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Yes, you read the title correct! This is a very special tour designed to photograph the amazing world of Crabs on the coast near Karwar (North Karnataka, close to Goa). “What’s there to crabs?” you might ask. For starters, you’ll be surprised that around 15 species of crabs inhabit a small area by the sea. They are everywhere – crabs in mangroves, crabs in inter-tidal zones, crabs on beaches, even crabs on rocks by the sea!
Get blown away by the interesting behaviour of these creatures that we’d normally ignore. Witness unforgettable spectacles of tens of thousands of crabs marching together as an army. And learn the techniques of photographing these wonders from your mentor. All this and more while enjoying an extended weekend by the beach on this one-of-a-kind photography tour!
You won’t find another wildlife photography tour like this one. Period.
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Special photography holidays from Darter, with a unique twist.You miss this one, you may not get the chance again! -
Tour Dates
February 12-14, 2016
Tour Price
₹21,850/- (Indian nationals)₹23,250/- (Foreign nationals)
Max Group: 09 Participants
Jump to ◆ Overview ◆ Tour Highlights ◆ Is this tour for you? ◆ Tour Price ◆ Travel Details ◆ Tour Mentor ◆ Detailed Itinerary ◆ Sign Up
Overview
Before you read on, you must watch this:
Yes, crabs are THAT amazing! When you get down and watch them from up-close. On this exclusive wildlife photography tour, Darter Photography mentor Shreeram M V takes you to the coasts of Karwar to photograph some of the most interesting wildlife that you’ve probably seen a lot but observed very little.
Specialized to various micro-habitats by the sea, around 15 species of crabs call the coasts Karwar their home. From tiny Soldier Crabs that march about in thousands. To colourful Fiddler Crabs brandishing their awesome claws. To the resilient Grapsus crabs that brave the strong waves of the Arabian Sea. To the now-here-now-gone Ghost Crabs. To the huge Mud Crabs that can snip off a finger if you are not careful.
Join us to photograph these and many more interesting crabs on this exclusive wildlife photography tour.
Do not forget to see the detailed itinerary.
Tour Highlights
FAQ and Is This Photography Tour For You?
This tour is for everyone who wants to experience a completely different side of wildlife and wildlife photography. We will be exploring some very interesting wildlife habitats and witnessing animal behaviour that very few wildlife photographers have seen.
The tour is designed to help participants observe the enticing world of crabs and learn the nuances of making interesting photographs. Note that the participants are not required to be experts in wildlife photography. Beginners and newbies as well as serious photographers benefit through our personalized attention to photography sessions and on field assistance. Non photographers interested in understanding crabs are welcome too.
I am not a keen photographer. But I want to visit Karwar with your group. Can I still join?
Yes. In addition to photography, we’ll also delve into the natural history of the crabs and spend hours observing some very interesting behaviour up-close. And having a good time during the trip is as much on the agenda as photography is.
Can I bring my non-photographer partner with me?
Yes, you can. In addition to photography, we’ll also delve into the natural history of the crabs and spend hours observing some very interesting behaviour up-close. Please note that we do not offer a separate non-photographer pricing.
Is there a lot of walking/trekking involved?
Outdoor sessions by the coast would be around 3-4 hours each, where we’ll walk fair distances in humid weather. There isn’t much climbing involved, though we might wade through shallow streams at times. We believe that most people in reasonably good health should not have any problems with most of the activities through the tour. Speak to us if you have any doubts.
Also refer to our photography tours faq for more information.
Tour Price
Tour price: Rs.21,850 per person (Indian Nationals) | Rs.23,250 per person (Foreign Nationals – differential pricing due to Resort pricing)
(Booking deposit: Rs.10,000; Balance payable by Jan 10, 2016)
The cost includes
The cost does not include
Cancellation Policy
- 20% of tour fee is charged as cancellation fees on cancellation at least 30 days before tour starts
- 50% of tour fee is charged as cancellation fees on cancellation between 29 to 21 days before tour starts
- 75% of tour fee is charged as cancellation fees on cancellation between 20 to 10 days before tour starts
- No refunds for cancellation within 9 days before the start of the tour or for no-show
Accommodation
Accommodation will be in comfortable A/C rooms at Devbagh Beach Resort (run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts).
