unending wanderlust: December 2010

It's that time of the year again!!! Schools,colleges and offices are about to be shut down for the biggest holiday season in the world.It is a great time to bring out that backpack and hit the road!!! Now like every year the most famous and popular destinations in the country will be choc-a-bloc with both domestic and international travelers.Flight and hotel fares touches the sky and still getting a room or seat in the plane becomes a matter of sheer luck! So i decided to bring out some fab destinations in the country which are breath taking yet will not cost a hole in your pocket or keep you worrying about vacancies on train/plane.

1.B.R Hills(1400 m abv s.level)
Located in south eastern part of Karnataka,near Tamil Nadu border this hill range is known for its exotic flora and fauna. It is in fact a protected wildlife sanctuary protected under law. The BR hills links the eastern ghats with the western ghats hence allowing animals to move between them and facilitating gene flow between populations of species in these areas. Thus, this sanctuary serves as an important biological bridge for the biota of the entire Deccan plateau.
Flora and Fauna
B.R Hills is know for its exotic flora and fauna. Recent studies have revealed there are more than 17 tigers in the sanctuary along with leopards,wild dogs and sloth bear.Elephants are common and widespread throughout the region, so are sambal.chitar and barking deer.More than 254 species of birds are spotted in this locality including the White-winged Tit.

People
The region has been habited by soliga tribe an ethnic semi-nomad tribe hundreds of years. Coffee was introduced in the region by an Scotsman during the British raj and the region is still known for coffee plantation along with famous Chicmagulur.

Must Do

Jungle safaris in jeeps and on elephant back are a must in this resort. When out on safaris in the forest, one could spot a herd of elephants or a langur, panthers, tigers, sambar deer, sloth bears, bison, wild boar, barking deer, porcupine and more.
Bird watching is another important activity here . You might spot birds like the large Indian parakeet, racket-tailed drongo, hill Myna, crested serpent eagle, chestnut-bellied nuthatch among 225 species already mentioned.
You could also go for long walks and trekking.

Festivities

The most famous festival in the region is the Annual car festival held in the month of April,which brings in thousands of pilgrims from the region and is quite a spectacle.

How to Reach
It is 226 km by road from Bangalore via Mysore and Chamarajanagar.
Frequent buses and trains are available to Mysore. From Mysore, it is 85 km by road via Chamarajanagar, Nallur and Navodaya School. It is suggested that you take a taxi from Mysore or directly from Bangalore.

Accommodation

As the place is not a typical tourist spot hence accommodation facility are limited. The best bet is Jungle Lodge and Resort a Govt enterprise resort which is located in the heart of the sanctuary.Accommodation are in the form of tents and there is no electricity post 10 pm,when hurricane lamps are lit at the camp bringing an amazing transformation to the place.

Important Advice :

Language is an issue here, so carry a Kannada-English phrasebook. This is available all over the footpaths of Bangalore and costs about Rs 30.
Carry some dry snacks that you prefer just incase you suddenly feel the need for some junk food.
A wide-angle camera is a good idea
comfortable and rough clothes for those rugged safaris
Best season to visit: Its open throughout the year, but the best time to sight the wildlife is during the month of November uptill January. For people who love to see that lush green forests then the time would be between the months of July and october.