Ganeshguid - Exotic place near Dandeli:

Most guide books haven't seen this nondescript place and that explains why Ganeshgudi holds a special charm. Yes, it is indeed largely unspoilt, lesser known, and relatively undiscovered. It is not a conventional hill resort, but more of a nowhere land — a cool place where the rain gods shower blessings in abundance, especially between June and August. Don't be disappointed as the facilities and creature comforts are quite basic and you definitely won't find what you would expect in most resorty places .... The Old Magazine House Forest Camp at Ganeshgudi is where you can literally let nature walk into your room, surrounded as you are by thick Uttara Kannada rugged jungle.

Distances: 25km from Dandeli 125 km from Goa 117 km from Karwar 75 km from Hubli 57 km from Dharwad 481 km from Bangalore

What experience you can expect?

The undulating streams, swaying bamboos, sylvan surroundings and trekking tracts make Ganeshgudi and Dandeli unique holiday destinations. Here the Kali river and its tributaries, meander swiftly through the dense forests. The nearby sanctuary is home to the barking, the spotted and the mouse deer, the gaur, the civet cat, the tiger and the elephant, besides a variety of birds and reptiles. It is considered lucky to spot the giant flying squirrel, so also the vibrantly coloured Malabar squirrel, which swiftly jumps from tree to tree.

Some evenings, when there is a respite from the rains, a memorable activity is to ride in a coracle down the Kali. A circular boat, woven with bamboo and lined with buffalo hide, the coracle offers a leisurely drift, allowing you to watch hornbills flying against the darkening sky, returning to nest in the tall trees close to the river.