Diwali is just over but it gave us plenty of time to think and talk and discuss and think and talk and so on. Basically we are still not sure what all we have to carry to Agumbe. It’s been almost a month that we decided to visit Agumbe Rainforest Research Center (ARRS) and it’s not before one more month that we will actually visit it. But the excitement is already building.

Few months ago we were discussing possible places to visit to get a break from daily routine. When it comes to outing, jungles are always on my priority list. After a lot of pondering we narrowed down to Agumbe. It’s a wonderful mystic place that we had heard of in the context of magnificent King Cobras. It was the place where ARRS carried out the first radio-telemetry study on Cobra. We had also heard of this place as a workplace of Romulus Whitaker. Snakes, rainforest and research were sufficient cocktail for us to finalize it as our destination.

Finalizing the destination was just the beginning. We had a tough time getting in touch with ARRS people to make our plan. After a lot of internet-scratching we got a contact number of the Director of ARRS. After a pleasant discussion he made the accommodation arrangements for us, and we were all set. But as of now we have no idea of the nature of accommodation that awaits us. Is a cottage? Or a dorm? Of course we aren’t expecting a resort, in fact we didn’t want to have a resort!

After a prolong discussion we finally made our itinerary:

 Pune → Udupi → Agumbe → Shimoga → Pune 

Shimoga is better connected than Udupi but we found Udupi has a convenient sleeper bus from Pune. We don’t want to reach there exhausted. Today we finally made the booking to Udupi and I thought this is a good time to put up a blog post.

As I said before, although the tickets are booked, we are not yet sure what and how many things to carry. We have jotted down a list, but is likely to change over time. As of now our emphasis is to reduce the weight by carrying as less stuff as possible. Our wish-list is perhaps bigger than the to-do list. Birds, snakes, butterflies, mammals, and insects there are just too many things to hope for. More excitement and less stuff!

The journey to Agumbe began on a familiar note. We enthusiastically reached the bus station well before time and the bus was late by good couple of hours. So instead of reaching early in the morning to Udupi we reached well past 10. Luckily we quickly got a private bus towards Shimoga via Agumbe. The drive from Udupi to Agumbe was a breathtaking as the road spiraled through absolutely stunning mountains and magnificent jungle. The frequent hair-pin turns and occasional Bonnet Macaques meant we could not take our eyes off the road. It was not before mid-day and a bumpy rickshaw drive that we finally reached our destination of ARRS.

Located in the middle of a deep jungle, ARRS has a small but beautiful campus. It is literally a home to young enthusiastic naturalists who run various projects on site. There are a few small cottages where visiting volunteers and enthusiasts (like us) can stay. We are also hosted in one of the cottages that has a few dorm-like beds. It has bare minimum but well crafted old styled furniture, and some cooking facility. The best part of our cottage is a giant french-window that opens directly into the dense beetle-nut plantation. The surroundings is full of colorful butterflies, which means Deepashri has a mammoth task of identification waiting for her. Butterflies are also watched upon by some Giant Wood Spiders in the area. It is the female that is really giant and she builds one of the largest and toughest webs of spider world. She can easily build the web that spans across a typical road.

After resting for a while in the afternoon we decided to do some astrophotography. As the Sun approached the horizon we set off for the open grassland that we had spotted while coming from the rickshaw. It is a place about a kilometer from our cottage and is a vast open plateau covered with dried grass. It is interesting to find such an open space in the rainforest. With our torches, cameras and laptop we reached the spot. In all the excitement, we didn't realize that the full moon night was not far, and there were significant drifting clouds. So our outing was more or less wasted but that gave us plenty of time to have fun with light painting!

