Kabini Calling!!

After traveling to most of the Tiger Reserves in Karnataka, there was still one left to be ticked off the list, Kabini.

The backwaters of Kabini, which adjoins the Nagarhole National Park is a heaven for any wildlife photographer. After coming across a lot of leopard photographs from the region, i knew this was where i would make my first ever leopard image. Kabini is also famous for its large congregation of elephants during summers.

A leopard resting on top of a tree in Kabini

The leopard grooms herself before setting off for the night

On the 10th of December along with Sagarika, Sandeep, Suman and Prasana, we left Bangalore at 7AM and headed for The Serai, in Kabini. We checked in at our resort just short of lunch and were introduced to the GM Mr. Ashwin Pinto, who gave us a brief introduction about the resort and also about Kabini. From the time we arrived, we were all exited about the jungle safari that was just an hour away and it is in that very Safari towards the end that we found her sitting on a tree. I was thrilled, my very first safari in Kabini and id got my leopard image. My trip was made.

The night was spent chatting with the others over dinner.

The next day we opted for the jungle safari again in the morning and the boat safari in the evening. The morning safari yielded some fantastic sightings in the form a Malabar Flying Squirrel in broad daylight. It is quite rare to see them during the day as they are mainly nocturnal. We also came across a huge tusker on the banks at Sunset Point.

A tusker enjoys a mud-bath on the banks of Kabini Backwaters

A tusker on the banks of Kabini Backwaters

The evening boat ride yielded some very good elephant herd sightings. Kabini Backwaters is also home to a large number of Ospreys.

An Osprey at Kabini Backwaters

Crested Serpent Eagle

The next day before it was time to leave, we went for a short nature walk along the banks of the Kabini Backwaters with the head naturalist Mr. Kuttappan who showed us quite a few birds. The highlight of which for me was the Blue-tailed Bee Eater.

Blue-tailed Bee Eater

Wild boar in the backwaters

A sambar deer grazing along the banks

I must take some time out to thank Mr. Ashwin Pinto, the GM at the The Serai, Kabini, who was kind enough to help us plan the trip.

Some more images from the trip:

That's me photographing elephants at Kabini during the boat safari

Tusker along the banks

Common Kingfisher

Sunset at Kabini

We stayed at The Serai. Do visit their website for more details: http://www.theserai.in/en/in-the-waterfront.html

Join me on Facebook: Angad Achappa Photography

All Images are Copyrighted Angad Achappa and may not be used in any form, website or print/online media without written permission of the Photographer. For any inquiry for the photographs please contact: angadachappaphotography@hotmail.com