Note:
Please note that the itinerary is subject to favourable weather conditions. In case of bad weather, we will do our best to make alternate plans. The cost of the tour or any part of it will not be refunded in the event of unfavourable conditions anytime during the tour days.
Also, please note that since this is a wildlife photography tour, sighting of animals mentioned on this page or showcased in the photographs can be unpredictable, as they are dependent on many factors beyond our control.
Arrival and Departure
On Day 1, please plan to arrive at Karwar by 10:30AM. Check-in time at Devbagh is 12 noon. If rooms are available earlier, we might get them before noon.
Recommended mode of travel from Bengaluru to Karwar – KSRTC Airavat A/C Bus departing at 20:30 on Thursday (arrival in Karwar at 07:20 on Friday morning)
On Day 3, check-out time is 11:00AM. If you wish to spend time at the resort beyond 11:00AM, day-wise and/or food charges might apply (as per resort rates).
Recommended mode of travel from Karwar to Bengaluru – Train no. 16524 leaving Karwar at at 14:40 (arrival in Bengaluru at 08:20 on Monday morning)
Please get in touch with us (register@darter.in) if you need help in planning your travel from any other city to Karwar and back.
Your Photography Mentor
Shreeram M V
Shreeram is a professional wildlife photographer and passionate naturalist. He has photographed wildlife across multiple habitats across India, including rainforests, high-altitude deserts, grasslands, coasts, islands and deciduous forests. His approach to wildlife photography is to bring back photographs that tell stories – about the place and its habitats, the diversity of flora and fauna and human interactions with the wilderness. He was part of the team that won the Trailblazers Award in 2014 from Yes Bank-Saevus for their story on the Lion-tailed Macaques of Valparai.
Shreeram was part of the team (along with Adarsh Raju and Radha Rangarajan) that made the much-appreciated Crabs of Karwar video. Filmed in early 2014, this was an eye-opener for Shreeram as he’d never thought there was so much to the world of crabs. He looks forward to showcasing this unseen world and sharing his insights during this unique photography tour.
See his photographs at Visual Quotient
Detailed Itinerary
Day 01.
We will arrive at Karwar this morning and will be transferred to the Jungle Lodges and Resorts’ Devbagh Beach Resort by a short boat ride. Around lunch, we’ll have an orientation session about the tour followed by a brief session on photographing crabs. We then head out to the beach for our first photography session. Through the session, your photography mentor would help you with photography techniques in the fields as well as the natural history of these beautiful animals. The session ends with a beautiful sunset by the sea.
Around dinner, your photography mentor would review your photographs from the evening to give you tips on what you should continue doing and what you should improve upon. We’ll retire for the day early as we have an early start tomorrow.
Day 02.
We start around sunrise and head out for another session of photographing crabs. Crabs in the mangroves and the mighty hordes of Soldier Crabs are high on our agenda this morning. With the tide coming in, we’ll head back to the resort for breakfast.
After breakfast, we’ll either walk to a nearby fishing village (if there are boats coming back from a morning of fishing) or take a short walk through the forests around the resort looking for birds and other wildlife.
After lunch, we’ll again head out for another session of photographing crabs. This time, we’ll spend time by the sea photographing the mighty onslaught of the waves on tiny crabs. As with the previous day, we end the session with a beautiful sunset by the sea.
Around dinner, we’ll have another photographs’ review session followed by a discussion about what we’ve observed over the past 2 days.
Day 03.
We start early again, around sunrise, to make the best of early morning light. On our last session, we’ll try to photograph crabs that we’ve missed over the past couple of days or crabs that the group wants to take another opportunity with. As the tide comes in, we head back to the resort for breakfast.
After checking out of our rooms, we’ll discuss our learning and experiences from the tour. With memories of Devbagh and memory cards full of photographs, we then head back to our homes.
Registration
Contact us at the email/numbers below to book the tour.
email: register@darter.in
Tel: 97400 83260 (Shreeram)
Alternately, fill in the following form to get in touch with us regarding the tour.