A trip to Dandeli was always on our list but we never got an opportunity to execute the plan. This time we made up our minds that we would complete the most awaited trip to Dandeli (especially river rafting).
During the long weekend of Christmas 2019, we finalised that we would travel to Hubli and take day trips to Dandeli and Badami/Aihole/Pattadakal. We were 5 of us and stayed at SmartStay Serviced Apartment in Hubli.
Dandeli is a taluk in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka. River Kali also known as Kali nadi that flows through Dandeli, originates at Diggi in the Western Ghats and flows into the Arabian sea.
Dandeli White Water Rafting is done in the stretch- downstream the Supa Dam. It has three different levels of difficulty and starts from a place called Ganeshgudi. Depending on the level of difficulty, distance and time taken the prices vary.
Level 1 - 1 km, priced at Rs 600 and journey time is approximately 30 minutes
Level 2 - 5.5 km, priced at Rs 1200 and journey time is approximately 1.5 hours
Level 3 - 9 km, priced at Rs 1400 and journey time is approximately 2 hours
There are many resorts in and around Ganeshgudi and Dandeli that conduct water activities like rafting, kayaking, zipline across the river, natural Jacuzzi, etc. All these activities are supervised and guided by trained professionals.
Our journey from Hubli started at 6:30 am and we drove towards Dharwad -> Haliyal -> Ganeshgudi to reach Flycatcher Adventures and Resort at 9 am. Parking facility was provided to us inside the resort premises. As we had pre-booked our rafting slot the guide, Shabbir, was available by the time we reached the resort.
As soon as we reached the resort, we changed to our rafting clothes. Changing rooms and washrooms are available for both men and women which were quite clean and hygienic. We then proceeded to have breakfast at the restaurant in the resort as our guide had suggested to eat something to get the energy to raft for the next 1.5 hours/5.5 km. Breakfast buffet is available at Rs 150/person or you can also opt from their Ala Carte menu.
It is advisable to not take any valuables while rafting. The whole rafting experience will be captured by the guide in a GoPro. This costs additional Rs 1500 per group.
We were then taken in a jeep to the starting point which is just 2 min away from the resort. The place is calm and surrounded by dense forest.
Safety First!
The first thing that we wore was a life jacket and helmet. It is important to wear it securely because sometimes the jacket may come off when you fall into the water.
The raft can hold up to 9 people (including the guide) and we were joined by 3 other people. Once all of us got into the boat, Shabbir gave all the safety and rafting instruction. There are a total of 5 rapids in the 5.5 km stretch with the first one being the most thrilling rapid. Our excitement increased as the raft moved along with the rapids.
After the first rapid, we were given some time to swim in the water and it is safe for anybody to get into the water as everybody will be wearing life jackets.
There are two main things that one must always be aware of while rafting, firstly, you must listen to the instructor so that he can control the boat and secondly, paddling should be synchronized.
The 5.5 km stretch rafting ends at Whistling Woodzs resort. We reached the end point at around 11:15 am where our jeep was waiting for us. It takes around 20 min to reach Flycatcher Adventures and Resort.
We then took a shower and changed to fresh clothes. Shabbir then transfered the photos to our mobile. The photos were directly transferred by inserting the memory card to our mobile as there was no PC available (iPhone and One Plus users may face this issue).
Things you need to carry
1. Swimwear or any comfortable water cloth.
2. Go pro or water proof camera
3. Money in cash
How to reach:
By road: Direct buses are available to Dandeli from major cities in Karnataka. From dandeli it is around 40 minutes to Ganeshgudi. If you book in advance, they will pick you up from Dandeli.
By rail: Nearest train station is "Londa Junction" which is around 30 km away from Ganeshgudi. From Bengaluru you can take the 'Rani Chennamma Express' which leaves at 9 pm and reaches Londa Junction at 7:30 am. Few home-stays offer pickup and drop facility from the railway station.
By air: Nearest airport is at Hubli which is around 90 km away and it takes 2.5 hours to reach Ganeshgudi. The best route from Hubli is via Dharawad -> Haliyal -> Ganeshgudi.
Rafting:
Contact person: Shabbir-Flycatcher Adventures and Resort.
Contact No: +91 90080 72810
Homestay:
Near Syntheri rocks: AMARA homestay
Contact No: 9480752820