After a bummer astrophotography session we began our adventurous walk back. It was pitch dark and we set out a kilometer path trough a dense jungle. We all had our headlights, but Himanshu’s giant 1W LED outcasted ours by miles. We were warned in advance to watch our feet in the dark for snakes and scorpions. There are no giant mammals here, it's the creeping guys that rule this land. So amid the company of calls of Nightjars and Crickets we cautiously walked through the depths of the forest. We could notice the activity of several creatures in night, mostly insects. All of a sudden something moved in front of our feet. We stopped and carefully put the spotlight on the movement. Enjoying the 1W spotlight was a wonderful frog. It was a Bicolored Frog (or Malabar Frog - Clinotarsus curtipes). Primarily yellow but with bands of purple and blue running along the body. The frog is a native to western ghats and is a near-threatened species. Wow, after a tiresome journey and flopped astrophotography session this little creature made our day!

In the anticipation of what lies tomorrow, we now bury ourselves in the warm comfortable blankets!

It was one heck of a day! It was Deepashri’s birthday, but unlike many others there weren’t cakes & candles to celebrate. Instead something else was waiting for her! We set out very early in the morning to one of the several trails in the jungle. The paths in the jungle are always exciting. We walked on way through the thickets of bushes, vines, trees and cobwebs. The emerging Sun rays from the mountains welcomed us on our trails. The early morning sunlight was making everything look beautiful and lively. Birds were up and calling from all around us. We walked in the depths of jungle not knowing where the trail might take us. We were accompanied by constant calls of Giant Squirrels but they remained hidden all the time. While taking pictures of flowers, caterpillars, mushrooms etc., we finally reached a small opening in jungle. It was utilized to host a small tent. As we were busy watching the ant march on the forest floor, Deepashri noticed an etch on her forearm. Before long it was clear the small slimy stuff on her forehand was a leech! And there was one more, and one more. Soon she realized they were everywhere, on her hands, feet and in her shoes as well. In fact we all were covered with them and the ground too was full of crawling bloodsuckers! Against the army of tiny vampires we were left with only one option - run! So we ran till we found a dry refuge where we took off our shoes and witnessed bloody feet and socks.

Despite the blood, I was happy to witness the leech attack. I had heard of it and always wanted to experience it. Deepashri too had a hidden desire but was perhaps unprepared when it finally came true. Nonetheless we hurried back to our base with one memorable experience. As if this was not enough, Himanshu spotted a vine snake right outside our cottage before we could enter. Vine snakes are beautiful slender non-venomous snakes that literally hang around in the woods. This one was crossing our way towards a tree. It was mimicking the movement of swaying branches. None of us had seen this beautiful creature before.

We rinsed ourselves to get rid of any remaining leeches and ventured around the cottage once again. It wasn’t too long before we saw an unusual movement among the betel-nuts. Something just glided from one tree to the other, and it wasn’t a bird. It was a sign of some sort flying lizard. We did a close search and it turned out to be a ‘Draco’!

It was past mid-day and we took our lunch of sambar-bhaat. Over the lunch, as we were still getting over the leech attack when one of the volunteers at the base - Swadha - offered us to show us a nearby pond. It is a small pond in the middle of thick jungle. The woods are so thick it is always very dark and kind of scary. As we stopped on the edge of the pond, in the damp undergrowth we saw one exceptionally beautiful small frog on a long leaf of a plant. It was metallic copper with yellow - almost golden - bands. The pond also had schools of black `fishes', who as we later realized were actually tadpoles of bicolored frog! As we were enjoying the pond fella there was once again a familiar call of Giant Squirrel, but to our surprise this time it actually came out of the leaves and jumped across. It is always wonderful to watch this furry mammal whisking in the canopy. By this time with leeches, a Vine snake, a draco, a frog, a Giant Squirrel and additionally a Loten’s Sunbird and Jerden’s Leafbird, we thought we have seen enough for today, but there was more to come!

