Into the forests of North Karntaka

It’s 500 km from Mumbai to Belgaum, but it’s a great road to drive on, and the eight hours (including stopovers) go by comfortably. The next 50 km to the Chorla ghat on the border of Karnataka and Goa though are anything but comfortable. The road (if you could say one exists) is extremely bumpy, and you are better off leaving your car behind in Belgaum like we did, and avail the pick-up that the Wildernest resort so willingly provides.

The 50 odd kilometers to Wildernest are the most trying. It takes two and a half hours, the bumps jar your body, it feels like the road will never end, and your patience gets severely tested. But the destination is worth the journey.

The Wildernest resort is exactly what its name suggests – a nest in the midst of wilderness. You trek down from the reception down to your rooms. And what rooms! Cabins built out of wood right at the edge of the hill. There’s no television, but a widescreen window plays the National Geographic Channel live. The view is spectacular. The state of Goa unfolds itself from the hills to the sea, with the Mandovi river snaking in between. The swimming pool is also perched on the edge of the hill, and must be one of the most spectacular pools in the world.

The Wildernest is however not for the queasy. You’ll be sharing your room with all sorts of creepie-crawlies – ants, bugs, lizards, perhaps even the odd rat and snake. You might also complain about lack of sleep because of the incessant chirping and chattering of various insects, frogs and birds. And there’s very little to do there besides being at one with nature. If you crave for some comforts of civilization along with your dose of Mother Nature, you might find Dandeli more welcoming.

Dandeli is another 100 km away from Belgaum, and thankfully other than a small stretch of 10 km or so, the road is quite comfortable. Of course, once you’ve been on the road to Wildernest, any road feels comfortable.

The Kali Adventure Camp at first sight is quite a disappointment after the rustic charms of Wildernest. It looks like any other Government undertaking – unimaginative, uninteresting and unromantic. But the staff more than make up for it with their enthusiasm for wildlife. Our guide, Datta, took us on a very exhaustive tour of the teak forests in search of wildlife, foraying deep into the woods. At the end, he was as disappointed as us in not spotting much wildlife.

Other things to do at Dandeli are whitewater rafting down the rapids of the Kali river, and floating down with the current in a coracle in search of crocodiles.

You could also replicate the Wildernest experience in Dandeli at another resort called Hornbill where you can stay in tree-top houses on the edge of the river, and make the river your private swimming pool.

And on the way back to Mumbai, stop over at Kolhapur for two authentic Kolhapuri specialities – the chappals and the food. There’s a street in Shivaji Market that sells nothing but Kolhapuri chappals in various designs and shopaholics will find it hard to resist picking up as many pairs as possible. And dig into really spicy Kolhapuri mutton between large gulps of Bisleri.