DAY-3: Terai Forests of UP - Dudhwa-Kishanpur-Katarniyaghat DAY-3 : Morning Safari (Dudhwa) - Drive to Katarniyaghat - Evening River Safari (Katarniyaghat) + Jungle Safari (Katarniyaghat)
In the morning we woke up to the sound of a drizzle and hoped that the safaris are not cancelled. They got delayed though. Left for the Safari at 7:30 and headed straight onto the misty lakeside route with slushy sections. That is where we spotted some mongoose like animals scurrying away into the shrubs. But, one of them did something very unusual, it stood up (curious mode activated, on its hind legs) while facing our approaching jeep and made sure it was something dangerous and made a run for it. Those 3-4 seconds is all it took for us to realize that these were not the mongoose. The guide spelt it out for us. We had seen Smooth Coated Otters. And that I think was the most prized sighting of the day... till we would reach Katarniyaghat. I guess the same milkweed before the blossom. Black Necked Stork
No tigers again, a hurried journey to the Rhino enclosure and a few chais later we were tracking our way back out of the forest. Saw a local train pass by on the tracks which go through the forest. Headed back to the canteen and packed up for the journey to Katarniyaghat that lay ahead. None of us knew what a surprise it had in store for us. Soon after we left at 11:45, we were guided by google maps into a village (shortcut to Ninghasan road) which ended up being quite an interesting journey. Since we were stuck behind a slow moving tractor trolley we had the time to sight-see the houses and chores people were out on and about. The road till Dhakerwa (65km) was beautifully lined with Semal and Palash trees in full bloom with numerous majestic Banyan and Peepal ones too. The route to eastbound Katarniyaghat from Dudhwa.
After following the canal across two heads we were on Ghaghara Barrage built on the Kauriala and Giruwa Rivers which turn into Ghaghara River downstream of the barrage. The sight was too good to skip the photo-op. A pano with the Giruwa and Kauriala merging at the Barrage on the right and the Ghaghara on the left. Opportunistic fishermen with their mobile fishing nets. Similar to the Chinese fishing nets at Fort Kochi. Powderpuff Blossom
The drive got more interesting after that as we drove through very poor roads and what looked like a defunct township at Girijapur. After a little correction in our direction with help of locals we headed straight for the Ghariyal Center at Katarniyaghat. This drive of 90 km from Dudhwa took us 3 Hours and made us decently hungry. As the confusion of accommodation was being sorted out we ordered food at the canteen and booked a river and forest safari.
The setting of the Ghariyal center left me really impressed. It has lush green gardens and a river side walk and sit-out area with a few gazebos, two tree houses and 5 cottages for guests. A jetty where the boats were docked and a mini zoo where alligator and turtles were kept in captivity for breeding. We were so excited to go on the river safari that we postponed unpacking our luggage and went straight to the jetty post-lunch. Not expecting much I was fairly surprised by knowing that a 16-foot long crocodile I was casually gazing at during the safari was actually an Alligator. I had never seen an alligator that size (bigger than a crocodile, including all of NatGeo on TV) in my life. We were told that there is an abundance of fresh water Dolphins in this area too. We had a nice and calm ride in the river as the sun was setting and took a good feel of the marshy river banks which are the habitat of these ancient reptiles. Rays of gold piercing the clouds onto the river. The 14-footer Alligator (not Crocodile), mind you.
Out of the boat and into the Gypsy, we were ready for the jungle safari. Due to rains the previous night, we were told that we would be taking a shorter route since it’s easy to get stuck in the mud on the interior roads. Still, I would say this Safari was the most interesting one I have been on. As soon as we entered we could spot elusive birds left and right. Within 10 seconds of reaching the first opening we had spotted, vultures, doves, orioles, peacocks, and deer. The further we went into the jungle we realized and it was later confirmed by the guide that this marshy land on both sides of the cobbled road we were travelling on was the backwaters of the Giruwa River we crossed. The road we were traveling on was an old inspection road built by the Irrigation Department. The swamps and marshes are frequently visited by wild elephant which are quite a common sighting in this area. The safari was over by 7:30 by which time the sun was down and the surroundings were barely lit up. On our way to the Range Office where we had to stay for the night we could hear some rustling in the trees. Stopped, turned off the engines, and listened carefully. It was clearly elephants breaking trees and shrubs to feed on. We could hear them moving , trumpeting and see the foliage move about 20 ft. off the road but could not see them. It was really exciting and scary at the same time. The cracks and rasps of the trees and foliage they were making their way through really gave us a sense of the strength and might they possess. We hurriedly scooted away from that area. No Tiger again, but by now we were past it. Emerald Dove Long Billed Vultures
As we were unpacking in pitch darkness in front of the cottages we were given, we could still hear the elephants call in the jungle. It was quite a scene with a grave sense of vulnerability overpowering every other thought. After unpacking we played a quick round of Ludo and went for dinner. Chatted a little with a forest staff person near the dining area who told us a little bit about the barrage and the abandoned colony at Girijapur. It used to be a railway colony which was abandoned after they built the barrage since the station got submerged and was shifted to Katarniyaghat. I shared with him the great experience we had during the safari and how unique an experience it was for us compared to the more popular destinations in Rajasthan. He was a humble fellow and was very grateful for this little word of appreciation. We dozed off just as the rodent living in the false ceiling of our cottage also called it a day. Alarms were preset for the day to come.
Last edited by SmartCat : 10th March 2019 at 09:59.
Reason: Minor typo
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