up next day very relaxed, had breakfast and back to Bangalore.

Paradise Fly Catcher

The Resort:

Our experience was very very good. The Hospitality, food and the service, we enjoyed. The staff took so much care about us and all our requests were met. In fact they called at 2.30 in the night to check if we were ok, as it was raining very heavily that night and stayed in the Machan. A special thanks to Sameer and his team!!!!!!!!!!!





BHANDAVGARH & KANHA

 

BHANDAVGARH & KANHA NOVEMBER 2013

 

This is the first time we took a flight for our forest trip.  Early planning was very much required.   The whole trip was arranged for us by Infinite Journeys Pvt Ltd.  There website is www.infinitejourneys.co.in for your reference or bookings. 

3 of us left from Bangalore on the 13th of November 2013 early morning to catch a flight to Nagpur.   From Nagpur airport we were picked up by a cab to be dropped in Jabalpur to stay overnight.  We stayed in Narmada Jacksons A Grand Heritage Hotel for one night to continue our road journey to Bhandavgarh.

14th November morning after breakfast we headed to our first destination Bhandavgarh, which is approximately 170kms from Jabalpur. Reached Bhandavgarh in approximately 4 hours. Arrived at our resort Monsoon Forest www.monsoonforest.in exactly at 12.00pm.  

 

Here we should mention about the resort, we were given a royal treatment.  We were the only guests that day and so was the care given by the staff and the manager.  Very good service, food & hospitality.


The front portion of the tent we stayed in Monsoon Forest

 We left for our evening safari, was first to be in the gate. 

Outisde the gate waiting to enter the forest

Sharp at 2.30pm the gate opened we first sighted a group of spotted deers then some sambar deers and variety of birds like Lesser Adjutant Stork, Racket Tailed Drongo, Vulture, Grey Hornbill. 
Our eyes was still looking for some big cats but nothing that evening.  On the way back to the gate we had a sighting of Jungle Owlet.
 Some Langurs and Mongoose. 

Came back to the resort and relaxed in front of a bonfire and enjoyed early dinner and went to sleep.

 

15th November morning had a wake up call at 5.00am served with lovely coffee and left for the morning drive at 5.30am.  We were the first to reach the gate and entered dot at 6.30am. 

 

After an hours drive we were lucky, lots of vehicles in one area one jeep had spotted a tiger deep inside the bush, so all were waiting and all eyes looking the same spot. 

Suddenly vehicles started moving, there was a tiger which got up and started walking towards the dirt track, yes we did see the tiger a big one walking majestically towards the waterhole then towards the track again. It came close to our vehicle could see the paw of the tiger when she walked down the track.  All were Excited and thrilled.  Some where shouting don't make noise, but one of the vehicles started moving close to the tiger, and it vanished into the bush again.

But spotting of that tiger for atleast 10 to 15 mts was really enjoyable.
 

The whole day went off with that memorable experience and sharing of those fotos and talking about the tiger.  We did spot other small animals and birds as usual.

 

Next day the 16th morning we went on a different gate called Magdhi expecting to see some more tiger.  We did go first and the weather was too cold infact.  We spotted a Barking Deer first then lots of birds, since the guide was eager to show us tiger, he was pushing the vehicle as there was alarm calls from Langurs and Spotted Deers.  But no luck for us, probably tiger was looking at us.

 

Lesser Adjutant Stork

 

Common Hoopoe

We did spot lots of birds and again some spotted Deers.,

Indian Robin, Indian Roller, Peacock, Jungle cock, Peahen, Serpent Eagle, Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher & Stork.  Sun started coming out and no sighting of either tiger nor leopard. 

Indian Roller

Serpent Eagle

So our trip ended in Bhandavgarh and we left for Kanha in a cab booked by our agent.  

The drive was for about 7 to 8 hours.  Reached Kanha late in the afternoon, we stayed in Krishna Jungle Resort.  That evening was free for leisure.

Early morning 5.30 outside the Forest Entry Gate

18th November morning with same excitement left for morning safari at 5.30am from the lodge, waited in the gate.  Gate opened at 6.30am, it was too cold, we were completely covered except for the eyes and the nose.  This place is a paradise for bird watchers. 

 

Some of birds we saw are Indian Pond Heron, Green Beeeater, Red wattled Lapwing, Yellow Wattled Lapwing, Spotted Pigeon, Crescent Serpent Eagle, Alexandrine Parakeet, Greater coucal, Greater Racket Tailed Drongo, Black Drongo, Indian Treepie etc.,

Alexandrine Parakeet

Black Headed Oriole

 

Small Blue Kingfisher

 

Green Beeeater

18th after morning drive came back to the resort relaxed had breakfast, lunch etc., rested and left again at 2.30pm.  This afternoon drive was also not that successful keeping in mind the big cats.  Only birds, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deers with more birds like Grey headed bull bull, Jungle Babbler, Eurasian Golden Oriole, Black Ibis and so on. 

