Karnataka: 14,000 tourists set to flock Dandeli for Independence Day weekend

BENGALURU: Nearly 14,000 tourists are set to descend on Dandeli - a byname for rich forests, wildlife sanctuaries and watersports - in the coastal district of Uttara Kannada for the upcoming long weekend, with most bookings coming in from Bengaluru.
Hospitality stakeholders said all accommodations and resorts have been fully booked for the August 13-15 period. Yet, the reception-desk phones at homestays and jungle resorts haven't stopped ringing with last-minute enquiries pouring in from across and outside the state.

While it is not immediately known whether river-rafting - the most-preferred sport - will be allowed, tour operators are preparing for other activities like zipline, boating and kayaking.
Dandeli, about 480km from Bengaluru, is a must-visit tourist hotspot along with Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, the coastal districts and Hampi. During monsoon and long weekends, tourist traffic in Karnataka is equally spread over these places.
According to Dev Balaji, a Bengaluru-based adventure trip organiser, Bengalureans are preferring Dandeli this time since other major tourist destinations in Karnataka are receiving heavy rain and the weather might play spoilsport during the long weekend.
For instance, landslides have cut off Kodagu; huge outflow of water from Tungabhadra dam is keeping people away from Hampi; and heavy rain is a big negative point to visit the coast and Chikkamagaluru this week.
He said thousands of visitors landing in Dandeli all at once may not be good news as they might disturb the forest and wildlife ecology. Dumping of waste, noise and vehicular density are other attendant problems.
Narasimha Bhat, who runs Kadumane homestay, said all cottages in his area have been booked and added that this year's tourist footfall is likely to be a record after the outbreak of Covid in March 2020. In December last year, close to 8,000 people visited the destination. He said many homestays have come up in Dandeli in the past two years, increasing the town's accommodation capacity.
But atrip to Dandeli is incomplete without visiting the majestic cascades of Dudhsagar Falls.
Chand Kutti, a watersports operator, said, "We didn't have many visitors during the early days of monsoon due to heavy rain. However, we hope this weekend may help us compensate the loss partially. We can't say for certainty that we will get permission for rafting. Other water activities are allowed."
Rahul Bavaji, a wildlife rescuer and a stakeholder in Dandeli hospitality industry, said people should be cautious, especially near rivers and lakes, and advised against taking risky selfies from cliffs. He requested patrons to not dump waste or play loud music as they could disturb the wildlife.