Mekkarai to Achankovil to Konni: Heavenly Motorcycling Route through Pristine Forest

This motorcycling route is one of my top motorcycling holiday destinations in India. Now, why do I say that? It is offbeat and consists of a narrow highway that passes through dense jungles. You can come across many wild animals on this route. In fact, it is a common occurrence to see wild elephants standing in the middle of the road here. This route has steep hairpin bends, criss-crosses a meandering river, has many waterfall and river pit stops where you can bathe, enjoy and relax and it is home to some of the most pristine forest in this region.



The route begins at Mekkarai in Tamil Nadu and goes till Achankovil, about 16 kms away. This short route is for the people who wish for some civilization, decent roads and a safety road. However, for those who do not mind poor road conditions and love adventure, the route begins at Mekkarai and heads all the way to Konni covering a distance of 80 kms. This entire route is part of Konni reserve forest, which connects Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Agasthyamalai biosphere reserve and Shendurney wildlife sanctuary with Ranni forest and Periyar tiger reserve. It is one of India’s largest contiguous forests and some of the best preserved tracts of jungle in the Western Ghats.



The typical route would be:

Mekkarai in Tamil Nadu –> Kerala Forest Check Post –> Manalar Falls –> Kambhavurutty Falls –> Achankovil Saastha Temple –> Chempanaruvi Temple and Falls –> Kalleli Bridge –> Kalleli –> Konni

When you are starting at Mekkarai, you will leave the plains with the paddy field views below and start to rapidly ascend into dense forest. A few hairpin bends will bring you to the Kerala forest check post and from there, the route gets denser and more beautiful. You will ascend initially and then rapidly descend. You will keeping crossing many some jungle streams and water bodies while getting fleeting glimpses of the vast and dense jungle in the yonder. Usually such far away views are rare as the road has dense green cover on both its sides. It is this dense cover that makes this route very difficult to navigate if wild animals happen to be around and therein lies the challenge and adventure.



Once you have completed your descent, you will come across Manalar waterfall, a stunning jungle waterfall with a natural swimming pool. You can park your vehicle here, get yourself the entry ticket and trek a short distance to reach the waterfall. This waterfall has multiple levels and you can choose to climb it, enjoy a refreshing dip and head back to your vehicle. Once you have crossed the Manalar falls parking lot, you will keep crisscrossing the Achankovil river all the way till Konni. The river is not fairly deep, but it can carry a fair amount of water during the rainy season. The next stop is Kambhavurutty falls, another gorgeous forest waterfall that falls from a much higher location and is located deeper in the forest from the main road. You can choose to take another refreshing dip here, before heading to Achankovil Dharma Saastha temple and see the lord’s blessings. Here, Lord Ayyappa is in a happy avatar and it seems like he is enjoying his stay in this pristine forest. When I was traveling this route, even I felt peaceful inside in this unsullied jungle.

Further west from Achankovil lies the Chempanaruvi falls. This waterfall is a bit far away from the main road, but the detour is totally worth it. The road beyond Chempanaruvi temple is in poor condition and you will hardly see any people or vehicles here. There is a very high chance to spot wild animals here. It is best to ride/drive slowly with a keen lookout for animals. This stretch is also the most raw and wild. You continue to cross the meandering Achankovil river at many places before reaching Kalleli bridge and Orekkar waterfall, which is a short deviation away. Once you cross the Njavanal forest check post, you can either take a detour to Chelikkuzhu waterfalls or head straight to Konni city. At Konni, do remember to visit the Konni Eco tourism elephant shelter and museum.



This route is one of my favourites in the Western Ghats owing to its pristine nature, dense forest cover, wildlife sightings and due to its offbeat nature. The roads are narrow here and it offer the perfect route for a jungle motorcycling experience coupled with scenic pit stops, waterfall and river stops, a temple and so much more. It is one of South Kerala’s hidden gems and one that I would recommend to all nature loving motorcyclists.



Timings:

This forest route is open from sunrise to sunset. However, the forest department might allow some vehicles to pass through. If you happen to travel in the early hours of the morning, in the late hours of the evening or during heavy rain or dense mist, be on the lookout for wild animals, especially elephants, as they might be standing next to the road or on the road. If you get to know that elephants have been sighted on the route, travel in a convoy with larger vehicles like jeeps, vans or buses.



