In Pursuit of Black Panther – The Ultimate Kabini Safari guide

 He lurked in the shadows of the big tree,
 Leaping up, he looked down at the moving vehicles
 They were looking for him, he was sure.
 But would they spot him here? - That remained unsure! 

Get ready for a wild ride in the Kabini wildlife sanctuary. This Kabini travel guide will tell you about the various types of safaris available, their prices, timings, what you can expect to see and where you can stay in Kabini. Get information on how to book a Kabini safari - in both online and offline modes. 

My opening lines are a tale of all wildlife enthusiasts who come in pursuit of the Big Black Cat – the melanistic leopard or better known as the black leopard in Kabini forest. Many have been lucky to have spotted Blackie or the Black Panther in the first Kabini safari and then, there have been tales of many who have been able to see him only after 10 or more. That, however, does not mean that they always went back disappointed. Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary might just have one Black Panther but it sure has a wide variety of other exotic creatures that more than make up for the missing panther!

Kabini Forest is in fact, one of the best places for spotting leopards. And if you haven’t spotted one in your Kabini Safari, you are most likely to at least spot a tiger and herds of elephants. Then there are sloth bears, exotic birds, tortoises, bats, barking deer, langurs, and….I can go on and on. Personally, Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary safaris have never disappointed me – making this forest of India my favorite place for enjoying the wildlife safari.

Through this guide to Kabini Safaris, I will be sharing the various attractions of Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary, where to stay in Kabini, how to get here, how to book a Kabini jeep safari and Kabini boat safari and what you can expect through your journey. It also, includes information on the best time to visit Kabini, the safari timings and prices. With all this information, I am sure that you will be soon planning your pursuit of various pals and the elusive Black Panther in Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary. So, let’s get started.

Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. This means that at no cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Thank you for supporting me with this.

A quick background on Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary

Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary actually, encompasses two of the six zones of the larger 650 sq km Nagarhole forest (also, known as Rajiv Gandhi National Park). The other zones border Coorg and Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary. The huge deciduous spread is home to over 200 tigers and 100 leopards – which also made it a popular royal hunting ground for the Mysore Maharajas and the British viceroys. Today, one can still spot these majestic cats in almost all the zones but the density and opportunity to see are the highest in Kabini.  

One main reason for this is the Kabini River which gives this area its name and attracts numerous birds and animals around it. The wide and open Nilgiri and Teak plantations that make up the Kabini forest make it easier to spot these creatures. Furthermore, unlike its surrounding forest zones, Kabini is protected and there are no highways or human populations within it, making it secure for the wild.

Which of the Kabini Safaris should you choose?

What? There are more than one type of safaris?

Well, actually there is more than one type of safari and I would classify them based on the gates, the type of safari and their timings. These are organized by the Forest Department of Karnataka directly or by their associate – Jungle Lodges and Resorts. Let me decipher them all for you in this Kabini guide so that you know your options better.

Nagarhole Safaris – Options by Gates

As I mentioned earlier, Kabini is just one of the few zones of the larger Nagarhole forest. The larger area has three main gates from where one can take the safaris.

• Veeranahosahalli Gate near Hunsur
• Nanachi Gate near Kutta, closer to Coorg
• Antharasanthe Gate in Kabini (also, called Dammanakatte or the Kakanakote gate)

Except for the Veeranahosahalli gate, the other gates for Kabini jungle safaris can be booked online using this website. These safaris are done in canters and jeeps. Most of the time you will find that the option of jeep safari in Kabini shows as full. The reason for this is that most of the Kabini jeep safaris are available only through JLR (more on this soon). You can nonetheless, give it a shot else, go ahead and book a Kabini safari on a canter or bus. Each gate has two safaris – one in the morning and the other at around 3 pm. Note that it is better to book at least 3 – 4 days in advance as the canters are limited and get filled very quickly.

While you can expect to see the same wildlife through the various regions, the opportunity to spot is higher at Kabini. Thus, it is best to do a Kabini jungle safari booking for the Antharasanthe Gate.

Kabini Wildlife Sanctuary Safaris by Type

There are two options that you have when it comes to booking the Kabini Safaris – a land safari and a boat safari. Both these options are available twice, every day. The morning ones start at 6 am while the afternoon ones are at 3 pm. The duration of each ranges between 2.5 hours to 3 hours. The experience and the wildlife that you see is what differentiates the two!

Kabini Boat Safari

The Kabini boat safaris begin at the Jungle Lodges (JLR) campus. You can do a Kabini backwaters forest safari booking through your resort. It does not matter which Kabini resort you are staying in for this. Most of them have a tie-up with the JLR desk and all you have to do is ask your resort to book a slot for you in that day’s boat safari. (The morning ones will have to be booked a day in advance). Your resort might charge you a little extra for the drop and pick-up that they offer to JLR – unless it is a part of their Kabini safari packages.

