What to expect
Highlights
- White-water rafting on the Kali river.
- Hornbill and endemic birding.
- Jeep safaris in the Kali Tiger Reserve forests.
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Kali river in the northern Western Ghats, is part of the Kali Tiger Reserve — a vast tract of moist deciduous and evergreen forest.
Practical guide
Plan Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Who's going?Tailor Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary to your trip
Typewildlife
Nearest baseDandeli
DistrictUttara Kannada
Best timeOctober to May for wildlife and safaris
Time neededA full day, or an overnight stay for…
EntrySafari/rafting/entry (book ahead)
Places to visit4→It is best known for white-water rafting on the Kali, for birding (hornbills, and many endemics) and for wildlife including elephants, gaur, deer and the elusive black panther; jeep safaris, coracle rides and nature camps are all run from Dandeli.
Getting there
How to visit
- Dandeli town is ~75 km inland from Karwar and ~55 km from Hubballi; reach it by road, and book rafting, safaris and stays with operators or the forest department in advance.
- Activities are seasonal and permit-based — rafting depends on the river release; follow the guides’ safety rules and forest regulations.
Distance by road
- Panaji (Goa)100 km
- Hubballi165 km
- Udupi175 km
- Mangaluru270 km
- Bengaluru500 km
Road km to Uttara Kannada; ghat roads and traffic vary — allow extra.
Timing
Best time
October to May for wildlife and safaris; rafting depends on water release (often post-monsoon into winter).
Weather in Dandeli Wildlife SanctuarySeasonal guide
Live forecast loads in your browser.
Today at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Sunrise6:24 am
Sunset6:09 pm
Golden hour best light5:09 pm–6:09 pm
Blue hour after sunset6:09 pm–6:34 pm
Sun sets toward compass bearingW · 260°
Moon tonight🌓 First quarter · 54%
Retreating monsoon. October and November still see spells of rain from the retreating monsoon, though it is usually lighter than mid-year. Conditions are generally good but worth checking.
Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
Visitor notes
- A tiger-reserve forest with river activities — go with licensed operators, wear the rafting life jacket, and follow all forest-department rules.
Photos
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary in pictures
Stay · eat · do · rent · see · shop
Stays, food & things to do near Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Verified hotels, homestays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and rentals around Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary — commission-free, with direct contact. Filter by what you need.
Verified inventory is being added here.
Verified places are being added. The category filters will fill in as approved stays, restaurants, experiences, sights, shops and nature listings go live.
List your placeRanked guides
Top experiences around Dandeli
3 more places around Dandeli. Open a guide to plan the visit and onward journey.
U
Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
Place
templeUlavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
30.0 km · ~50 min by cab
The forest shrine at Ulavi (Joida taluk) around the samadhi of Channabasavanna — one of the largest Lingayat pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, with the Akka Nagalambike cave nearby.
damSupa Dam
10.6 km · ~18 min by cab
A large hydro dam on the Kali river at Joida, backing up a scenic reservoir in the Kali Tiger Reserve forests.
viewpointSyntheri Rocks
21.5 km · ~36 min by cab
A towering monolithic granite cliff on the Kaneri river inside the Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, home to rock bees and pigeons.
Roampedia is commission-free — own or know a stay, eatery, guide or shop near Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary? List it and it appears here once verified.
Add a nearby businessBefore you go
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary — at a glance
TimingsSafari and activity slots; book in advance
Best timeOctober to May for safaris; rafting depends on the river release
Entry: Safari/rafting/entry (book ahead)
Getting here
How to reach Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
Dandeli town, ~75 km from Karwar, ~55 km from Hubballi; by road
Getting back
If you are travelling by bus or ferry, check the return service with the operator before setting out. Leave time to reach the stop or jetty after your visit.
- KSRTC— the Karnataka state bus operator; route and schedule enquiries.Online booking.
- Indian Railways— live running and seat availability for the nearest railhead, named under “Getting here” above.
Ask at the bus stand for the time of the last service back, not the next one. If you miss it, an auto or app cab is the fallback — agree the fare before you get in.
Getting around Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
If you need help at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
112All emergencies (police · fire · medical)The single number to call in any emergency (ERSS).100Police101Fire108Ambulance (emergency / EMS)1091Women’s helpline (distress)1098Child helpline1363Tourist helpline (India, 24×7, multilingual)
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
Nearby
What’s near Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary
damSupa Dam
A large hydro dam on the Kali river at Joida, backing up a scenic reservoir in the Kali Tiger Reserve forests.
