Kabini has a lot to offer. The Nagarhole National Park is covered with hills, waterfalls, valleys, and forests with many wild animals roaming freely. A wildlife safari is not complete until you have taken a four-wheeler where you can have a closer look at the flora and fauna of the region.
The jeep safari in Kabini begins in the early morning. The first thing that has to be done is to get across the Kabini river to its northern side where the safari vehicle awaits you. You drive through villages and farms that surrounded them upon which grew simple grains, vegetables, and fruits.
They were part of the Nagarhole forest at one time. You can choose to stay at Red Earth, our resort in Kabini which is situated in the Kabini backwaters.
Identified as a wildlife sanctuary since 1974, Nagarhole National Park occupies an area of 644 sq km. It is part of a complex and delicate ecosystem. With deciduous forest, both dry and wet in parts, allowing the flourishing of a great variety of flora and fauna, Nagarhole is home to an exceptionally large and diverse wildlife population.
After the monsoon, the jungle is revived after a long summer by the monsoon that had just arrived. On entering the forest, we were at once immersed in the sound-scape of the jungle characterized by the loud and constant droning of cicadas. It was the pulse to which all forest life and activities took place. It would temporarily cease when a vehicle passed by or when the jungle was in the commotion over an approaching predator, to start up soon after.
You pass through a stunning view of the Peacock sitting on a fallen tree. If lucky you can get a view of a peacock flight, or showcase their plumage. You will come across majestic tigers, leopards, large groups of elephants. And if you are lucky you can also see the elusive black panther. You can get a chance to see Crested Serpent Eagle watching you. A big and beautiful bird visibly exuding grace and power found in the forests of Kabini. On the southern shore of the Kabini amongst some bamboos, you can hope to make some unbelievable sightings. You can see some beautiful birds inside our resort in Kabini.
You have a well-informed guide with you, who shares the information about the animals of the region. They tell you about the eating habits of the animals. It is surprising to know that elephants eat mud which seems to cure indigestion. As you continue get a glimpse of animals in shrubs and bushes. It can be an elephant or a solitary Gaur, depending on the day.
There are many kinds of monkeys that you can find in Kabini. The Bonnet Macaque, an old-world monkey, has a whorl of hair appearing like a hat on its head, radiating outwards from the center with dusky brown to golden yellow fur, the female Bonnet Macaque is red-faced. A group of Black-faced Langurs reveling in their treetop antics is a common sight in the forest.
Your eyes are not enough to understand the forest fully. That will just create an image. You listen to it and smell the soil to understand it thoroughly. A forest shows us the pristine hand of creation and helps to remind us that we are all one, sharing a common evolutionary heritage and ancestry that makes us no less or more significant than the animals we come out to see. Their futures and ours are connected. And their survival depends a lot on our understanding and empathy. Red Earth, our resort in Kabini is on the fringes of the National Park. We respect the land and caretakers of the land, the tribals of the region.