According to me, the best time for a Kabini Safari on a boat is during the second half of the day. It gets fairly misty in the morning and you might not have clear visibility when on the boat.

What kind of wildlife can you expect to see with a Kabini Boat Safari?

If you are an avid birder, you will love the Kabini boat safari. From the resident kingfishers, cormorants, ospreys and storks to the migratory rare birds like the the bar-headed geese, I saw them all. What was even more amazing was that I could see them in action at close quarters – swooping and catching their prey, launching and landing and flying close to the water. Read more about the Kabini birdlife in this post.

As the expert boatman guides the vessel around, he will point out to the various land mammals and reptiles. It is almost certain that you will see spotted deers, langurs and elephants. In fact, during my Kabini sightings on the boat safari included so many elephants – herds, babies and tuskers that I finally ceased being amazed by them.

The Kabini river safari allows you to get really close to the Indian muggers. The lazy creatures lie around like mute statues in an open museum. At one point, we got so close that I could count the crooked teeth in the crocodile’s jaw. Of course, I got a start when it suddenly slid into the water right next to the boat! Ooops!

On some lucky days, the people on a boat safari in Kabini have been able to see tigers and leopards by the riverside. It is not uncommon to spot the exotic Malabar hornbills and serpent eagles too, when on a boat ride. On the whole, I found that the Kabini river boat safari was a little more dynamic as compared to the land safari with all the action that went around the river. There was not one dull moment!

Land Safaris – Kabini Jeep Safari and Canter Safaris

If you are looking for Bagheera (Blackie or the Black Panther) and its catty comrades, then it is an easy choice of Kabini forest Safaris. Land safari it is!

There are two ways in which you can explore Kabini by land – one is by way of the Government Canters and the other is by Kabini Jeep Safari. The forest department canters can be booked through the Nagarhole website and have limited availability. You can even book these in person by reaching the Antharasanthe Gate in Kabini a day in advance for the morning safari and around 10 am for the evening safari.

The Kabini Jeep Safaris are exclusive to Jungle Lodges and Resorts and its guests only. These JLR Kabini safaris are included in the stay package of that property. It is not possible to do these jeep JLR safari bookings on your own – though you will find an option on the website but it is almost always shown as full. You can try you luck at the JLR Resorts – if they have any extra seats lefts. This is usually after their guests are accomodated.

If you are staying at any other Kabini resort, then you have two options for a land canter safaris. The first is through the Nagarhole website or approaching the Forest gates directly. The second is through your own Kabini resort that has slots in the canters operated through JLR and forest officials. Recently, there is a new bus (a little luxurious with plush seats) along with the open air canters.

Kabini forest is divided into A zone and B zone. The A zone is largely forest, wooded area while the B zone takes you closer to the Kabini river. Frankly, this is more of a good-to-know fact as you have no control over which zone you will be taken to. The vehicles are divided randomly between the two zones and once you are in a particular zone, you will only be in that area.

Morning or noon safari? Well, experts say that morning safari is always better but frankly, my experience says that it is all on your luck. The few times that I have gone on Kabini safaris, I have had amazing sightings at noon.

What kind of wildlife can you expect to see with a Kabini Forest Safari by land?

BIG CATS – including the Royal Bengal tiger and the leopards. And of course the one exclusive melanistic leopard – Bagheera. I have been lucky to have seen them and yes, in one single Kabini Safari (not the last one but the penultimate one).

It is pretty normal to catch these big cats on the land but to see the leopards on the trees is something else. A Kabini forest safari is one experience that gives you an opportunity to actually spot them climbing, lying down and even jumping off the trees.

Spotted deers, barking deers, wild gaurs and langurs are as common as people in a city. Here and there, you are likely to come across Indian terrapins and tortoises. This set of three were so small and camouflaged.

“There ….see three Indian Terrapins on the rock?” – said our naturalist

“Where ? I can’t see them.” – I complained

“See those rocks, and something coming out of them? ” he says

“Uh Huh!” – I mumble!

“Those are the heads of the Terrapin. Focus your lens on those” – he laughed while I gasped at the way his eyes had spotted these tiny creatures without binoculars!

Giant Malabar Squirrels and elephant herds are the other creatures that I have seen in the Kabini forest. It is a little hard to spot the birds in the dense jungle but the few that I did manage to catch were Ospreys and Eagles.

The other wildlife park where you can spot leopards in plenty is Pench National Park. I was lucky to have spotted cubs through two of my safaris there. Read about those as well as how to book a Pench safari

Read More

How to book a Kabini safari?

A quick synopsis of what I have already explained – there are two ways to book your Land safari – the first through your resort in Kabini. These resorts have a quota with the canters operated by Jungle Lodges. The charges for the safari might be a little higher considering the transport to and from the Safari gates. Kabini Jeep safaris can only be booked if you are staying with JLR.

