Rainforest Rendezvous – Photography Tour of Amboli

Overview

The rainforests of the Western Ghats are always alive – the sound of water droplets falling from high up in the canopy to puddles on the ground, the croaks of frogs as they look for mates, and the multitude of insects buzzing form a natural orchestra that quickly becomes addictive. Little streams flow through the forest, tumbling down as beautiful waterfalls in many places. Fungi of all shapes, sizes and colors are everywhere. Snakes, in their myriad colours and sizes, eagerly wait and lookout for prey. Praying Mantises blend into their environments, perfectly camouflaging themselves.

A brief break from the rains brings the sun peeking out from the clouds. And along with it, the most colourful butterflies like the Blue Mormon, Southern Birdwing, Red Helen and Cruiser dance amongst the flowers. Western Ghats endemic birds like Malabar Grey Hornbill, Yellow-browed Bulbuls and even Sri Lankan Frogmouths are seen here.

Rainforest Rendezvous is a great opportunity to see and photograph these amazing forests. Radha Rangarajan, Darter Photography Expert on this tour, has visited the Western Ghats several times in the past and has rich experience in photographing the beauty of the rainforest and its denizens. She would guide you on photographing not just the myriad forms of life here but also the scenic beauty of the rainforest.

Under the guidance of renowned naturalist Hemant Ogale, learn a great deal about the elusive wildlife in the depths of the Western Ghats. He would share his extensive knowledge about the rainforests and their conservation and lead us on the trail to discover the myriad forms of life.

Tour Highlights

The tour includes:

• Sessions and on-field guidance on rainforest ecology, conservation and environmental issues
• Sessions on photographing rainforest wildlife – technical, aesthetic and ways to approach the subjects
• On field assistance in identifying wildlife and in understanding the rainforest ecology
• Expert assistance on field in getting best images
• Rainforest walks at day and night to experience and capture the richness of the forests up-close
• Discussions and image reviews at the end of every day’s shoot

Is This Tour For You?

This tour is for you if:

• You are excited to photograph every fascinating life form in the rainforest, from little frogs to beautiful butterflies to majestic snakes, AND/OR
• You want to learn about the techniques of photographing in the rainforests from the experts, AND/OR
• You have a keen interest in diverse forms of wildlife and wish to learn more about the rich biodiversity in the rainforests

Rainforest Rendezvous is designed for photographers of all levels of expertise – amateur and serious – who would like to photograph the beautiful rainforests and the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats. As in all our tours, the group size would be limited so that the Darter Photography Experts can interact closely with every participant. Wildlife enthusiasts who are not photographers, but are keen to see and experience Amboli, are also welcome to join this group. This trip, showcasing the wonder that are the Western Ghats, will keep you enthralled from start to finish.

Our tour is designed in such a way that we

• work closely with every photographer
• help beginners understand the basic nuances of photography and get beautiful images
• facilitate expert photographers to photograph the different facets of the rainforest, assisting them further when necessary
• allow wildlife enthusiasts to explore the biodiversity of the Western Ghats.

Accommodation

We will be staying at Whistling Woods Resort in Amboli. The resort has non A/C rooms with attached bathrooms.

Simple vegetarian meals will be served. Electricity may be available for some part of the day and resourceful usage of the same is encouraged.

Important Note

• Smoking and alcohol is restricted in the premises of the resort.
• Bonfire and loud music is prohibited at the  campsite to avoid any disturbance to animals.
• Avoid carrying plastics to the campsite. If it is unavoidable, please carry back plastic waste with you. Eg. Pet bottles, plastic bags etc.
• No provision for room service is made available.

Getting there

From Bangalore, you can reach Belgaum by train or bus.

• Train: It is recommended to take the Rani Chennamma Express from Bangalore to Belgaum as the timings are very convenient.
• Bus: There are many KSRTC Airavat Volvo buses to Belgaum. Please ensure that you take one that reaches Belgaum by 8AM.

We’ll arrange for transport from Belgaum to Amboli and back. Please note the timings below and ensure that your onward and return tickets are booked accordingly.

• Day 1: Departure from Belgaum to Amboli at 08:30AM
• Day 3: Arrival at Belgaum from Amboli at 5:00PM

If your onward and return journey from/to Belgaum is at a different time, we can arrange for transfers at an additional cost.

Tour Price

The price of the tour is Rs.12,500/- per person. 

The tour price includes

• Accommodation in spacious cottages on double-sharing basis
• Simple vegetarian meals during the stay (starting with breakfast on Day 1 and ending with lunch on Day 3)
• Guided nature trails
• Sessions on wildlife photography, rainforest ecology, on-field assistance and image reviews by Darter Photography Expert
• Transport from Belgaum to Amboli and back

• Transport to Belgaum and back
• Additional food and beverages
• Laundry, telephone and internet access
• Tips and anything else that is not part of the includes list above

Join This Tour

To sign up for this tour, please write to us at photography@darter.in or call Shreeram (+91-9740083260). Alternatively, you can also fill up the contact form at the end of this page and we’ll get in touch with you with the payment details.

Experts

Darter Photography Expert – Radha Rangarajan

Radha Rangarajan is a wildlife photographer and an avid birder. She has travelled and photographed a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes from the grasslands of Corbett to the rainforests of the Anamalais. She specializes in macro and bird photography. She is an aesthete, creative and offbeat compositions are her forte. Radha has presented her images in many forums and publications. She has undergone the Naturalist Training Program conducted by Jungle Lodges & Resorts and has had a short stint as a naturalist at their resort in the Bhadra Tiger Reserve.

Detailed ltineary

Day 1 – Travel from Belgaum and reach Amboli in around 2 hours. Arrive at the resort. After breakfast, we’ll have an orientation session on the forests and wildlife of Amboli, followed by a walk into the rainforest to observe and photograph the different facets of the rainforest. After lunch, we’ll have a session on Rainforest Photography – the various subjects, techniques, light conditions, macro photography and ethics. We head out on another walk into the rainforest around the resort. Around dinner, we’ll discuss about the observations of the day and review the photographs that have been clicked during the day. After dinner, we do a night trail to find interesting nocturnal animals like Frogs, Snakes, Moths and, if we are lucky, a Leopard or a Civet too!

Day 2 – During breakfast, we’ll have a de-brief session where we discuss about the observations on Day 1. After breakfast, we’ll head out on a morning trail around the area. After lunch, we have a session on Rainforest Ecology, followed by an afternoon/evening trail. Around dinner, we’ll review the photographs that have been taken during the tour so far. After dinner, we do a night trail before retiring for the day.

Day 3 – During breakfast, we’ll have a de-brief session where we discuss about the events and photography during Day 2. After breakfast, we head out on a morning trail to a plateau eco-system. After lunch, we have a tour closure session and we’ll leave from Amboli.

The Darter Photography Expert would conduct photography review sessions everyday to give you feedback on your photographs. Also, in the event of a snake rescue call, we may get to accompany the herpetologists on the rescue mission (this is dependent on the type of rescue and permissions from forest department).