Best season to visit:

This route looks the best during the rains when the waterfalls are in full flow, the rivers are in spate and the surroundings are dressed in fresh green. However, monsoon season can also bring along floods, landslides and road closures. One needs to plan for that.

The winter months from December through February are also magical as this is when there is the added cover of mist during the early morning hours and the late evening hours. This adds a whole new dimension to the route.

This forest route is open all year round. Summers can get quite warm and sticky, but it is also the best time to spot wildlife as all wild animals are attracted to the rapidly shrinking water bodies.



How to reach there:

If you are traveling from Konni, take the forest route to reach Achankovil. The road is narrow and in poor condition.

If you are traveling from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam or Punalur, take the road via Punalur –> Vettithitta –> Karavoor –> Cherukadavu check dam –> Chempanaruvi Falls –> Achankovil

If you are traveling from Thenmala, take the road via Ottakal –> Edamon –> Valacode –> Cherukadavu check dam –> Chempanaruvi Falls –> Achankovil

If you are traveling from Shenkotta, Tenkasi or Tirunelveli direction, take the road to Elathur –> Mekkarai –> Manalar Falls –> Kambhavurutty Falls –> Achankovil



Where to stay:

There are simple guest houses and hotels at Achankovil and these happen to be the best in terms of proximity. For decent hotels, head to Tenkasi.

If you prefer staying amidst nature, try the resorts in and around Courtrallam, the accommodation inside Thenmala Eco Zone (Kerala) or the forest accommodation inside Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve.

For luxurious options, head to Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu or Kollam/Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.



Where to eat:

The nearest place to eat would be Achankovil. Here, you can find basic food options next to the temple. The temple also serves delicious vegetarian meals from time to time. For more diverse options, Tenkasi would be your nearest hub. Shenkottai and Aryankavu would also be decent hubs for meals in case you are traveling from either direction.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Kutralam: The herbal bath holiday destination of Tamil Nadu

2) Sunderapandiapuram: Of lovely Brahmin agraharam houses, sunflower fields, windmills and mountain views

3) Puliyarai view point: Scenic pit stop on the Tenkasi – Kerala highway

4) Sivasailam Temple: 1000 year old temple surrounded by the lush mountains of the Western Ghats

5) Sivasailam: One of the wettest places during the North East monsoon in India

6) 13th century Kasi Visvanathar temple at Tenkasi

7) Mekkarai: One of the prettiest villages of Tamil Nadu

8) Manalar Falls: The gorgeous forest waterfall perfect for a family getaway



9) Kumbhavurutty Falls: Pristine jungle waterfall in the middle of dense forest

10) Thenmala forest: Offbeat nature and wildlife getaway

11) Vintage Pathimoonu Kannara Bridge: Colonial charm of the Indian Railways

12) Punalur Suspension Bridge: Historical gem of Kerala

13) Lesser known Kerala Mountain Railways: Treat for nature lovers

14) Achankovil Saastha Temple: That happy Lord Ayyappa in the middle of pristine jungle

15) Palaruvi Falls: Kerala’s herbal waterfall that drops like milk from the sky

16) Thenmala Dam: A monsoon pit stop view

17) Aryankavu Saastha Temple: Ancient temple located in the sacred forests of the Western Ghats



18) Rosemala: Spectacular view point of the Thenmala reservoir

19) Kudrevetty: The gorgeous windy station of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

20) Manimuthar Falls: The herbal waterfall inside a tiger reserve

21) Agastyar Falls: A gorgeous waterfall on the Thamirabharani river

22) Manjolai: The offbeat hill station of Tamil Nadu

23) Nalumukku: The wettest place of India during the North East monsoon

24) Kakkachi: The highest point inside Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

25) Scenic Iron Bridge of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: Pristine nature overloaded

26) Karaiyar Dam: Offbeat wildlife and nature holiday destination in India’s deep south



27) Cycling through the backyards of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

28) Mannarkoil Rajagopalaswamy Temple: Magnificent 10th century temple with an ashtanga vimana

29) 10th century Brahmadesam Kailasanathar Temple: Lesser known architectural marvel of South India