The second option is through the forest office. You can head to the Antharasanthe Gate in Kabini and book your spot in the Government canter. Remember to book these Kabini forest department safaris at least one day in advance for the morning. For the evening one, you need to get your spot by 10 am for that day. You can also, book Kabini safari online through the Nagahole website.

For the Kabini river safaris, you have to reserve a place through your own resort. Each resort or hotel in Kabini have their quota with JLR. There is no option to do a Kabini boat safari online booking.

Step-by-step instructions for the Kabini jungle safari online booking

Note that through one user id, you can only book four travelers on the Nagahole-Kabini online ticket website. Here is the step-wise process for a Kabini forest safari booking.

• Click this link of the Nagarhole website to get started.
• Sign up with a username by clicking on the left hand side. After entering the details, the website will send you an email verification.
• Sign in and then select the Kabini gate that you wish to enter from. Note that the Kakankote is the same as Antharasanthe Gate of Kabini
• Pick a date and preferred time for your canter safari in Kabini. . You will see four time slots, two in the morning and two in the evening. Note that these are just deferred departures so that there is no crowding inside the forest. The exit times for the two slots (morning and evening) are the same.
• Next select the type of vehicle. You have an option of a bus or a jeep. You might also, see an option – New Bus. This refers to the canter with plush seats. Most likely you will only be able to find seats on a bus. Jeeps are usually not available.
• Fill in the details on the next screen. Select your government ID proof and remember to carry the same one when you are heading for the Kabini safari.
• Enter the camera details. You will see that based on the type of lens or camera, your prices for the Kabini government safari will differ.
• The next screen will take you to the check-out or payment confirmation. You can pay through UPI, credit or debit card or even online banking.
• Print the confirmation of your Kabini safari booking after paying or take a screenshot of it to present at the gates.

And tada- you have now managed to book safari in Kabini through their website.

How much do the Kabini Safaris cost?

The Kabini forest safari prices are as follows –

• Normal canter safari, Kabini starts at INR 600 per Indian adult and INR 1000 for a foreign national.
• Luxury Kabini canters are priced at INR 850 for Indians
• Jeep safaris in Kabini are priced at INR 2800 per person.

Camera charges are additional. It ranges from INR 600 for cameras with over 200 mm lens to INR 1250 for a video camera. Smaller cameras are charged at INR 250 per camera. Besides these charges, there are park fees and GST charges to be paid.

The Kabini backwaters safari charges may be the same or might differ slightly.

What is the best time to visit Kabini?

The best season to visit Kabini would be between September to May. For birders, the months between December to February is ideal as one can spot a lot of migratory species.

Kabini Jungle Safari timings

Land Canter Safari timings:

• Weekdays : 6:00 am to 9:00 am, 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
• Weekends: 6:00 am to 7:30 am, 7:30 am to 9:00 am, 3:00 pm to 4: 30 pm, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Kabini Boat Safari timings:

Boat safaris in Kabini are available every day at 6:00 am and 3:00 pm. The duration of the same is between 2.5 hours to 3 hours.

Common FAQs about booking a Kabini forest safari

Additional travel tips for Kabini safaris

• Make sure that you carry your Government ID cards as ID proofs. If you have done an online Kabini safari booking, then ensure that the ID that you have entered while filling the form is the same as what you present at the gate.
• Wear comfortable cotton clothes with muted colors like greens, browns or blacks. Carry a scarf or a hat to protect your hair.
• The Kabini safaris can get really dusty. You will find a fine layer of red sand over you once you finish the safari. There is no avoiding the same.
• Do not make loud noises and attract attention. Put your phones on silent during the wildlife safari
• Getting off the vehicles during the safaris in Kabini is strictly prohibited.
• Carry lots of water and stay hydrated. Keep some dry snacks if you wish.
• No plastic items are allowed inside the forest. You will have to remove them before you start the safari.
• There are rest-rooms at the Kabini safari gates.

Before you go, pin This

Well, that is it for now as far as Kabini goes. I hope that with this guide to Kabini Safaris, most of your queries for this lovely forest have been answered. Do pin these to your boards as a ready reckoner and also, share it around with all those who want to head out in search of the elusive Blackie in Kabini

Ami

Popularly referred to as a Restless Ball of Energy. My Mom refuses to entertain my complaints about my equally restless daughter & assures my husband that I was born with a travel bug.

I am a Post-Graduate in Marketing by qualification and a travel blogger by passion. Besides travel, I enjoy photography and if you don’t find me at my desk, I would be out playing badminton or swimming or just running. I believe in planning for every long weekend through the year. And when I cannot travel physically, I travel virtually through this travel blog. My travel stories have also, got published on various websites and magazines including BBC Travel, Lonely Planet India and Jetwings. I have recently published my first book – When Places Come Alive – a collection of stories that are based on legends, landscapes, art and culture of a place which is available in both ebook and paperback format.

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