Karnataka

Karnataka might have woken up late to capitalise on its inherent gamut of tourism components when compared to other states in the country, but the seed for development of nature-based tourism that ensured sustainable use of environmental resources was sown almost about 20 years ago. Being one of the first to have realised the exploration of conservation and commercialisation of the congenital natural generosity, the state has treaded the path of wilderness with distinction.

Today, the seed has germinated itself into a huge venture, leaving not just the country but the world at awe. In the form of Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR), Karnataka tourism has reserved all rights of eco-tourism development to this government corporation, the only state in the country to have done so. In 1999, JLR even received the award for being the best eco-tourism destination in the country from the prime minister.

On the fast track, the state is actively partnering with the private sector for the development of various projects, which has been envisaged to usher in new avenues for eco-tourism. Karnataka had already built a strong brand in the IT sector, and has now totally turned its attention towards tourism as a crucial driver of its economy. In this pursuit the state has guaged international trends and has accordingly ear marked eco-tourism and health tourism as the two most potent and lucrative facets of tourism that need to be developed and showcased to the inbound traffic from both within and out of the country. Several new products and circuits have also been identified with a motive of showcasing the state’s eco-tourism potential.

Eco-Karnataka, A fine balance

Capitalising on the commercialisation of nature has not been arduous for Karnataka. Forests, grasslands, wetlands, rivers, beaches, terrains, fauna, flora, Karnataka has an adroit natural demarcation from the man-made concrete cityscape.

The conditions are right, the atmosphere is right and in Karnataka, the tourism sector’s buzzword is eco-tourism. The state has cleverly ensured not to regard eco-tourism as a passing fad or a gimmick, but rather as one of the trump cards of tourism, for it has realised that the sector is crucial to the problem of developing a balanced, sustainable and responsible tourism domain.

The tourism policy of Karnataka has shown a lot of promising insights into development of eco-tourism, wherein the onus is also on the private participation. Karnataka had embarked on a major initiative to involve the private sector from the planning stage to implementation of various schemes as a partner through a new annual forum called ‘Connect’, last year.

Though there is no budget set aside for eco-tourism as such, the department of tourism has granted about Rs. one crore to Jungle Lodges and Resorts to ensure development of eco-zones. Karnataka got 1.2 crore domestic and 2.7 lakh foreign tourists last year, out of which eco-tourism contributes a big chunk. Domestic customers form almost about 75 per cent of eco-tourists in the state.

Eco-Initiatives

• The Karnataka Forest Department is bringing out an eco-tourism policy with the tourism department. They are also planning to open up more sanctuaries and reserves in the state. This will be done in close co-ordination with the tourism department as the forest department is short of staff and other facilities. Karnataka is one among the few states to bring out an eco-tourism policy.
• The Karnataka forest department is also developing a ‘Bear Sanctuary’ close to Hampi.
• New places have been identified for development of eco-tourism by Jungle Lodges and Resorts, which include Bandipur and Bhadra, where they are planning to come up with new properties.
• The latest offer from JLR for adventure seekers and holiday goers is a three hour river rafting experience on River Cauvery at Coorg this monsoon season. It is for the first time in South India that such a unique activity has been introduced. The only other place that offers organised white-water rafting in Karnataka is at Dandeli on River Kali pioneered by JLR. JLR also has plans to expand the river rafting sport to Sita Nadi, another gorgeous rain- fed and free-flowing river near Hebri in Dakshin Kannada.
• JLR recently partnered with a private company, Discoveri Education to develop their Doddamakali Resort on the banks of River Cauvery into a high-quality experiential education center. The center will run experience and adventure based learning programs for diverse audiences including corporate executive, schools and young adults.
• The department of tourism and JLR are actively roping in private partnerships in their ventures. JLR has initiated outsourcing various activities through private players. They collaborated with rafting experts to transform the Dandeli resort into a rafting destination.
• A Rs 100 crore-night safari project, with a 300-room luxury ‘international resort’ is being planned in the Bannerghatta National Park with the help of the Singapore Zoological Gardens. Funds for the wildlife wing of the forest department is yet to be finalised, but a Rs 25 crore state participation in the project is on.
• Recently there has been a lot of stress given on the “Southern Circuit” connectivity, wherein there is a close quarter interaction between the southern states to develop each other’s states. Eco-tourism has been identified as the most crucial segment.