Spotted Owlet

19th Morning drive as usual but in a different gate called Mukki gate, started early and it was too cold as well fully covered and shivering inside the blanket we entered the gate with full hope.  After again seeing the regular birds, deers, for more than a hour without any excitement closing the eyes to sleep thinking usual drive and nothing to see, suddenly our guide stopped the vehicle and asked the driver to come back, since he saw some stripes inside the bush, after giving few minutes we did see a tiger getting up from behind that bush, it was a few hundred meters away, the engine stopped and we waited, just to our surprise we did see 2 more tigers in the same spot all playing, so we altogether saw 4 of them 3 cubs and a mom. 

 

The cubs were playing what a sight! one cub ran and climbed a small tree gave us a good sighting went down started playing. slowly more vehicles started coming to that spot then we had to leave.  Since it was a bit far the pictures are not that clear. 

 

 

We did proceed on our drive leaving other vehicles there thinking will come back after all the vehicles move out, but to our bad luck they all moved to the other side of the track where the bush was too thick and we could hardly see anything, waited and no luck.



But the excitement we did carry through.  It was nice, we took a video of the cubs playing eventhough its not very clear we do still enjoy watching that.

19th evening again tried our luck no cats only Jackals, Bisons.

 

Some more birds like Black Capped Kingfisher, Common Hoopoe, Indian Grey Hornbill, Common Golden Back Woodpecker, Black Headed Munia, Red Munia, Rufous backed Shrike, and more more.....

Black Headed Munia

 

 

Before the last drive ended we did sight a few Bara Singhas.

 

 More birds for your view

Indian Treepie

Pond Heron

20th morning had early breakfast packed our lunch from the resort and got into the cab to reach the airport to catch return fligt to Bangalore. It was a very memorable trip.

 

Red Munia



Black Capped Kingfisher, a very rare sight!!!!

 

 



 

 

 

Kabini Forest May2012

Our Kabini trip was another beautiful experiene. We travelled in May.  Good season to spot animals starts from April.  We stayed in Jungle Lodges & Resorts.  www.kabiniriverlodge.com, please use this link for your accommodation booking and also for the route map in case if you are travelling by road.  Its not too far from Bangalore and will approximately take 5 hours. You can either go Jeep safari or Boat ride.  Normally boat rides are suggested for evenings and Jeep safari for mornings.  Staying for 2 nights is really worth for spotting animals.  The guides in the lodge are really good.

We reached by noon, so that we dont miss any of the activities that are included in the package.  As we reached we were taken to a nice cosy room.  Relaxed for few minutes, by then the lunch was served in the dining hall (all buffet system).  We were ready with our binoculars, cameras and also suntan lotion at 3.00pm.

Got into the boat, since its summer the water in the river was not too high.  Once u start cruising in the boat first thing you will spot is lot of birds in the dried tree stumps amidst the river.

Different Birds on the tree in the river.

Tusker by the river side 

Jeep safari morning at 6.00 and evening 3.30.  We had 4 trips in Jeep, we enjoyed all the trips. 

We happened to spot lot of elephants including baby elephant in all our jeep safaries and also our boat rides.  Monkeys, Serpant eagle, Bison, etc.,  were some of the other animals and birds spotted.  

Infact one of the baby elephant we spotted was limping, the back leg was injured and we felt so bad for that baby.  The mother elephant was trying to cover the baby and closely moving together as seen below.

Wild Dogs the famous killer, they come in a pack of 10 to 12 at a time.  We spotted a pack by the river banks, where they just finished their kill and running towards the river.  Normally spotting wild dogs is very rare, we were lucky.

Leopard, we spotted one in the tree branch by the side of the road.  The leopard was literally hanging in the branch as you see in the below pictures.  This we spotted in our first safari trip itself.  The next day also we saw the same leopard but in a different tree branch.

Infact the second day after coming back from our morning safari, we had our breakfast and took off with our Pajero to the same road to see the leopard once again, which was still there.  With binoculars the sighting we had was great.

The same tusker that we saw from the boat ride was also spotted the next day morning in the Jeep safari.

Tusker by the river banks.

Birds, especially Changeover Hawk Eagle(?) was sighted very close to our jeep.

The other baby elephants, bisons, monkeys as we spotted. The limping baby elephant which was very close to our jeep.

The Bison trying to grasp a tree branch for some food.

Another baby elephant but not looking healthy.

Sitting like three musketeers in the tree looking seriously at something.

On the whole this trip we enjoyed since we saw all except the tiger.  The food, the service and the rides organised by the Jungle Lodge was really good and nothing to complain.  Its worth a trip to Junglelodges, Kabini.

The next trip as we travel will be updated in the blog.