30) 1000 year old Papanasanathar Temple: Where you can wash all your sins away

31) Kallidaikurichi: The village of the saaral season

32 Iruttu Kadai Halwa: Icon of Tirunelveli

33) Nellaiappar Temple: A 7th century cosmic dance wonder

34) Pattamadai Pai: GI Tagged beautiful handwoven mats from a tiny Tamil Nadu village

35) Thamirabharani river delta: A motorcycle route full of rustic gorgeousness



36) 10th century Valiswara temple at Thiruvaliswaram10th century Valiswara temple at Thiruvaliswaram: Hidden Chola gem in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu

37) Tiruchendur Murugan Temple: Sea shore magic

38) Kallidaikurichi to Manimuthar Dam: A top scenic and rustic cycling route

39) Garuda Sevai from the agraharams of Kallidaikurichi

40) Festival of Thiruvathirai from a traditional Tamil Nadu village

41) The festival of Karthigai Deepam from a traditional Tamil Nadu village

42) The exotic tropical fruits of Puliyarai

43) Kallidaikurichi Adi Varaha Temple Chariot Festival: Grand cultural spectacle in rural Tamil Nadu

44) Kallidaikurichi Anaicut: Gorgeous picnic spot nestled in the lap of nature

Sunderapandiapuram: Of Lovely Brahmin Agraharam Houses, Sunflower Fields, Windmills and Mountain Views

This beautiful village in rustic Tamil Nadu is surrounded by the tall mountains of the Western Ghats. For about 5 months in a year, it enjoys a stiff breeze from the South West Monsoon along with consistent drizzle in an otherwise hot region giving it a dream-like status. The rest of the year, it enjoys good rainfall from the North East Monsoon and pleasant weather. This salubrious climate gives it a rich farming scene and the strong winds have given birth to many windmills around this village. I am talking about the village of Sunderapandiapuram that is located in the Tenkasi district of South Tamil Nadu.



Sunderapandiapuram, a popular location for movie shoots, is famous for its lovely Brahmin agraharam houses that surround the Perumal temple, a massive pond to its north, its gorgeous sunflower fields and lush farms. Life moves at a much slower pace here. Therein lies its charm. Historically, it was the Brahmin agraharams that made up Sunderapandiapuram. Wealthy merchants and rich farmers used to live in these Brahmin agraharams. The people used to own lots of land, made lots of money from their fertile farms and it was this abundance of money that allowed them to build massive houses in Sunderapandiapuram. Today, most of them live outside of Sunderapandiapuram either in the major Indian cities or abroad. But, they still try and visit their ancestral village at least once a year and it is for this reason that nearly all the houses are well maintained. Today, Sunderapandiapuram has grown beyond its agraharam streets. There are many more streets as people have moved here from other places in Tamil Nadu. And thus, you get to see a more diverse culture.



The highlight of a visit to Sunderapandiapuram has to be its vibrant sunflower fields. Apparently, these sunflower fields are the craze on Instagram and tourists from the neighbouring state of Kerala flock here in huge numbers to take a selfie amongst these yellow flowers. The locals seem to have learned of this trend and are now charging charging an entry fee per person to enter these sunflower fields. And then there are the supporting elements like tender coconut water, fruits, nongu and padhani, etc. So, all in all, these sunflower fields generate good income for the locals.



And as you drive around the Sunderapandiapuram pond, you will notice the myriad of wind mills in the background along with the mountains in the backdrop and farms in the foreground that grow corn, chillies, vegetables and more. Overall, it is a lush scene. Add to it, the cool breeze blowing in from the west and the powder like drizzle, you have a great destination couple with awesome weather. And it is not far away from the other tourist attractions of this region that include waterfalls, mountains, temples and so much more. Sunderapandiapuram makes up for a fabulous day trip idea in this region and a must visit on your next holiday to Courtallam, Thenmala or Achankovil.



Best season to visit

Sunderapandiapuram is great to visit all year round, but it feels best during the months of June to September as that is when the rest of the state of Tamil Nadu is hot while Sunderapandiapuram enjoys cool and breezy weather. This also happens to be the waterfall season, thus making it a perfect time to visit.



How to reach there:

Sunderapandiapuram is well connected to other cities by a good road network. If you are coming from Tirunelveli on the Tirunelveli-Tenkasi road, turn right at Pavoorchatram towards Melapavoor, Thiruchitrambalam and Sunderapandiapuram. If you are traveling from the Thenmala direction of Kerala, head towards Shenkottai and then turn left towards Elathur, Ayikudy and Sunderapandiapuram.

