RS

Tour itinerary

Day 1: Land in Bengaluru, transfer to Agumbe

Today, we travel from Bengaluru (erstwhile Bangalore) to the Agumbe, stopping enroute to do see some common south Indian birds and to get our first taste of some local Kannada cuisine.

We stay at a traditional homestay in Agumbe and experience life at its quaintest. Agumbe is amongst the wettest places in the world, and is famous for harbouring a rich variety of frogs, snakes, and birds.

When we feel rested, we’ll wander in the surroundings and keep a look out for the endemic Malabar Gliding Frogs, Blue-eyed Bush Frogs, as well as snakes such as the Green Vine Snakes, Malabar Pit Vipers, and if very lucky - the King Cobra.

Day 2: Agumbe

We’ll walk through the dense evergreen forests of Agumbe in the morning and admire some of the endemic species of birds found here. Later, we’ll travel to nearby hotspots to check for flying lizards. giant squirrels, and Lion-tailed Macaques.

We’ll pay a visit to a nearby waterfall as well as temple situated atop a hill, where we’ll definitely encounter some more interesting wildlife. After some rest, we will hope to explore the surroundings in the night to look for the frogs and snakes Agumbe is famous for. 

Day 3: Transfer to Coorg

Today we drive through the Western Ghats and the coastal plains to reach the coffee planting hub of Coorg.

We’ll reach the estate, where a jeep will take us past a beautiful waterfall and to our homestay, which is located amongst acres of coffee plantation. After some rest, we’ll visit a nearby stream and look for the frogs that make this place so special - including the gorgeous Malabar Torrent Toad and the other-worldly Wayanad Night Frog.

For dinner, we’ll dine on some traditional Coorgi cuisine.

Day 4: Coorg

We’ll loiter around in the morning and explore the beautiful coffee estate - and after breakfast, head to the waterfall to look for the really pretty Black Dancing Frogs that live only in loud, fast flowing streams. We’ll spend some time around this big stream and admire the frogs, butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, etc before heading back for lunch. 

After lunch, we’ll rest for a while before embarking on an evening trail to look for more interesting creatures, all depending on how we feel and how much we wish to explore. We might come across the endemic snail Indrella ampula. Species to expect on this trail are a number of bush frogs, gliding frogs, cricket frogs, etc. Expect an interesting and fun-filled night!

Day 5: Coorg, transfer to Mysuru

We’ll spend the morning relaxing by looking for birds and having an extended breakfast. Honey Valley is host to a number of birds endemic to the Western Ghats. We’ll probably encounter many of these on the previous day, but we can put in a more concerted effort on this morning.

From here, we’ll check out and make our way to the historic city of Mysuru (erstwhile Mysore) where we’ll visit the Mysore Palace and retire for the night. 

Day 6: Mysore to Masinagudi

We will feast on some delicious Mysuru breakfast in the morning and then drive through the scenic and classic south Indian forests of Bandipur and Madumalai. On the way, we have a chance of seeing herds of Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Elephant, Gaur (Indian Bison) as well as several birds. We’ll reach our accommodation in Masinagudi - a forest camp located on the edge of the Madumalai forest and bird around the area. 

In the evening, we’ll take a safari to the nearby forest and hope to see some deer, elephants, gaurs, mongoose, and if lucky, maybe even a leopard or a tiger!

Day 7: Masinagudi to Ooty

Masinagudi is a world class birdwatching destination, with high densities of common birds such as ioras, peafowl, bulbuls, parakeets, hawk and serpent eagles, as well as chance to see the rare White-naped Tits, White-bellied Minivets, roosting nightjars, etc. We’ll make the most of this and bird around Masinagudi in the morning.

We’ll then climb up the spectacular Nilgiri hills to Ooty (aka Udagamandalam, elev 2240m) and rest so that we’re fresh for an evening of looking out for frogs. We’ll visit the edges of some forests to look for some beautiful frogs - the star one being the stunning Raorchestes signatus, with it’s starry eyes.

In Ooty, we will stay in a charming heritage hotel - a reminder of the British Raj that set up this beautiful hill station.

Day 8: Ooty

Ooty is a popular touristy hill station but the remnant shola forests of the region hold some very special birds and even more special species of fungi, ferns, and lichen. We’ll go look for them this morning, provided the weather is alright.

Later we can choose to walk up a steep series of steps, the stones and rocks alongside which often have a number of snakes hiding - such as the endemic shieldtails and keelbacks. Alternatively, we can walk around town and see sights such as the Botanical Garden, Avalanche Lake, and try some local food.

In the evening, we’ll look for frogs again, explore new locations and hope to see species we did not find the previous night.

Day 9: Ooty to Munnar

In the morning, well drive from Ooty to Munnar, another hill station, via the plains around Coimbatore. We’ll stop intermittently for some birding before climbing up the ghats again. 

In Munnar, we will set up base in a bungalow set amidst a large estate known for its tea and cardamom plantations. We’ll rest for the afternoon and explore the estate in the evening and beyond, to look for species of birds and frogs which are endemic to this locality.  

Day 10: Munnar

A full day to explore areas around Munnar. We will visit the Pampadum Shola National Park, which is one of the best places to get close to the endemic Niligiri Langur and Lion-tailed Macaque. It is also a good place to spot the White-bellied Sholakili and the Palani Laughingthrush, some of the most range-restricted birds in the world.

Later, after lunch, we will visit the beautiful Top Station - a stunning view point around which one can also spot the endemic and localised Nilgiri Pipit as well as the Broad-tailed Grassbird. Here, we’ll also look for the Nilgiri Tahr, a stocky mountain goat that inhabits these southern Western Ghats.

In the evening, we’ll spend some time again to look for frogs - of which there are over 20 species in Munnar!

Day 11: Munnar to Kochi

At a comfortable time in the morning, we’ll make our way from Munnar to Kochi. After feasting on the local specialties, of which Kerala has many, we will make our way to the airport and depart for home.