Old Magazine House, Dandeli

Being a birding enthusiast, a little bit of ‘digging’ online is all I needed to do, before I found the Old Magazine House, Dandeli. It is estimated that more than 200 species of birds visit this area over the course of a year and that’s not all! Wildlife havens like Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park are in the near vicinity too. Armed with this information, I went right ahead with my plan and as the trip unfolded, I knew I was in for a treat…

Drive to Old Magazine House

We drove down from Dandeli Jungle camp – the drive was a very pleasant one with good roads and scenic views.Old Magazine House is near Ganeshgudi, which is a KPCL township. Close to Supa Dam in Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, OMH is located just off the road between Londa and Dandeli, at about 20 km from Dandeli town. Once at Ganeshgudi, Old Magazine house is about a kilometre from the main road. The road passes through the jungle and I got to do some wildlife spotting and caught glimpses of some exotic birds. The dense canopy of trees in itself was a sight to soothe sore eyes!

Rooms and Facilities

While it is known as the birders’ paradise, once I was there, I learnt that this place used to be an ammunition dump for storing dynamite nearly 20 years ago. Hence it got the name ‘Old Magazine House’. Later, it came under the lease of Jungle Lodges.

 

Surrounded by forests on all sides, Old Magazine house has a dormitory, bamboo huts, rooms and a cottage. It is a great idea to opt for one of the packages, which includes Stay, Buffet Lunch Dinner & Breakfast with Hiking to Sunset Point, Coracle Ride, Bird Watching & Campfire. I stayed in a room which was modern and big; spacious enough for a family of five. In case you are part of a group, it is best to opt for the dormitory accommodation for a true backpacking experience; the dormitories here are amazingly affordable, hygienically maintained, and can host up to 20 guests at a time. All rooms are housed in a building and with easy access to the greenery outside.

Food

A wide choice of tasty food items was available at the restaurant at Old Magazine House. Easily accessible for those who opt for the dormitory (since it is in the same building complex), it was a small stroll from the room to the restaurant for me just as it was for those who opt for the cottages. I especially loved this opportunity to soak up more of the place, during meal times. I felt pampered with the efficient room service and the facility of Tea / Coffee and snacks that is available round the clock.

Activities

All I did was to indicate my interests to the staff of Old Magazine House, and they arranged for all the activities that are possible in the area.

 

Birding

Especially during winter months, this resort is a true heaven for birders. A hideout constructed near the restaurant becomes the ‘adda’ for all the birders who are behind their tripods and camera!! During the stay and sightseeing, I was fortunate to see several exotic and elusive birds such as Brown Cheeked Fulvetta, Yellow Browed Bulbul, Oriental White Eye, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Magpie Robin, Black Naped Monarch, Malabar Trogon, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Malabar Whistling Thrush and many more.

Sightseeing

Supa Dam, which is the second largest reservoir in Karnataka in terms of water capacity is near Old Magazine House. The naturalists of Old Magazine House informed me that the dam when full, is a treat to watch, when the water is released. Syntheri Rock, Skyes Point, Shivaji Fort, Kavala Caves, Sri Mallikarjuna Temple and are other tourist attractions in the vicinity that are worth visiting. I kept these aside for my next visit…

Water Activities

Ganeshgudi is THE place for the water activities conducted in the Kali River. While you can go for rafting, kayaking, boating, zorbing or zip line, I opted to stay in the company of my avian friends!

Jungle Safari

Wild animals like antelopes, elephants and deer were spotted on the Safari trip I took. If you are lucky, leopards, tigers and black panthers as well as several exclusive reptiles are also seen in the dense forests of Dandeli. Anshi National Park is also nearby, in case you would like to go for a Safari there.

Best Time to Visit

Being in the Western Ghats, Dandeli enjoys a pleasant climate all year round, with a wide range of activities to enjoy throughout the year. While I chose winter to travel to Old Magazine House thanks to my love for birding, I gave indulging in water activities a miss. I intend to plan my next visit in Monsoon, which is a time to enjoy the greenery and the rains of the Western Ghats. I also got to know that the summer months are good for viewing wildlife in the Jungle. Rafting would continue and although the migratory birds would have gone, the resident avians like Hornbills be can easily found.

 

 

Travel Tips

• Book ahead during winter months as the place is in great demand from birders – don’t forget your telephoto lens or a pair of binoculars!
• If you are visiting during monsoon, prepare for rains with protective gear.
• Carry a waterproof camera if you are interested in taking pictures / videos of your water sports activity.
• If rafting is your main activity of choice in Dandeli, do check water levels beforehand.

Note

The trip was arranged and managed by Dandeli.com (https://www.dandeli.com/). You can get more information about Old Magazine house here (https://oldmagazinehouse.com/).