[SwatiS]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

@Avon, nkrishnap: thanks folks!

I am planning to visit the place again once the rains start. Maybe in June., Have heard that the place looks very different - trees full of leaves, long grass....

Apparently the elephants and gaurs roam around close to the resort during daytime in the rainy season.

Hey Nilanjan,

Seeing your thread, I am tempted to visit this place. I have a query though.I have always heard that the worst time to go to safaris is rainy season. This is because water would be available everywhere and the animals would not come out near the water bodies. But you are saying that the rainy season is the best time. How is it so? Are more animals sighted during the rainy season?

Is August/Sept a good time to visit here?

[nilanjanray]

No safaris in Masinagudi. And each place has its own dynamics. I don't go to Masinagudi or Nilgiris for safaris. I go just to enjoy nature. For safaris, I prefer the forests of MP and Maharashtra. I go during May and June, sweat for hours in burning heat so that I can see and shoot my beloved big cats.

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by SwatiS

Hey Nilanjan,

Seeing your thread, I am tempted to visit this place. I have a query though.I have always heard that the worst time to go to safaris is rainy season. ...

Is August/Sept a good time to visit here?

Hi SwatiS, Couldn't help butting in. Rains bring out the colours of the jungles and it is covered with green. If your intention is to spot wildlife, summer is better as Nilanjan said. Animals will congregate around the waterholes more frequently.

As far as I know there are no organized safari's in Mudumalai or Masinagudi. If you want to do a jungle trip try Bandipur and other reserves in Karnataka. Jungle Lodges have a chain of resorts in most National Parks within the state and they have their own safari vehicles. Their package includes two safari's of 2.5 hours duration, morning and evening.

I've had wonderful experiences in these forests. Of course there are National Parks up North where they have 'tiger shows' with unrestricted safari vehicles running riot in the forest. There you have a 'guaranteed' tiger sighting because the USP of those parks are the tiger.











In Karnataka, there is restriction in the number of vehicles and the timings of entry into the forests so the wildlife is not disturbed much. Because of that sightings of big cats are rare but an experience that will last a lifetime. Forests here are denser and the under bush is wildly growing lantana that can hide an elephant once it goes just a few feet inside. So you can imagine how difficult it is to sight a smaller animal like the tiger, leopard or the dholes.





Have fun & enjoy the forest. This is a first time for me in Masinagudi, though I have been doing the wildlife circuits for dozen years now. Will come back and report my experience here next week.

Regards,

Rajesh

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

I've had wonderful experiences in these forests. Of course there are National Parks up North where they have 'tiger shows' with unrestricted safari vehicles running riot in the forest. There you have a 'guaranteed' tiger sighting

OT, but had to respond since I have seen many national parks in the country. And written about a few too, in Team BHP forum.

That's not really true regarding the Northern parks, as you call them. Tiger/ leopard sightings are never guaranteed. Luck and preparation (right time, research, right park, willingness to do hours of safaris in extreme weather) play a role. A few photos (Apr 2015) of the relatively elusive leopard that were shot in a 'Northern'park after many hours of patience and getting friend under the sun.

There is no park in South India that is as beautiful as Corbett or Kanha or Manas, IMO. Let's not get overly biased here

Btw Mudumalai has bus safaris.

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

OT, but had to respond since I have seen many national parks in the country. And written about a few too, in Team BHP forum.



There is no park in South India that is as beautiful as Corbett or Kanha or Manas, IMO. Let's not get overly biased here

Btw Mudumalai has bus safaris.

No bias here Nilanjan, just my contribution to the thread. I agree all the parks you mentioned are beautiful but I wouldn't go so far to say one is better than the other. Each of them are unique and perhaps the ones down south have stricter Forest Departments so access is restricted. It is better for the wildlife than for a tourist.

Yes Mudumalai & Bandipur have bus safari's but I have heard the ones in Mudumalai are not so interesting in terms of the routes and the sightings. This will be my first overnight trip in Mudumalai-Masinagudi area. I have you to thank for this wonderful piece on Inn the Wild for swinging the decision. I have always had a bias towards Bandipur because of JLR and though I drive through Mudumalai, I have never stayed there.

I hope I'll have as good an experience like you. Thanks once again.

Rajesh

[thalavoy]

True that beauty lies in the eye and experience of the beholder. Personally for me, Mudumalai any time, over Bandipur. Of course I may be biased as I was lucky to be a son of a forest officer and visited places like the ombattan lake, sandy road, manraddiar road and stayed in heaven like upper kargudi rest house. As to forests, nothing can beat a Shola forest Karian, Mathikettan in Topslip/Parambikulam are great ones.
Dr. Rajesh. Please let us know if you were able to make it in Duster. As a fellow grey duster owner would love to hear about the trip.

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by thalavoy

True that beauty lies in the eye and experience of the beholder. Personally for me, Mudumalai any time, .......As to forests, nothing can beat a Shola forest Karian, Mathikettan in Topslip/Parambikulam are great ones.

Dr. Rajesh. Please let us know if you were able to make it in Duster. As a fellow grey duster owner would love to hear about the trip.

Thank you Thalavoy, will update as soon as I'm back. Since it is only an exploratory trip, that too in the middle of monsoon, I had only booked one night; this Saturday. I will be on the tree house and hopefully have a beautiful monsoon experience of Mudumalai.

My Duster took baby steps in Anamudi Shola so I think it shouldn't have a problem but I keep getting mixed reviews about the route. The monsoon has picked up again so I'll make my decision on based on Friday's weather.

