[Fauji]

@ Amitoj - Thank you sir. You are correct. BR Hills is a huge forest area and difficult to sight animals. More so since there is no safari now. We were plain lucky and being the first ones on the road in the morning possibly helped.

@ Guderian - Thanks for your comments. Sighting Leopard was just out of blue. The way he was coming towards us made us close our windows and sit quiet. But he just faded away into the forest.

@ Nandu - Yes, absolutely. We could not have bargained better!!

@ Coooolcat - You are correct. It is very difficult to sight wild dogs too. In fact we were lucky to sight two huge guys in Kanha two week back. Did you spot any in Kanha?

I clicked some more pics - specially of birds - but i am not satisfied with results as the camera doesnot have telescopic lens. Buying a good camera is high on agenda now

[addyhemmige]

Good one Fauji. You are lucky to have sighted the Leopard. It looked so calm as seen in the pictures. Even I was there in BR Hills last month. Except for a couple of wild boars, I could not sight anything. We went on a small trek near K Gudi and found some pugmarks, markings and scat of the tiger. The drive through the forest itself is great.

Btw, the elephant in the picture looks huge. BR Hills is known for elephants and it is not surprising to see one this big.

[Fauji]

Just posting Picture 4 as it was taken but was edited by me badly in earlier posting with MS Picture manager (thanks to Condor who pointed it out). We were atleast at a distance of 400 metres and look at the size of these wild boars. Possibly the biggest i have ever seen.

[hvkumar]

Looks like a video on Animal Planet!
The check posts you mentioned - are they closed at night?
Any petrol pump at BR Hills? Or is it only in Kollegala?
Stay facilities at BR Hills?

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by addyhemmige

Good one Fauji. You are lucky to have sighted the Leopard. It looked so calm as seen in the pictures. Even I was there in BR Hills last month. Except for a couple of wild boars, I could not sight anything. We went on a small trek near K Gudi and found some pugmarks, markings and scat of the tiger. The drive through the forest itself is great.

Btw, the elephant in the picture looks huge. BR Hills is known for elephants and it is not surprising to see one this big.

Thanks Addy. It is a pity that i was going there after a gap of 30 years. It is most under rated wild life sanctuaries as far as wild life tourism is concerned. It is a birders paradise.

Being so close to Bangalore - just three hours drive - will make it a good getaway. We only hope it will remain pristine and unspoilt as it is now and not get engulfed in madcap wild life tourism.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Looks like a video on Animal Planet!
The check posts you mentioned - are they closed at night?
Any petrol pump at BR Hills? Or is it only in Kollegala?
Stay facilities at BR Hills?

All check posts are closed between 6pm and 6am. No vehicular traffic is allowed after 6 pm. There is no petrol pump at BR Hills, I'm not sure if there is one in Yelandur also. The other nearest options are Kollegal and Chamarajanagar.

Regarding the stay, there is a JLR (Jungle Lodges & Resorts) property in K Gudi apart from Gorukana as mentioned by Fauji. AFAIK, these are the only two resorts in BR Hills.

There are a few forest guest houses spread over in BR Hills. You will have to contact the DCF, Chamarajanagar to stay in one of these.

[Fauji]

Addy is correct. Jungle Lodges used to be only place tos tay earlier. Now Gorukana has started. Kollegala is the best bet for filling and it is at a distance of 40 KMs.

[Coooolcat21]

@Fauji
We did have a very good sighting of wild dogs in Kanha but have no pictures as was the closing time of the park and we were not allowed to stop.
How were your sightings in kanha?
regards.

[fazalaliadil]

Fauji,
This is a short and eventful jungle safari in terms of sighting exotic animals.
Looking forward to more from you.
Regards,

[Fauji]

We were able to see tiger on elephant safari and other regulars. Saw a herd of barasinghas, But they were smaller in size and females and kids. Did not see the male barasingha which is supposed to be beautiful. We missed a tiger by whisker. We could see him roar but could not see him. Waited for a long time in vain. Overall experience was superb. Possibly the best managed park in the country.

Your pics have come out excellent. BHPians have motivated me to go for better camera.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by fazalaliadil

Fauji,
This is a short and eventful jungle safari in terms of sighting exotic animals.
Looking forward to more from you.
Regards,

Thank you sir. We were lucky

[Fauji]

Just thought of posting the picture of the cottage. It is a well furnished dupleix cottage which can comfortably accomodate four adults.

[Fauji]

Folks,

I was reading more about BR hills and came across this brilliant pictures of Krishnayyanakatte reservoir at foot hills near yelandur and view of BR Hills from there.

Wow! this looks awesome. Isnt it?

[Fauji]

A trip to BR Hills can be comfortably be clubbed visits to the beautiful twin waterfalls - Gagana Chukki & Bara Chukki - at Shvana Samudra and also the exquisite Hoysala temple at Somanathapura.

Both these places are a small deviation on NH 219 bewtween Malavalli and Kollegala.

[mallumowgli]

That was one lucky trip you had Fauji. A leopard in your full view and a lone tusker to add to that.

How about the safari options if you stay at Goru Kana? At JLR the tariff is inclusive of safari. And how about the location? Is it inside the jungle like JLR?

There was a news recently that there is a plan to relocate the tribes inside the BR Hills sanctuary. That would be a tragedy, though, since like the Tiger they are also a part of the ecosystem and traditionally have had a symbiotic relationship with the Tigers and other animals