Dandeli

What You Should Know More About Dandeli

• About the destination

  A small town in the state of Karnataka, Dandeli is surrounded with natural beauty. Not only nature, historical monuments also contributes to the charm of Dandeli, attracting tourists from all over the world. If you are looking for a holiday that will soothe you with its sightseeing and adventure, pack your bags to Dandeli.

  Dandeli is a very sparsely populated small town with a laid-back lifestyle with not much rush. Away from the chaos of the big cities, Dandeli is a perfect destination for weekends.

  Dandeli is packed with a lot of adventure through its watersports. You can do awesome river rafting and kayaking in Dandeli. The natural caves are amazing to see. The other nearby tourist spots there are Kanwar, Goa, Gokarna, Tarkarli, Jog Falls, Chikmagalur and Devgarh. The similar and comparable places are Manas National Park, Nameri National Park and Dubure.

  Shopping in Dandeli is not much known except the bamboo items. You can buy handcrafted bamboo things such as flower vase, flutes, etc.

  Dandeli, being a small town, has not many night clubs. This means the town doesn’t have a happening nightlife. But you can go for Overnight River rafting in Dandeli. Yes, you read that correct. One of the most adventurous attractions of this small place is overnight rafting and canoeing.

  
  

• Travel advice

  • Karnataka is a peaceful state with not many crime cases. Still you have to be careful regarding your cash and belonging.

  • During rafting, take good care of yourself, as well as your fellow rafters.

  • Book rooms in the beautiful resorts. You can go for night out camps too.

  • Before forest safari, know the rules to follow correctly. The wildlife sanctuaries are for the wild animals where you must take care of yourself and your family, specially the children.

  • Stay away from overfriendly unknown people. You never know their real motives.

  • Carry all your required things to Dandeli. You won’t get shopping malls there.

  • Keep your costly things safe in your resort before going out for sightseeing.

• Drinking laws

  The minimum liquor consumption age in Karnataka is 18. You can’t buy and have liquor if you are younger. Arrack is completely banned in Karnataka.

  
  

• Our recommendations-Things you can’t afford to miss?

  White water rafting

  River rafting in Kali River is a must try in Dandeli. The rafting will start from Ganeshgudi and will end up in Maulangi. You can go rafting from 9 in the morning and continue for 3 hours at a stretch. The charges for rafting vary at times, though it is round Rs. 1500 for a person. 

  
  Kayaking

  Another adventure-filled water sport is kayaking in the white waters of river Kali. You will be given a canoe and you are good to go. Don’t miss the chance to visit small islands while kayaking. Isn’t that thrilling? 

  
  Trekking

  You will fall in love with the forests of Dandeli if you are a trekker. The Dandel Forest offer a fantastic and trilling trekking experience. You will witness amazing flora and fauna throughout the walk. Charge for trekking is Rs.250 per person. 

  
  Jaccuzi Bath

  Never heard of it? This is a natural and therapeutic bath you must enjoy in River Kali. Relax your mind in the pure waters of the river and enjoy your tour to the fullest.

  
  Riding a Coracle

  Another adventure in Dandeli is riding a coracle. Coracle is a saucer-shaped ride used for river navigation. Get in to one with your family and enjoy the ride, watching the thick wild vegetation on the banks of the river. You will notice various birds and animals too.

  
  Zip line

  If you are addicted with speed, you must try your hands on zip line. You will be hung to a rope tied to two mountain peaks apart in an inclined position and you will glide down towards the lower one. 

  
  Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary

  Located in Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka, this national park was made a part of the AnshiDandeli Tiger Reserve. You can’t miss Open jeep safari in this national park. This place is famous for bird-watching. You will encounter a variety of hornbills. Don’t forget your binoculars. Another animal you can’t afford to miss seeing is crocodile.

  
  Zorbing Ball

  Not many places in India offer you this amazing adventure watersport of zorbing. Luckily, river kali does. You will be put inside a light weight, huge transparent ball and you have to walk inside the ball on water. This sport requires good physical fitness. 

  
  Kulgi Camp

  Situated inside the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, the Kulgi Nature Camp is amidst pristine lush greens. There are 12 tents named after birds as this place is ideal for bird watching. 

  
  Kavala Caves

  Situated inside thick forest, these limestone caves are amazing to see. You will get to see a “Shivling” inside the cave. Locals worship this during the shivratri.  You can reach the caves after a flight of around 380 stairs. You need to crawl down to enter these caves. 

  
  Shiroli Mountain Peak

  This beautiful peak is located inside the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. It is one of the highest peaks in Karnataka. The views from the peak are breath-taking which includes the lofty Sahyadri Range. If you love trekking, this place is your paradise. This peak is also known as the sunset view point. You need to seek permission from the concerned authorities before trekking. 

  
  

• What you will like there?

  Simple lifestyle

  Dandeli is a small town with fewer population with village-style living. This close to the nature lifestyle will amaze you as you won’t find it in the busy cities.

  
  

  Locals

  In Dandeli, you will find people from all over the country. They are well educated and offer good hospitality. They are simple and down to earth people.

  
  

  Local cuisine

  If you love the aroma of south Indian cuisine, you will love the food in Dandeli. Don’t forget to pay a visit to the local restaurants. In every dish you will find a hint of coconut and a strong appetizing flavour of curry leaves.

  
  

  Wildlife

  The varied wildlife in the Dandeli National Park will blow your mind. Tigers, birds, crocs, barking deer, pangolin, snakes, sloth bear, Dandeli has it all.

  
  

  Adventure

  You will get a high adrenaline rush in Dandeli as the adventures there are breath-taking. The main adventurous activities to do in Dandeli are

  • Trekking

  • White water rafting

  • Kayaking

  • Coracle riding

  • Zorbing

  • Mountain biking

  • Open jeep jungle safari

  • Night camping

  • Zip line

  • Rappelling

  • River crossing

• Recommended reads for destination

  Websites :

  Karnataka Tourism