River Terns going fishing |
The River Tern Lodge - for once a resort truly
lived up to its name. This excellent property, run by Jungle Lodges gave us amazing
sightings of the beautiful River Tern. We saw them (and the Lesser Pratincole)
in their hundreds, flying, fishing and feeding for more than two hours on little
islands in the middle of the reservoir. It was so engrossing that we forgot
there were other things to see on that boat safari.
River Terns |
It was my first trip to Bhadra (set in the Western
Ghats, north-west of Bangalore) with my friends Ramki and Swarna and their
three super-cool nephews, Tarun, Arya and Aniruddh. Needless to say, the 5 hour
drives in and out as well as the three days were completely action packed and a
whole load of fun.
Bhadra is a Tiger Reserve set in the Western
Ghats north-west of Bangalore and while people do see tigers reasonably often
(and even the occasional black panther) it is not Ranthambhore, Bandhavgarh or
Tadoba. So please do not go looking only
for tigers, not only are you likely to not see one, you will miss so many other
amazing things; like the river terns, pratincoles, ospreys, indian rollers,
hornbills or even the Malabar trogon if you’re lucky.
The resort itself can stake a claim to be an
attraction in itself; it is set across two small hills with a bridge between
them. So, to have a meal we had to climb down our little hill, walk across the
bridge and climb up on the other hill – the ‘golghar’ or dining area was right
at the top. Three meals a day times two trips up and down certainly helped
digest some of that excellent food!
Backwaters of the Bhadra Reservoir |
The first afternoon we spent on the jeep safari.
The drive yielded a lovely tusker and stunning views of the Bhadra reservoir,
and we spent a pleasant half hour on its banks watching storks, darters and a
pair of Eurasian thicknees.
Osprey taking off |
The next morning was the boat safari. The guide
took us straight to a little island where we saw the terns. There were so many
around, each doing something different that it took me a while to get my camera
to focus on one individual. After our hearts’ fill with terns, we moved to
another island which was filled with the little Pratincoles, their brown-grey
colour providing amazing camouflage amidst the rocks. And as we reluctantly
moved away, we saw an osprey sitting on a tree stump in the water. He then
proceeded to spread his wings and fly, giving us a super action sequence.
Lesser Pratincole |
That afternoon, we had a mini-thunderstorm,
accompanied by lots of lightning. We sat in our balcony, watching nature’s drama
and taking in the lovely breeze. The rain let up in time for us to go for a
safari and it was fresh and cool in the jungle and we encountered a few
elephants and gaur, who seemed to be enjoying the weather as well. Add a couple
of Malabar Pied Hornbills and a glimpse of the Malabar Trogon and it made for a
lovely afternoon.
Skies gearing up for the thunderstorm |
A glimpse of another magnificent tusker the next
morning brought a superb trip to an end. For me, it was another reminder that
while the big boys of the jungle can provide the dramatic spectacle, the little
stars are no less endearing! A lesson I was to learn and enjoy several times
over in the forests of South India.
Eurasian Thicknee |
Bhadra Trip Guide
Getting
there
Bhadra Tiger Reserve is around 300 km North West
of Bangalore on the Shimoga/Chikmaglur route. If your driving, your route is Bangalore-Tumkur-Gubbi-Tiptur-Arsikere-Kadur-Birur-Tarikere.
You take a turn towards Lakkavalli at Tarikere and the whole journey should
take you around 6 hours.
You can also take a train from Bangalore to either
Kadur or Tarikere and the hotel can arrange for a pick-up from the station.
Stay
Cottages at the River Tern Lodge |
Ramki on the 'Bridge' |
At Lakkavalli, Jungle
Lodges (www.junglelodges.com) has the
excellent River Tern Lodge. Comfortable rooms and great food, as expected from
a JLR property. Best to book in advance, since JLR does not accept walk-ins and
they’re usually booked out especially in season and on weekends.
If you’re averse to
walking or climbing (especially after a meal) ask for rooms in the older section,
near the ‘Golghar’ rather than the newer rooms on the hill opposite.
Food and Service
Excellent as always, with
the high standards of JLR impeccably maintained. The sambar and rasam are
especially recommended, as are the dosas and chow-chow bhath for breakfast.
Safaris
JLR packages have safaris built in, so you don’t
have to book anything else. Plan on at least 1 boat safari, preferably in the
mornings to enjoy the park from another perspective.
Other
tips
On your way, there are several places for a
break and some food. Kamath Upachars are very good for breakfast or snacks and
there is also the Café Coffee Day near Tumkur if you prefer something non-South
Indian.
No comments:
Post a Comment