10.6 km · ~18 min by cab · straight lineL
Lalguli Falls
Place
waterfallLalguli Falls
A remote forest waterfall on the Kali river ~13 km from Yellapur, in elephant country reached past a forest check-post.
19.7 km · ~33 min by cab · straight lineviewpointSyntheri Rocks
A towering monolithic granite cliff on the Kaneri river inside the Kali Tiger Reserve near Dandeli, home to rock bees and pigeons.
21.5 km · ~36 min by cab · straight lineU
Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
Place
templeUlavi Channabasaveshwara Temple
The forest shrine at Ulavi (Joida taluk) around the samadhi of Channabasavanna — one of the largest Lingayat pilgrimage centres in Karnataka, with the Akka Nagalambike cave nearby.
30.0 km · ~50 min by cab · straight line
waterfallSathodi Falls
A wide waterfall where a tributary of the Kali drops into a pool amid forest near Yellapur, backed by the Kodasalli reservoir.
34.1 km · ~57 min by cab · straight lineJ
Jenukallu Gudda
Place
viewpointJenukallu Gudda
A Western-Ghats sunset viewpoint ~17 km from Yellapur overlooking the Bedti (Gangavali) river valley.
46.3 km · ~77 min by cab · straight line
waterfallMagod Falls
A waterfall near Yellapur where the Bedti (Gangavali) river drops in two leaps of around 200 m into a wooded gorge, seen from a viewpoint.
47.0 km · ~78 min by cab · straight lineS
Shivaganga Falls
Place
waterfallShivaganga Falls
A ~74 m waterfall on the Sonda river near Siddapur, plunging into a deep evergreen valley, with a Shiva temple at its head.
52.6 km · ~88 min by cab · straight line
heritageDoeguling Tibetan Settlement
India’s second-largest Tibetan settlement, ~15,000 people across camps near Mundgod, centred on the great Gelugpa monasteries of Drepung Loseling and Ganden.
54.4 km · ~91 min by cab · straight lineS
Sonda Vadiraja Matha
Place
heritageSonda Vadiraja Matha
The Vadiraja (Sode) matha at Sonda ~20 km from Sirsi — one of the Ashta Mathas of Udupi and a major Dvaita pilgrimage centre around the Vadiraja Brindavana, with a Jain basadi nearby.
61.5 km · ~102 min by cab · straight line
heritageSahasralinga
Over a thousand Shiva lingas and Nandis carved into the bed and banks of the Shalmala river ~14 km from Sirsi — exposed in the dry season and submerged in the monsoon.
62.4 km · ~104 min by cab · straight line
fortSadashivgad Fort
A Sonda-era hill fort of 1715 above the mouth of the Kali river, about 5 km from Karwar, with the Shantadurga temple and a 17th-century dargah on the way up and the Arabian Sea and its islands below.
69.4 km · ~116 min by cab · straight lineOn the map
Where Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary is
Good to know
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary?
October to May for wildlife and safaris; rafting depends on water release (often post-monsoon into winter).
What are the entry fee and timings at Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary?
Entry: Safari/rafting/entry (book ahead). Timings: Safari and activity slots; book in advance.
How do I reach Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary?
Dandeli town is ~75 km inland from Karwar and ~55 km from Hubballi; reach it by road, and book rafting, safaris and stays with operators or the forest department in advance. Activities are seasonal and permit-based — rafting depends on the river release; follow the guides’ safety rules and forest regulations.
How much time do I need for Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary?
A full day, or an overnight stay for safaris and rafting.
What else is near Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary?
Nearby you can pair Supa Dam (10.6 km), Lalguli Falls (19.7 km), Syntheri Rocks (21.5 km), Ulavi Channabasaveshwara Temple (30.0 km).
Read before you go
Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary itself yet. These cover Dandeli and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Karnataka-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Karnataka.
Heritage guide
Mirjan Fort: Laterite Walls, Pepper Routes and a Monsoon Visit
6 min read · Read →
Regional guide
Banavasi: How to Read Karnataka’s First Historical Capital
6 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Magod Falls and Jenukallu Gudda: One Careful Yellapur Day
5 min read · Read →
Day-trip guide
Day Trips from Karwar: The Whole of Uttara Kannada from One Base
6 min read · Read →
Story
Tagore in Karwar: Four Months That Gave a Beach Its Name
5 min read · Read →
Story
The Last Ward: How Karwar Got Its Name, and Its Language
6 min read · Read →
Image credits
Photographs: PiolAtif, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), PJeganathan (CC BY 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.