The nearest large bus station is Tenkasi bus stand (about 10 kms away) that is well connected with other parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The nearest large railway station is Tenkasi (10 kms away) and Shenkottai (20 kms away). Regular passenger trains connect these two towns with Tirunelveli and Kollam. Long distance trains also connect these towns with the cities of Chennai and Madurai.

The nearest airports are Tuticorin airport (about 95 kms away) and Thiruvananthapuram international airport (about 129 kms away).



Where to stay:

If agraharam homes are your thing, you can try the guest houses and AirBnBs at Sunderapandiapuram and/or Shencottai (about 20 kms away).

If you wish to stay amidst pristine nature, try the resorts and hotels in and around the waterfall town of Courtallam, about 15 kms away.

For good quality hotels, head to Tenkasi, about 10 kms away.

For luxurious accommodation, head to Tirunelveli, about 50 kms away or Thiruvananthapuram, about 120 kms away.

Where to eat:

There are a few places in Sunderapandiapuram where you can find basic snacks and a cup of tea and coffee, but for something more elaborate, you will have to head to the restaurants in Tenkasi.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Kutralam: The herbal bath holiday destination of Tamil Nadu

2) Puliyarai view point: Scenic pit stop on the Tenkasi – Kerala highway

3) Sivasailam Temple: 1000 year old temple surrounded by the lush mountains of the Western Ghats

4) Sivasailam: One of the wettest places during the North East monsoon in India

5) 13th century Kasi Visvanathar temple at Tenkasi



6) Mekkarai: The lush village where paddy fields, fruit orchards and mountains merge into one

7) Shenkottai to Achankovil forest route: The lesser known scenic jungle route

8) Manalar Falls: The gorgeous forest waterfall perfect for a family getaway

9) Kumbhavurutty Falls: Pristine jungle waterfall in the middle of dense forest

10) Thenmala forest: Offbeat nature and wildlife getaway

11) Vintage Pathimoonu Kannara Bridge: Colonial charm of the Indian Railways

12) Punalur Suspension Bridge: Historical gem of Kerala



13) Lesser known Kerala Mountain Railways: Treat for nature lovers

14) Aryankavu Saastha Temple: Ancient temple located in the sacred forests of the Western Ghats

15) Palaruvi Falls: Kerala’s herbal waterfall that drops like milk from the sky

16) Thenmala Dam: A monsoon pit stop view

17) Rosemala: Spectacular view point of the Thenmala reservoir



18) Kudrevetty: The gorgeous windy station of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

19) Manimuthar Falls: The herbal waterfall inside a tiger reserve

20) Agastyar Falls: A gorgeous waterfall on the Thamirabharani river

21) Manjolai: The offbeat hill station of Tamil Nadu

22) Nalumukku: The wettest place of India during the North East monsoon

23) Kakkachi: The highest point inside Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

24) Scenic Iron Bridge of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve: Pristine nature overloaded

25) Karaiyar Dam: Offbeat wildlife and nature holiday destination in India’s deep south

26) Cycling through the backyards of Kalakad Mundanthurai tiger reserve



27) Mannarkoil Rajagopalaswamy Temple: Magnificent 10th century temple with an ashtanga vimana

28) 10th Century Brahmadesam Kailasanathar Temple: Lesser known architectural marvel of South India

29) 1000 year old Papanasanathar Temple at Papanasam: Where you can wash all your sins away

30) Kallidaikurichi: The village of the saaral season

31) Iruttu Kadai Halwa: Icon of Tiruvelveli

32) Nellaiappar Temple: A 7th century cosmic dance wonder

33) Pattamadai Pai: GI Tagged beautiful handwoven mats from a tiny Tamil Nadu village

34) Thamirabharani river delta: A motorcycle route full of rustic gorgeousness

35) 10th Century Valiswara Temple at Thiruvaliswaram: Hidden Chola gem in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu



36) Tiruchendur Murugan Temple: Sea Shore magic

37) Kallidaikurichi to Manimuthar Dam: A top scenic and rustic cycling route

38) Garuda Sevai from the agraharams of Kallidaikurichi

39) The festival of Karthigai Deepam from a traditional Tamil Nadu village

40) The Festival of Thiruvathirai from a traditional Tamil Nadu village

41) The exotic tropical fruit shops of Puliyarai

42) Kallidaikurichi Adi Varaha Temple Chariot Festival: Grand cultural spectacle in rural Tamil Nadu

43) Kallidaikurichi Anaicut: Gorgeous picnic spot nestled in the lap of nature

Rolling in Style - The Best Casinos on the Planet

World-class casinos provide more than just a place to gamble; they provide an experience full of luxury amenities, dining, entertainment and accommodations.