With Swadha accompanying us we decided to take another jungle trail to the Agumbe village at about 4 in the afternoon. Like the other trails this walk also took us through the thick and moist jungle. On our way, Swadha educated us on various spots in the jungle that we can - rather should - visit. We talked and enjoyed the Damselflies and giant wood spiders as we moved through the the narrow trail. Slowly the jungle gave a way to the grassland that we had been to yesterday. We continued walking across the grassland towards the village. Agumbe village is famous for a few tourist spots, one of which is sunset point. Since we were already in the village we decided to walk for few more kilometers and witness the sunset. The sun was fast moving to horizon and we had to hurry. Final few tens of meters we literally ran and climbed up a staircase on the cliff to gain a height on the wonderful cliff. When we reached, the sun was just a few minutes away from setting. We were in the middle of the cliff and in front us was a vast plain stretching to the horizon. On our left and right were the spectacular Sahyadri - the Western Ghats. We, a few tiny creatures, engulfed in impressive mountains surrounded by a great rainforest, enjoyed the colorful picture the nature had to offer.

The setting sun did not end our exciting day. We lingered around a bit at the sunset point and a started a long journey back. We have had a walk of about 6 kilometers and we were getting tired after a long day. It was very dark and we were walking with the torches on. As we dragged on from the grassland toward the jungle, Swadha suddenly stopped. We all did. She pointed us to be quiet and keep all the torches off but one. She pointed her torch in thick bushes. We saw two orange glittering eyes looking straight at us. The eyes were big but for their size they were too close to each other. It was a “Slender Loris”! This tiny nocturnal primate is extremely shy. Unfortunately there are not that many remaining and they are classified as threatened species. To get a glimpse of them is considered to be lucky. And how lucky we have been today!! From leeches to frogs and from Squirrel to Slender Loris, Deepashri had one heck of a birthday!

After a really long day yesterday, we decided to keep it simple today. We woke up to the beautiful call of Malabar Whistling Thrush. We took a stroll to the pond. As usual the pond was solemn with cicadas chirping in the background. A lone Gray Wagtail accompanied by funny and slightly scary calls of Malabar Pied Hornbills. We came back and had a breakfast of a kind of pancakes. We enjoyed the remaining morning lazily, chatting and viewing the photographs. Then we once again embarked for Agumbe village

The reason we had gone to Agumbe village yesterday was not the Sunset point - that was a serendipity- but to make a booking in a special restaurant. Well it wasn’t really a booking, just a request, and it wasn’t really a restaurant but a home, called “Doddamane”. It was the home where the old television serial “Malgudi Days” was filmed! They serve their homemade food if you request them in advance.

We were extremely excited to reach there so we set off bit too early. We slowly cut across the jungle taking a lots of pictures. We were constantly surrounded by beautiful butterflies, including Common Bluebottle, Great Orange Tip, Glassy Tiger, Common Crow, Red Pierrot, Tiny Grass Blue etc.

It was about 1 PM that we reached Doddamane. It is an ancestral home of Rao family built in 1860s and gradually expanded into a big house in later years. They kindly welcomed us. It was an old place but well maintained. It was so big that it even had a well inside! It flaunts the old architectural design of a “Chausopi Wada”, meaning having a large square part in the middle of the home open, as if the home was build around it. The food was served by the house-lady, Kasthuri akka, on the banana leaf. With the rice there were several side dished made of beans, ash gourd, bitter gourd and jackfruit. The coconut was abundant in almost every gravy which was a classic South Indian touch. Needless to say that it was excellent food and we stuffed ourselves way too much. So much so that we had to take a rickshaw back home!

Back to the base and the lazy day continued with the game of Monopoly. While Deepashri and Himanshu spend some time in the library I went back to observe the pond. It was visited by Orange Headed - and Malabar Whistling Thrushes. As the darkness set in we gathered back on the dinner table. For tomorrow we have decided to visit ‘Onake Abbi’, the problem is we don’t know how to pronounce it correctly. Let’s see what lies ahead.

We decided to set out for Onake Abbi waterfall. It is a place about 6 kilometers from our base. We set out at about quarter to seven in the morning with the sun just rising over the misty grasslands. It was still very early and we were surprised to see Hotel Mayur on Agumbe bus stand open. We quickly had our breakfast and packed our favorite-sweet buns along with us.

There was no readily available information about the entry to waterfall. There is an entry gate about a kilometer from the village, which is generally unattended. The boards (all in Kannada) indicated that the fall was 3 kilometers away. So we began our march.