I am a shola fan myself. Love everything about it including the leeches. There are some pending shola trips that had to be kept on the back burner. Mathikettan and Avalanche are on the top of the list. Will try to do it after the monsoon. Most of my trips are on my blog, whose link is in my profile.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

No bias here Nilanjan, just my contribution to the thread. I agree all the parks you mentioned are beautiful but I wouldn't go so far to say one is better than the other.

I have done ~50 trips to the Nilgiris and some of the other Southern forests. I love those forests and hills. Let me just say that there are many beautiful forests in India. And yes, some are better IMO. Brickbats welcome, as long as one has experienced the other forests.

Originally Posted by thalavoy

True that beauty lies in the eye and experience of the beholder. Personally for me, Mudumalai any time, over Bandipur. Of course I may be biased as I was lucky to be a son of a forest officer and visited places like the ombattan lake, sandy road, manraddiar road and stayed in heaven like upper kargudi rest house. As to forests, nothing can beat a Shola forest Karian, Mathikettan in Topslip/Parambikulam are great ones.
Dr. Rajesh. Please let us know if you were able to make it in Duster. As a fellow grey duster owner would love to hear about the trip.

Main issue would be the mud, when using HT tyres. Best to check with the resort.

I love shola forests, but......

Edit: I have heard rumours about black panther sightings in Masinagudi - near Inn the Wild and Secret Ivory. If someone is going there, please find out first hand. I will make a trip pronto if the rumours are true.

[woodcrawler]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

I have done ~50 trips to the Nilgiris and some of the other Southern forests. I love those forests and hills...

Main issue would be the mud, when using HT tyres. Best to check with the resort.

I love shola forests, but......

Edit: I have heard rumours about black panther sightings in Masinagudi - near Inn the Wild and Secret Ivory. If someone is going there, please find out first hand. I will make a trip pronto if the rumours are true.

Perhaps I am biased because of my association with an NGO that works in these areas and elsewhere in TN & Karnataka. I have been to Corbett a few times and each trip was better the previous one. The last time I was there in Dhikala we were caught in a thunderstorm and thought the trees would fall on our FRH roof. Fortunately the storm blew over and when we crawled out into the devastation and peered over the wall into the Ramganga we were treated to the sight of a tiger soaking itself in the river!

I guess you dislike making a trip on foot. Maybe the leeches are a discouragement, but as my son loves to say, "They to have to feed to live!". There is nothing like the experience of feeling the jungle up close and on foot. Especially the sholas, since they tend to be small patches with dense under bush. Best for amphibians, reptiles and other creepy crawlies.

I too have read the resort's blog about the black panther and its mate. I am there the coming Saturday as I mentioned. Will keep you posted.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by woodcrawler

I guess you dislike making a trip on foot. Maybe the leeches are a discouragement

I too have read the resort's blog about the black panther and its mate. I am there the coming Saturday as I mentioned. Will keep you posted.

What makes you think I dislike trips on foot?

I love being in/ exploring forests. And try and stay in forest rest houses as much as possible, in other parts of the country. In South India the FRHs are usually booked by the VIPs.

I was in the Kumaon forests 3 weeeks back. In April, I was in Satpuras, in a forest rest house, experienced a tiger killing a feral cow in the night, 40 metres outside the fence.

But yes, I don't like leaches. And will always fight to prevent leaches and vampires to suck my blood without permission.

Let me know about the black panther. I haven't taken any photo of a black panther yet, would be great to shoot one.

[thalavoy]

Black panther is there. Last time I went to Manradiar road the staff took effort to sight the black panther. Manradiar is the other side of Inn. So it is a possibility that Inn also seen black panther. All the best

[woodcrawler]

I know leeches are a put off but my son and I love them and don't object to their occasional indulgences!
Will come back to you with the black panther story.

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by thalavoy

Black panther is there. Last time I went to Manradiar road the staff took effort to sight the black panther. Manradiar is the other side of Inn. So it is a possibility that Inn also seen black panther. All the best

Where were you staying then? At the Inn, or somewhere else?

[thalavoy]

Originally Posted by nilanjanray

Where were you staying then? At the Inn, or somewhere else?

No. Was staying at forest rest house at Kargudi. With my dad no more, I don't think I can stay in Kargudi again :( Hopefully I get to Inn the Wild soon.

[sach.sri]

interesting discussion going on. Let me contribute my 2 cents

I totally agree with Nilanjan about the fact that there is no guaranteed Tiger/Leopard sighting in "northern jungles". Yes there are organised safaris - but it is regulated by the govt. with only a set number of vehicles allowed inside the jungle, so it is not like a free for at all. In my view - this is much better than unregulated safaris organised by pvt. sector (read resorts) as a monitored/regulated activity is always preferred over unregulated stuff as then it boils down to the individual and their sense of right/wrong.

In terms of summer/rainy/winter season - my view is a little different. Even though there are higher chances of sighting a tiger in summer season - the sightings more often than not are not really "photo ops" as the animal is lying around in a pool of water, not moving and sometimes it is in concrete saucers - which spoils the pic. Whereas in winters or in rainy season - if you have a sighting, it will be magical. Tigers have soft underfoots and hence like to walk on the tracks and so - if they are out there in winters - they will walk for a long time, sun themselves and so on.

Infact - even the window when you can sight a tiger increases in winters. In summers it is really very early in the morning before the sun rises and then around twilight.

But then again, there is a question of terrain - if the jungle is like the northern jungles with hills, dense bushes, hidden crevices, etc then the animal can hide and not be seen but if it is grassland like in Taboda then it is a different matter all together.

So what i am trying to say here is there is lot of diversity - and we should enjoy that. I for one am desparate to see the jungles in South and North East as i have never been there.....


BTW - I saw a picture of a black panther taken by someone in Masingudi a couple of days back on FB. So it is there!
Go Nilanjan!!!