From Monte Carlo's luxurious Casino de Monte Carlo to Maxim's, these gambling hotspots radiate elegance. Check out our list of best casinos outside Las Vegas and start rolling in style.

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1. Casino de Monte Carlo



Monaco's Casino de Monte Carlo was designed by Charles Garnier--architect of the Paris Opera House--and stands as an elegant Belle Epoque temple to gambling. As per law, however, only visitors from outside Monaco may participate. Thus relying heavily on wealthy tourists and high-rollers from around the globe as patrons.

GoldenEye, Heartbreaker and Ocean's Twelve have featured this luxurious casino with its exquisite interiors, gold leaf details and gorgeous wall paintings as a major draw for actors. Visitors to the casino can try their luck at roulette, blackjack or baccarat while admiring its magnificent décor - not forgetting a restaurant/bar/helipad all rolled into one!

2. The Kurhaus of Baden-Baden



Casinos that lack an eye-catching backdrop don't measure up; Germany's Kurhaus of Baden-Baden can take great pride in boasting such an exquisite one.

Style, history and tradition come together to create an unparalleled environment - be it for business meetings, gala events or parties of any sort - making your experience one of a kind! This venue has everything necessary for an unforgettable event experience.

Baden-Baden is an idyllic spa town where traditional luxury meets contemporary culture. Stroll through immaculate gardens, shop stylish designer wear under colonnades, or gamble away your days at its renowned casino - Baden-Baden will leave an indelible mark that you won't soon forget! You won't forget this gem that awaits!

3. Maxim’s Casino

Maxim's Casino is an elegant and sophisticated venue designed to cater to high stakes gamblers. Situated within London Kensington Palace Gate House building, it has managed to retain many of its original features for added charm and allure.

The elegant gaming floor boasts 26 tables offering American Roulette, Blackjack and Baccarat with different stake levels for your enjoyment. Furthermore, electronic Roulette and slots machines can also be found here to add to the fun! Furthermore, regular cash poker games and private poker parties can be organized within their Dickens Card Room.

Between gaming sessions, players can dine at an oak panelled restaurant where specialty chefs serve French, Chinese, Lebanese and Indian dishes. Furthermore, guests can visit a whiskey bar to sample over 126 types of whiskey from all over the world along with cocktails from an impressive cocktail selection.

5. Hotel Lisboa

Hotel Lisboa combines state-of-the-art comfort with breath taking panoramas on one of Lisbon's hills, offering unparalleled panoramic views from each room and from their Limao (Lemon) Chill-out Terrace. 89 comfortable rooms provide the ideal setting for viewing these spectacular scenes; yet what really draws guests is its breath taking landscapes that you can appreciate from either within your room or from its Limao (Lemon) Chill-out Terrace.

This hotel is less than five minutes' walk from Chiado and Baixa's vibrant shopping and café scene, where you will also find Lisbon Cathedral and Rossio Square. Additionally, nearby are fado clubs and restaurants offering traditional Portuguese music; its staff are extremely welcoming and helpful - it will be hard to beat this place!

6. WinStar World Casino and Resort



WinStar World Casino and Resort lies across the Texas-Oklahoma border in Thackerville and stands as an unparalleled gaming paradise. As the World's Biggest Casino, it offers an unmatched collection of electronic games as well as a massive poker room - not to mention an array of luxurious amenities! But this resort offers much more than gaming alone.

WinStar Resort features multiple hotel towers, a golf course and shopping promenade - providing plenty of choices for guests of all ages and interests. There are 17 restaurants and bars at WinStar as well as the new 6,500-seat Lucas Oil Live arena that showcases chart-topping musicians.

Off the casino floor, guests can experience world-class dining or relax at the spa before resting their head at Fun Town RV Park - both conveniently close to WinStar!