What follows was one of the most scenic walks we had ever experienced. Perhaps we were the only three people in vast jungle. The path was completely covered with thick canopy rainforest. The canopy was so thick that the sun was barely reaching the grounds. Away from the path was complete darkness. One could sense the moisture in the air and ground. The forest floor was covered with carpet of leaves, and various fungi were feasting on them. The forest floor was teeming with activities of frogs, ant, termites and other creatures. Needless to say that in such a humid place leeches thrive. But this time we were lot more prepared than the day before yesterday. Our strategy was to keep the feet moving and watch them carefully all the time. We also pulled the pants up a bit to make their sighting easy. Himanshu kept rubbing his feet agains each other as he walked. As a result, despite walking for a few kilometers to and fro were were not bitten by the leeches! Take that leeches!

Our path was dotted with series of huge trees. Some may be hundreds of years old. Their huge trunks could easily accommodate a small tent. How do they become that tall? How do their branches take up so much weight? How do their barks and roots withstand the brutal downpour? How do their roots grab sufficient nutrients and pump them to the very last leaf? One could only marvel at these massive beasts.

Despite being very hot outside, in the jungle it was cool and moist. Our hiking trail was through the mountains periodically climbing up and down. After about three hours photo-walk we started hearing the melodious sound of waterfall. Following about hundred stairs downwards we finally reached the top of the Onake Abbi waterfall.

As we were on the top of the cliff from where the water falling down, one could not really see the waterfall, but the mist carried up by the winds was sufficient to keep the place wet. The fall itself was not very wide and it dives down about 400 feet. On top of the cliff is like a plateau where the stream flows playfully along the rocks. We spent a lot of time walking in the cool clear stream. Gentle stream, smooth pebbles, thick green surroundings makes this place a dream retreat. We enjoyed the soft moist wind brushing our faces while looking at a spectacular valley covered with the blanket of rainforest.

After spending enough time at stream we hurried back to the base at ARRS by 2 in the afternoon. About 15 kilometers of walk to and fro the fall meant we spent rest of the day lazily, without doing much apart from eating and chatting! We have one more complete day here. Let’s see what all we have tomorrow.

Last full day at ARRS and we wanted to make full use of it. There were still a few destinations in the jungle that we haven't visited. One of them was a nearby stream. Our initial plan was to leave early, visit the stream and come back by 9:30-10 for the breakfast. So we got up early and set out in the jungle at about 7. However our plan was in shambles immediately when we reached an opening in the jungle. It was a small grassland not far from our cottage.

The grass had turned yellow but in the early morning it was literally bathing in dew. Several small insects feasting of grass seeds among the strings of pearls formed on grass and spiderwebs meant there were plenty of subjects to photograph. The tall trees forming a natural fence on the periphery of grassland was teeming with bird activity. This small grassland turned out to be so magnetic than we cancelled our plans of going further and started photographing the field. By the time we returned to the base for the breakfast we had several 'lifers' (species seen for first time in life) to our list, including the birds like White Bellied Treepie, Heart-Spotted woodpecker, Common Goldenback, Blue-Capped Rock Thrush, Flame-Throated Bulbul etc.

Post breakfast we did manage to get past the magnetic grassland and reach the beautiful stream. Of course the damp path to the stream meant we had quite a few leeches waiting on our way. But we didn't care! The stream was surrounded by huge trees and playing among the century old rocks. We walked along the stream exploring the jungle on the edge. The gentle cold water flowing over the rounded pebbles was clear and transparent. The fishes and tadpoles enjoyed the algae and other small organism on the rocks. The sunlight dripping through the canopy of the forest was making the fishes shine! It was a typical rainforest eco system.

We came back for the lunch and did some packing. We have plans of leaving tomorrow afternoon. Although we spent some time walking nearby there wasn't much activity in the afternoon. This was going to be our last night in the jungle and after our first night's failed astrophotography attempt we haven't really ventured in the jungle at night. But we wanted to try our luck with Tarantulas.

