Dandeli is a small town situated in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. It is located amidst lush green forest ranges of the Western Ghats along the banks of River Kali. Dandeli is famous for its adventure and eco-tourism.
As per ancient texts, Dandeli is the mythical “Dandakaranya” mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. The name ‘Dandakaranya’ was derived from the word ‘Dandvalli’ (green bamboo). Dandeli lies at a varying altitude of 100m to 970m and is intersected by river Kali and a large number of streams. Dandeli is a popular destination as it rears rare species of flora and fauna, which are typical of Western Ghats.
This place consists of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the second largest sanctuary in Karnataka. Set in the heart of dense deciduous forests of Western Ghats, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is home to about 200 varieties of avian species. Spread along a sprawling area of 834. 16 sq km, Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as Dandeli Anshi Tiger Reserve, in the year 2006. Dandeli also holds the designation of being a Hornbill reserve and Crocodile reserve.
The town of Dandeli is an emerging educational and industrial hub in the South. It is also termed as ‘Mini-India’ as majority of the inhabitants here are migrants from across India, who have settled here for employment.
Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam are the commonly used languages at Dandeli. Dandeli tourism offers a wide array of activities that range from jungle safari, trekking, white water rafting, canoeing, ab-sailing, rappelling, fishing, boating, swimming, bird watching and coracle rides. There are also many sightseeing attractions in and around Dandeli like Naghjari view point, Ulavi, Syntheri rocks, Maulangi, Kulgi nature camp, Supa dam, Supa catchment area, Ganeshgudi, Shanmukha view point, Vincholli falls, Magod falls etc.
Dandeli is located at a distance of 125 km from Goa and 480 km from Bangalore and is easily accessible as it is well connected by road with all the major destinations within the state of Karnataka. The vicinity of Goa, Belgaum, Karwar, Dharwad and Hubli makes Dandeli a favorite destination of holiday makers.Best time to visit Dandeli would be October to June.
What see
Kavala Caves: Ancient Kavala caves are a perfect destination for tourists to visit while their trip to Dandeli. This place is located at a distance of 25 km from Dandeli. Tourists will have to trek some thousand steps through a dense forest to reach Kavala caves. These caves are revered as the abode of Lord Shiva – the Hindu god of Destruction.
Kulgi Nature Camp: Kulgi Nature Camp is located at a distance of around 14 km from the Dandeli National Park. This camp has small museum, nature interpretation centre. It is located on the Ambika Nagar – Yellapur Road. Main highlight of this museum is the stuffed remains of a 13-ft king cobra which was caught few years back in this area.
What to do
Dandeli Wild Life Sanctuary and Anshi National Park is dominated by river Kali, be it from its banks or from atop a mountain. The activities at this national park includes: Coracle Rides (in water, would be able to spot crocodiles, hornbills and other birds), Rock Climbing (small), Mountain Biking, Rafting/Kayaking/Canoeing, Camping, Jeep Safari ride, Trekking in the forest, bird watching. Other nearby places to visit includes: Kavala Caves, Syntheri Rocks, Sykes point, Siroli peak.
Dandeli Wildlife sanctuary is very calm and peaceful. It nestles some very rare birds and animals. It has unspoilt and not much explored hidden treasure of wildlife, which can surely leave any nature lover speechless.
Rafting: Kali River is a great location for the rafting. There is a route of around 9-14 km for rafting. This route is of class III and continues for around 2 to 3 hours.
Getting There
Air: Closest airport: Belgaum (110 kms), Hubli (75 kms) and Goa (150 kms). Air Deccan has daily flights from Mumbai and Bangalore to Belgaum, Goa and Hubli.
Train: Closest rail head: Alnavar (32 kms), Londa (48 kms), Dharwad (57 kms), & Hubli (75 kms).
Road: Dandeli is well connected to Bangalore, Mumbai (Bombay), Goa, Belgaum, Karwar and Dharwad, Hubli by road. Several buses ply to Dandeli everyday.
