Eco Holidays
in India
~ Tara Shetty
Eco tourism is gaining popularity in India. Discover India in its natural glory by exploring some amazing destinations in Karnataka in southern India. Some of the lodges and resorts that you can look at are:
Kabini
River
Lodge
The Kabini River Lodge is the perfect getaway for all nature lovers. Rated as one of the top 5 wildlife resorts by the Tatler's Travel Guide, this is pure elephant country. Cruise down the spectacular river in a traditional, circular boat (made of bamboo and buffalo hide) or take a regular motorboat. Feel like a maharaja as you go on an elephant ride. Enjoy campfires and barbeques. The open-top jeep safaris are exciting as you see elephants, sambhars, spotted deer, gaur, wild boar, sloth bears, wild dogs, and if you are lucky, maybe even a tiger or a panther. You can shoot as many animals as you like -- with your camera of course!
Om Beach Resort
Enjoy the beauty of nature at the Om Beach Resort. It is located in the ancient town of Gokarna, which means 'cow's ear' as it is formed by the ear-shaped confluence of two rivers. The Om beach takes the shape of an Om, a Hindu religious symbol. Here, you can enjoy surfing, water skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, kayaking, paragliding, mountain biking, and rappelling. You can get rejuvenated and detoxified at the Ayurveda Center. This center has special packages for treating sinusitis, migraine, infertility, bronchial diseases, and substance abuse.
Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp
Visit the Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp, situated on
the banks of the river Cauvery in South India, for a unique experience. Feel like a winner as you cruise the river in a coracle boat
(native, circular boats made of buffalo hide) and catch a mahseer (a large tropical sporting fish) with the help of a
gillie or a local guide. You can go fishing in the morning and then again in the evening. Try bait-fishing, fly-fishing, and spinning.
You can also see leopards, elephants, wild pigs, sambhars, spotted deer,
jackals, Malabar giant squirrels, the endangered grizzled giant squirrel,
marsh crocodiles and turtles (Leith’s Soft Shelled Turtle, an endemic species
is found in these waters). The area is full of chameleons, pythons, cobras, Russell's vipers,
banded kraits, gray-headed fishing eagles, spot-billed ducks, small pied
kingfishers, black-bellied river terns, osprey, and some rare birds like the
honey buzzard, the tawny eagle and the pied crested cuckoo. Enjoy the calm with a
dash of adventure.
Devbagh Beach Resort
Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore was inspired by the beauty of Karwar. This led him to write his first poem, Prakritir Pratishodh (Nature’s Revenge). The Devbagh Beach Resort in Karwar is located amidst a casuarina grove.
Devbagh is a mesmerizing experience for all those who love the sun, the sand, and the sea. Bring back childhood memories of building sandcastles, collecting colorful seashells, chasing small crabs on the sands, swimming in the sea, and playing beach-volleyball. Laze on a hammock watching the shimmering sea and the glorious sunset with a lighthouse flashing in the distance. Watch fisher folk from the nearby Devbagh village land their daily catch -- mackerel, prawn, and pomfret. Enjoy angling with the local fishermen or set off in catamarans to see the casting of the nets in the ocean. Cruise up the Kali River from the point where the river meets the sea and watch the dolphins diving into the blue waters.
For more information contact:
Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation
#49, 2nd Floor, Khanija Bhavan, West Entrance, Race Course Road,
Bangalore - 560 001, Karnataka, India.
Telephone: 91-80-2352901/2352902/2352903
Fax : 91-80-2352963
Email : kstdc@vsnl.in