To follow the latest news, you can visit Melbet Insta.

Note: The photographs in this article are courtesy of wikipedia.org and have been borrowed under the creative commons license. Each photograph has been linked to its host page on wikipedia.org.

Puliyarai View Point: Scenic Pit Stop on the Tenkasi - Kerala Highway

It is the last village of the Tenkasi district of Tamil Nadu before you enter Kerala. It is a beautiful village that has been blessed by nature’s bounty. It is full of exotic fruit orchards like mangosteen, rambutan, star fruit, pomelo, passion fruit, longan, custard apple, guava and many more. It is also home to gorgeously green paddy fields. And all of this greenery is surrounded by the tall mountains of the Western Ghats. I am talking about the village of Puliyarai and its two view points.



The first view point presents itself just before you enter the village of Puliyarai. Here, you can see vast swathes of paddy fluttering in the breeze and shining in the sun and in the background, you can see the massive contiguous mountain ranges of the Western Ghats. This is a massive stretch and the paddy stretches on both sides. The road is kind of like a curve and it appears after kilometres of regular highway with regular trees on both sides. Hence, the view becomes extra special. You can stop here to take a few pictures of the incredible views while you sip on some fresh tender coconut water and chomp on some locally grown delicious star gooseberries.



After this first view point, you will come to the Puliyarai village with its exotic tropical fruit stalls and once you cross these fruit stalls, you will come to the other view point of towering mountains and winding hairpin roads. From here, the actual climb begins and in a few kilometres, you will cross the Kerala forest check up, thus officially entering the state of Kerala. Both the view points before and after are sublime, but the first view point of the paddyfields, the mountains and the highway is striking owing to its panoramic nature. Don’t miss to stop at these view points if you happen to be heading from Shenkottai or Tenkasi to Kerala anytime soon. My favourite past time here is to feast on locally grown exotic tropical fruits while soaking in the lush views.



Other nearby tourist attractions:

1) Courtallam: The herbal bath holiday destination of Tamil Nadu

2) Sunderapandiapuram: A gorgeous village surrounded by sunflower fields, wind mills and the Western Ghats

3) Sivasailam Temple: 1000 year old temple surrounded by the lush mountains of the Western Ghats

4) Sivasailam: One of the wettest places during the North East Monsoon in India

5) 13th century Kasi Visvanathar temple at Tenkasi

6) Mekkarai: The lush village where paddy fields, fruit orchards and mountains merge into one

7) Shenkottai to Achankovil forest route: The lesser known scenic jungle route

8) Manalar Falls: The gorgeous forest waterfall perfect for a family getaway

9) Kambhavurutty Falls: Pristine Jungle Waterfall in the middle of dense forest

10) Thenmala forest: Offbeat nature and wildlife getaway

11) Vintage Pathimoonu Kannara Bridge: Colonial charm of the Indian Railways

12) Punalur Suspension Bridge: Historical gem of Kerala

13) Lesser known Kerala Mountain Railways: Treat for Nature Lovers

14) Aryankavu Saastha Temple: Ancient temple located in the sacred forests of the Western Ghats

15) Palaruvi Falls:Kerala’s herbal waterfall that drops like milk from the sky

16) Thenmala Dam: A monsoon pit stop view

17) Rosemala: Spectacular view point of the Thenmala reservoir

A Jungle Safari inside Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve: A Wild Photo Story

As you know, two months back, I was exploring the gorgeous tiger reserves of Central India. In my last post about this trip, I wrote about Pench Tiger reserve, the land of Mowgli, Bagheera, Baloo, Sher Khan and Kaa through a wild photo story. This time, I bring to you a wild photo story from Tadoba, one of the best places to see the Royal Bengal tiger. Not only are their numbers very healthy here, the tigers are actually thriving. Hence, you can regularly see tigers and their cubs here. My previous trips to Tadoba Tiger reserve were full of wild riches as I had stayed for a good 8 to 10 jungle safaris. This time around, I got to experience the jungle only through two jeep safaris and 2 jungle treks in the core zone, but the experience was equally special. This photo series aims to share this rich and wild experience with you. Hope you like them and do stay tuned for more photos and videos from my wildlife holiday to Central India, including reviews of the awesome properties where I stayed.