The Eco Treasure Trove

Nagarhole National Park: Established as a sanctuary in 1955 and as a national park in 1975, Nagarhole National Park is spread across 247 square mile and has an astonishing abundance of wildlife including Tiger, Leopard, Wild Elephants, Indian Wild Dog, and Gaur. It also hosts a variety of animal species along with approximately 250 species of birds. Nagarhole National Park derives its name from the combination of two Kannada words. ‘Nagar’ meaning snake and ‘hole’ meaning streams. True to its name, quite a few serpentine streams fork through the rich tropical forests of the park. The park has been recently renamed as Rajiv Gandhi National Park after the late prime minister of India.

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary: Located 485 km from Bangalore and spread across 5729.07 sq. Kms., the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka. Nestling some very rare animals and birds, it is an unspoilt, untouched and unexplored treasure of wildlife. The forest in Dandeli is typical moist deciduous and semi evergreen type. The sanctuary is home to the Deer, Sloth Bear, Panther, Tiger, Gaur, Elephant, Wild Dog, Civet Cat, Bison, Jackal, Langur and Giant Flying Squirrel, besides a variety of colourful birds and reptiles. Jungle Lodges has a resort here by the Kali river. Thirty five kms. from Dandeli National Park is Syntheri rocks, awesome monolithic granite structure amidst thick forest, with the perennial river Cauvery flowing by its side. There are innumerable trekking trails and fishing spots at Dandeli.

Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary: Ranganthittu is a visual delight because of the exotic birds that flock here in hoards. Birds come all the way from Siberia, Australia and even North America. Some species of birds that are known to have made Ranganthittu their breeding abode are spoon Bills, Open Bill Storks, Darters, White Ibis, little Cormorants, Egret, Heron, Partridge, River Tern, Stone Plougher, Snake Bird, and other exotic bird species. The sanctuary is an important tourist destination from Mysore and is situated on the banks of Cauvery River. It includes of a group of six islets as well where the abundance of aquatic insects during the monsoon make Ranganthittu a favourite abode for birds. Ranganthittu attained the status of a bird sanctuary in 1940, courtesy of the noted ornithologist Dr Salim Ali. The best time to visit this place is June- October.

Bilgiri Rangaswamy Temple Sanctuary: Also known as B R Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, it is situated at a height of 5,091 feet, and is a unique blend of resort and wildlife sanctuary. The sanctuary is spread over an area of 540 sq. kms. covered in deciduous forest. The BR Hills Sanctuary is an important link between the eastern and the western ghats. It is home to many species of wild animals- Gaurs, Chitals, Sambars, Bears, Elephants, Panthers and Tigers. Birds also abound with over 200 species of birds, chief among which are the racket-tailed drongo and the crested eagle. There is enough scope for adventure activities like professional angling, amateur fishing, coracle boat rides, bird watching, river rafting, trekking, outdoor camping, etc. The best time to visit is between September and May.

Bandipur National Park: Established as a sanctuary in 1931, a national park in 1941 and as a tiger reserve in1973, Bandipur National Park is a beautiful forest reserve which occupies a special place in India’s efforts towards natural conservation. Bandipur National Park was expanded in 1941 to adjoin the Nagarhole National Park, which lay towards its northern edge, and Wayanad and Madumulai Sanctuaries, which lay towards its southern edge in the states of Kerala and TamilNadu, respectively. Bandipur National Park is well endowed in terms of vegetation and flora that ranges from deciduous and evergreen forest covers to open grassy woodlands. The lifeline of the forest is the Moyar River, which irrigates the area along with two minor rivulets.

Kabini National Park: Nestled amidst the Karapur forest, Kabini is a scenic delight that was once a hunting lodge of the erstwhile Mysore maharajas. The steep valleys with rich forest and spectacular rapids, is home to Elephants, Leopards, Antelopes and Tigers. Jungle Lodges has a resort here which has been rated among the top five wildlife resorts in the world, by Tatlers, a British magazine.

Bannerghatta National Park: Situated in the southern outskirts of Bangalore city is Bannerghatta National Park. The 25,000-acre park is home to panthers, lions, tigers and a large variety of birds. It also has a zoological garden and a snake park.

Bhimeshwari National Park: Cuddled by Cauvery, this park lies between the awe-inspiring cascades of Mekedatu, Barachukki and Gaganachukki. Bhimeshwari is renowned because it is the natural habitat for the Mahseer fish and a variety of exciting animals. Jungle Lodges and Resorts has a fishing camp here called ‘Cauvery Fishing Camp’. The best time to visit is between December and March.

Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary: Thirty eight kms. from Chikmagalur, this sanctuary is a must for wildlife enthusiasts. Gaur, Chital, Sambar, Elephants and Tigers are some of the wildlife found. Jungle Lodges is coming up with a property here. The best time to visit is between November and March.

By Vyas Sivanand