There are a few species of Tarantulas in the Western Ghats and we had inquired about possible locations to see them. They dig a small burrow in the ground and wait patiently near the entrance for their prey to approach. They only emerge in night. So with our torches we began exploring. Watching for the leeches and scanning the jungle floor we identified a few holes. It turned out that almost all the holes in the ground are occupied by one creature or the other. There were wild-cockroaches, frogs, millipedes etc. in every burrow. Suddenly we noticed some movement in one of the holes, which we thought was a Tarantula. We set up a camera and waited patiently for the creature within to emerge. After around 15 minutes it came out. It was indeed a beautiful black Tarantula. It did not come out entirely, instead took out its hairy legs and kept sensing outside world.

As we were watching the Tarantula, Shankar (of ARRS) with couple of other people were out for a night-walk. We tagged along! Forest becomes a different entity at the night time. First it's the shear darkness and silence and second there is constant sense of fear of you being stocked or something emerging out of woods. We kept walking carefully and quietly in apparent endless darkness sensing every movement, every sound. We saw snakes sleeping, but the spiders, moths, cockroaches, frogs and so many other species up and active. We heard the Slender Loris again but weren't lucky to see one. But we did manage to see a couple of Flying Squirrels active. Against the background of moonlit sky they actually did fly as we marveled their beauty.

By the time we came to the base it was almost midnight and had another satisfying day. We had seen several species today: from Nuthatches to Flying Squirrels and from Slugs to Tarantulas. We have half a day left tomorrow and we are eager to find out how it goes!

Eleven o'clock in the night. We are at Shimoga bus station (which looked more like an airport). We are tired of shear waiting for last few hours. The bus to Pune is still about an hour away. Nonetheless our thoughts are still lingering in Agumbe.

Like rest of the days, we started our day early. But we decided not to exhaust ourselves anticipating the long return journey. We went back to nearby grassland. Unlike yesterday the grassland was little quieter(, or was it our down mood?). We got back with few pictures and lingered around lazily.

After having breakfast, we strolled in the plantation and nearby pond. We also took a walk to the area where we had seen several butterflies the other day. We spent some time without too much activity again. However, on our way back the jungle presented us with a small surprise - A Hummingbird hawk-moth. These moths are almost 5 centimeters long. Hovering from one flower to another they collect the nectar with their long straw. They got their name from the noise they make while flying and their similarity with the Hummingbird. They are winter visitors to India and are not very common. We cherished the moment as our send-off gift!

Rest of the day passed by quickly. We had lunch and lengthy talks with people at ARRS. We packed the bags and boarded the rickshaw to start our lengthy return journey. We reached the huge bus station of Shimoga well before time. We had our dinner and are now waiting for the bus to Pune. Nonetheless we are still thinking what all did we do in last few days.

We did not see any 'celebrity' animal as such. There were no tigers, no leopards, nothing. Despite the place being famous for snakes, we saw only 2 different snakes and no Cobra. We saw some birds including a few lifers, but the number did not compete with some of our other outings. Then what did we see? Well, the jungle! It was possibly the best jungle we have ever seen. We'll always remember our walk to Onake Abbi waterfall. We were the only three people in the depth of the jungle, constantly surrounded by thick woods and dense canopy. One could only marvel at those giant tall trees that have perhaps witnessed decades and decades of torrential rainfall on these hills. Clinging on to their branches were thick soft moss that too sustained years of weathering. Who needs a tiger-safari when you can stand on the cliff of Sahyadri with the cold breeze brushing your face, listing to the sound of roaring waterfall and looking at the mountains and valleys full of rainforest!

Back to Pune and we are enthralled with our stay at Agumbe. We did not see so called "Celebrity" animals like tigers and rhinos but we returned rich with the experience of pristine jungle. We met some interesting people, like researchers, volunteers and their helpers who spend their lives in this remote wilderness and others like tourists who go back disappointed for not getting to see anything! We enjoyed whatever the jungle had to offer, and it was more than what we had anticipated. These are the lists of species that we could document.

Make sure to view our gallery to see more pictures!