Above photo: Sambar deer happen to be the tiger’s favourite prey and these sambar deer exist in healthy numbers inside Tadoba tiger reserve. No wonder, the tiger population is thriving here. These sambar deer was busy grazing in the gentle rains, when they looked up to see the people disturbing their grazing session.



Above photo: This is a fairly large monitor lizard that we spotted on the floor of the jungle at Tadoba. Usually, monitor lizards are tough to spot due to the dense grasses and thick bamboo thickets, but I guess we got lucky here.    
   
    
    
Above photo: During my stay at Tadoba, I stayed at the rustic looking, yet uber luxurious property called Waghoba Eco Lodge that is managed by Pugdundee Safaris. One of the best perks of staying here is the close proximity to the core zone of the tiger reserve. And it gets even better. You can actually trek inside this core zone in the company of a trained naturalist and track the tiger on foot. How cool and adventurous is that. This is a few hours old pugmark that I spotted during one of my such jungle treks. My naturalist told me that it belonged to a tigress and recommended that I measure its size against a standard measure and that is how I landed up clicking this picture of the pugmark against the 100 rupee note.
   
    
    
Above photo: It was raining hard and close to fifty jeeps were in the vicinity. And all of them were searching for the tigress ‘Choti Tara’ and her young cubs. Suddenly, some jeeps spotted a tiger in the bushes nearby and there was a mad rush to see the tiger. While all the jeeps were scrambling to see the tiger, news came to the guides that Choti tara and her cubs were spotted in a nearby turn and they had come out onto the jeep track. Thus, began another scramble to see the tigress and her cubs and by then the rains had begun to pick up speed again. I was holding onto the roof of the jeep with one hand and my camera in the other when the tigress and her cubs came into my view. It was a surreal sight to see the cubs moving playfully while their mother walked on the jeep track. We saw Choti Tara and her cubs for a good ten minutes before we had to make our way for the other jeeps who were waiting behind us. Such is the raw joy of a tiger safari in Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.    
   
    
    
Above photo: The rains usually reduce the quality of sightings in the jungle, but sometimes they can bring out different colours in the frame. In this case, you can see the clean coats of these spotted deer against the lush green vegetation, thus offering a beautiful contrast.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is another photo of Choti Tara, the tigress walking on the jeep track. Her cubs were playing nearby, but they are not in the frame. The safari jeep in front of the tigress had the best seat in the house and I was so jealous of them.   
   
    
    
Above photo: The paradise flycatcher bird is one of the prettiest birds in the Western Ghats of India. The female has a more ruddy look, while the male is a gorgeous white with a long white tail that looks like it floats in the air behind the bird.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a male peninsular rock agama in breeding colours. This shy reptile was found a few inches above the jungle floor and apparently, they are spotted often during the rainy months.    
   
    
    
Above photo: Another pretty bird of Tadoba, the Indian Pitta is made up of nine colours and hence it is locally referred to as ‘navrangi’. Despite its small size, it packs a serious punch with its vibrant colours. They usually stick to the shade of the trees, but whenever the rays of the sun fall on them, you can see their rich colours.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a male grey jungle fowl, that was seen crossing the jeep track. It is a brave bird and it lives in good numbers at Tadoba. Along with the deer and langurs, it gives very good alarm calls when it spots a predator.    
   
    
    
Above photo: This pretty bird called the ‘Red Wattled Lapwing’ is usually found on the floor of the jungle and close to a water body. It is known for its sharp call that sounds like ‘Did we do it?’     
   
    
    
Above photo: This photo looks like a painting. Huge numbers of spotted deer could be seen next to the lake chomping on the fresh green grass. This also happens to be the mating season for the spotted deer and you can see the dark breeding colours on the coat of the males along with their huge antlers.     
   
    
    
Above photo: This is a greater coucal bird (male) located in the high branches of a tree that is devoid of any leaves. Also, known as the crow pheasant, it is famous for its cou-cou-cou sound that is very common to hear in India during the rainy season. 
   
    
   
Above photo: This is a common garden lizard in its breeding colours. The monsoons are usually their breeding season and you can notice them by their puffed neck and the orangish head and neck. I saw them near the swimming pool area inside Waghoba Eco Lodge, a stunning property located by the core zone of the tiger reserve and one of the top resorts in Tadoba.