Dandeli

Dandeli is a small town in Karnataka’s Uttara Kannada district at about 471 metres elevation, located roughly 130 kilometres east of Goa on the banks of the Kali River. Widely regarded as the adventure and wildlife capital of the Western Ghats, Dandeli combines dense rainforest wilderness with some of India’s best river based adventure activities. The town is surrounded by the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and the adjoining Anshi National Park, which together form the Kali Tiger Reserve, one of the most biodiverse protected landscapes in India. The reserve is home to tigers, leopards, rare melanistic black panthers, elephants, gaurs, Indian wild dogs, and exceptional birdlife including the Malabar Pied Hornbill and Great Hornbill, making wildlife tourism a central part of Dandeli tourism. Beyond wildlife safaris, the Kali River below Supa Dam offers India’s longest continuous commercial white water rafting stretch, around 7 kilometres of Grade II and III rapids running through rainforest covered gorges. Natural attractions such as Syntheri Rocks, with its towering granite monolith and river gorge, further add to the region’s appeal. The combination of tiger reserve wilderness, rafting, birdwatching, caves, trekking, and river adventures makes Dandeli one of Karnataka’s most complete destinations for Dandeli sightseeing, eco tourism, and outdoor travel.