At a glance At the south-eastern end of Nagarhole, by the backwaters of the Kabini River, 69 km from Mysore
About the city This is an invitation to take part in one of the greatest elephant shows in Asia. It doesn't consist of pachyderms kicking a football around, or riding a tricycle. This elephant show is all about raw intensity, wild passion, brute magnetism and a sense of unbridled power being exuded by the very air around. This is an arena where you have not three or four or six elephants doing the star turn, but 200. Or maybe 250, in just one evening.... Quite the extraordinary thing about the Kabini area is the existence of a mind-blowing 60 sq km of static water inside the forest precincts, the result of a dam built across the river at Beechanahalli. The water bifurcates the national parks of Nagarhole and Bandipur, but unites a spectacular range of wildlife in glorious abandon on its shores. From the giant tuskers to the mouse deer, to barking deer and chital, to herds of gaur and sambhar, to the rare but definitely 'spottable tiger and panther, and the sloth bear... they are all here. And the birds They flock together. Painted storks, egrets, herons and ibis. The vultures soar high even as the crested serpent eagle sits in majesty, scanning the area, seating itself on one of the innumerable stumps of wood that peek out of the water's surface, vestiges of once proud trees that were submerged by the dam. But then again, Kabini is all about elephants and more elephants. Some 1,500 of them roam free in the jungles of Nagarhole alone, of which Kabini is a primary part. And according to Project Elephant reports, there are 5,500 to 6,000 of them in the contiguous stretches of forests comprising Nagarhole, Bandipur,
How to reach Road: Car: From Mysore's Hand Post Circle take the Mananthavady Road till Kabini Circle. The road bifurcates here. Take the left arm to Antarasante; 5 km from here you enter the jungle. A little further down is Kabini River Lodge at Karapur. The resorts are 2 km ahead. Bus: Daily KSRTC service to Kabini from the Central Bus Stand in Bangalore. Rail: Rail Nearest railhead: Mysore Junction Best option TO Mysore Express (dep: Bangalore City 7.05 am; arr: Mysore Junction 10 am). Taxi to Kabini charges Rs 1,200 approx one-way. Contact Skyway (Tel: 0821-426642) or Seagull (Tel: 0821-529732), reliable taxi operators Best option FROM Chennai Express (dep: Mysore Junction 6 pm; arr: Bangalore City 9 pm) Journey Time Road: 5 hrs Rail: 3 hrs + 1 3/4 hrs by road
Distances 208 km South West from Bangalore 69 km from Mysore From Bangalore SH17 to Mysore via Maddur and Mandya SH17D (Mananthavady Road) to Antarasante via Chattanahalli and Hampapura District road to Karapur
Best Seasons All year round, but best between September and May. For wildlife sighting it's November to June
Places in and around Jeep safari The jungles around have a primeval touch to them. Tall trees, huge bamboo brakes, remote ponds, hillocks and above all the backwaters. Hop onto a jeep and drive around. Early mornings are just the time. You can see the jungle waking up, the leaves and shrubbery washed clean with the dew. Peacocks call out to the denizens of the wild as if to say good morning folks! The grey langurs have already started to eat breakfast high up on the branches. They jump noisily from tree to tree completing the round of the buffet spread! A tiny terrapin lies stretched out on a piece of driftwood by the side of a jungle pond. Large herds of chital hang around by the side of the game road, mostly in a state of languorous repose, seemingly informed fully of the tiger's itinerary! Evenings turn on a magic of a different kind. The sun is busy playing a round of hide and seek from within the cluster of trees. Shades of grey and spots of brilliant light bring about a phantasmagoric feel. The elephants would have begun to assemble by the backwaters and so also the other occupants in a congregation that could be a slim version of the animal kingdom's Kumbh Mela! As you soak in the sights with the jeep's engine switched off, it is only the shrill trumpeting of a frisky young elephant as it gambols with its cousins, that can bring you back to earth. And then you have a water source in the Sunkadakatte area named Tiger Tank for the frequent sightings of the feline in its vicinity. The beautiful Bisalwadi Kere lake with its watch tower is another good point to spot both the spotted and striped varieties of big cats! Rates and timings for safaris vary with the resorts, but the safari fee is usually incorporated into the accommodation package deal, which also includes vehicle entry, boat rides, park entry, guide and camera fees. Boat ride Gliding along the water with the thick jungles all around you, you are able to come close to various herds of animals on the shores. While the birds take off in silence at the sight of your approaching boat, the animals continue to make preparations for a nightcap by the Kabini. Atop an elephant Drive over to the Sunkadakatte Forest and you will have Kokila and her colleagues, Revathi, Sarojini, Sarala and Mary waiting for you. All of four tons each, these elephants patrol the place with a sense of authority. And they are willing to take you on their backs. Riding these elephants gives you a whole new perspective of the wild. Ducking and weaving through the branches that come at your face as these gentle creatures sway rhythmically through the maze is bound to be a unique experience. And if you think that the beautiful drongo or even the red-headed woodpecker flew past, almost brushing your ears, yes, you are entitled to conclude that you are in a state of bliss. To go on a safari in a jeep through the game roads of Nagarhole, reach the backwaters at the edge of a thick bamboo jungle, and drive through a gargantuan collection of pachyderms, is one of the greatest wildlife experiences in Asia. They saunter around on the grasslands by the waters; feeding, relaxing, bathing and frolicking in vast herds where mothers, babies, cousins, aunts and uncles all live as one happy family. With the single largest congregation of Asiatic elephants anywhere on the planet, this cannot be anything but simply unforgettable. At Kabini, you experience the southern end of Nagarhole where it occupies part of Mysore District, in the capable hands of a couple of luxury resorts and a quaint forest lodge.