Who doesn’t love travelling through the wilderness of the verdant forest of Wayanad? Though you can travel through the Wayanad jungles with your friends and family members during day time without many hassles, fear sets in once it is dark as danger might lurk in the form of an elephant or a tiger. But now the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has rolled out a unique safari service on Friday that would help you to enjoy the intriguing wildlife of Wayanad at night.
The night jungle safari is the brain child of the budget tourism cell of KSRTC and the tourists can take this amazing 60km-long bus ride for Rs 300. The project is part of the earnest efforts to explore the possibilities of conducting tours during night hours in a mountainous region like Wayanad that record high tourist footfall. The night tours in Wayanad, which is replete with forest, wild animals, lakes, waterfalls and hills, are a tall order without requisite facilities.
The KSRTC night safari bus will start its journey from the Sultan Battery bus depot at 9pm and will reach Ponkuzhi on the Kerala-Karnataka border after travelling on Kozhikode-Kollengal NH 766 that cuts through the Wayanad wildlife sanctuary. The bus will touch the interior hamlets of Moolankavu, Karipur, Valluvadi and Vadakkanau, which are on the periphery of the wildlife sanctuary, while reaching Sultan Battery. After a breather, the bus will head to Irulam after passing through the Kurichyadu and Kurichayadu forest ranges in the wildlife sanctuary. The 60km safari will culminate at Sultan Battery at 11.30pm.
Two customized buses had been made ready to run the night safari services. Moreover, the tourists can stay in four AC sleeper buses, including one reserved for women travellers, stationed at the KSRTC depot. Deluxe rooms and dormitory facilities are also available for tourists who reserve tickets for the night safari. The tariff is Rs 160 and Rs 890 for a dormitory bed and a deluxe room respectively.
The night safari initiative was the dream project of Chairman and Managing Director of KSRTC Biju Prabhakar. Presently, the safari ride is available only to tourists staying in sleeper coaches and those who had travelled to Wayanad from far-off places in KSRTC buses.
