Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary Kolhapur – Fireflies festival

Located in the Western Ghats, the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary, blessed with a rich and diverse flora and fauna, is a must-do weekend break for wildlife enthusiasts in Maharashtra

Booking the game drive is a must in India, you may use online facility. Since the drives per day are limited one has to ensure booking well in advance.

How to reach

• By Railway
  • Nearest railway station is Kankavli (54 km/1 hr)
• By Road:
  • NH17 to Tarele via Chiplun and Rajapur. Take a left turn at Tarele for Phonda Ghat (18 km) – Dajipur (12 km)
  • You can also drive down via Pune and Kolhapur.

Special Tips only for YOU : 

• If you wish to drive inside the Jungle [with permissions] then go with your SUV and not small car
• Remember that jungle life begins early morning and the animals retire before it gets too hot.
• Start early morning to get inside the jungle, to watch animals & birds. The Bison point, is about 25 kms inside the interior of the reserve, and it will take ~2.5 hrs of being driven on dirt road tracks to get here.
• If you start late then prepare to spend your entire time on the jungle watchtower aimlessly staring at your jeep in the empty grassland, without a single sighting.
• ATM machine is available at Radhanagari, however we suggest to carry sufficient cash with you

Special and must known important facts about Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary

• Two endemic species to the Western Ghats are spotted here
  • Small sunbird and
  • Malabar grey hornbill
• Its favorite nesting place for:
  • Speckled piculet
  • Malabar crested lark
  • Some species of Himalayan birds such as the Indian blue robin during the winter months.
• Threatened species of reptiles and amphibians:
  • Malabar pit viper,
  • Deccan ground gecko,
  • Gunther’s cat skink,
  • Beddome’s lacerta,
  • Bombay bush frog
  • Humayun’s wrinkled frog

Birds species

• Vultures, eagles, Jungle fowl, Quails, Plovers, Sandpipers, Owlets, Doves, Owls, Nightjars, Kingfishers, Bee-eater, Hornbills, Woodpeckers, Bulbul, Flycatchers, Warblers, Wagtails, Sunbirds are commonly seen, Nilgiri wood-pigeon (Columba elphinstonii)
• Other species found here include the
  • Ceylon frogmouth, yellow-browed bulbul, dusky eagle-owl and, great pied hornbill, and one of India’s , ost admired songbirds, the Malabar whistlingthrush., Ceylon frogmouth, yellow-browed bulbul, dusky , eagle-owl, great pied hornbill, the Malabar whistlingthrush [India’s most admired songbirds]

Flora

425 species of plants have been recorded in the sanctuary

The main species found over here are

• Anjani, Jambul, Hirda, Awala, Pisa, Ain, Kinja, Amba, Kumbha, Bhoma, Chandala, Katak, Nana, Umbar, Jambha, Gela, Bibba, banana
• Karvi, Karvand bush
• Climbing plants such as Shikekai and Garambi.
• Shrub species and medicinal plants such as
  • Karvand, Vagati (Candy Corn Plant ), Ranmiri (orange climber), Tamalpati, [Toran], Dhayati (fire-flame bush), Kadipatta (curry tree), [Nothapodytes nimmoniana| Narkya, Murudsheng (Indian screw-fruit)
• Bamboo
• Large numbers of ephemeral bulbs of seasonal plants
• Many sacred groves or devrais देवराई have been protected as a result of the efforts of the local communities.

Karvi Flowers

If you are lucky, you may see beautiful flowering of Karvi, which lives flowerless for first six years and dies in the seventh year with lots of Purple flowering. You can see a purple carpet laid down on every inch of the forest floor.

Fireflies festival 2019

You can see thousands of fireflies during beginning of monsoon season.

This year that is 2019, Bison nature club has organized Fireflies Festival or Kajwa Festival.

Fauna

Amphibians are most visible in the rainy season. 20 species from 2 orders, 5 families and 10 genera are listed in the sanctuary.

• 47 species of Mammals
• 59 species of reptiles
• 264 species of birds and
• 66 species of butterflies
• Indian Bison गवा or gaur (Bos gaurus) with a population around 610 in 2004 is the flagship species of the area.
• Other mammals, living in this sanctuary are as follows:
  • Indian Leopard (5)
  • Sloth Bear
  • Wild Boar (80)
  • Barking Deer (140)
  • Mouse Deer (80)
  • Sambar (120)
  • Giant Squirrel 50) and
  • Wild Dogs (70). [spotted in recent years]

Things to see and do

• Jungle Trek
  • You can go for jungle trek on the raw roads, forest guide will be there alongwith you.
• Jeep ride
  • If you goto the Bison point, then you need to select jeep option or get your own SUV [with premission]
• Visiting spots
  • Karud Ghat,
  • Govandsari Kurli Dam reservoir,
  • Dhamni Dam reservoir
  • Phonda Ghat
  • Sunset Point : Located  just few feet away from the large arch that marks the beginning of the Sindhudurg area.

Dajipur village

Named in the honour of the engineer of the dams

In the village you can visit display hall which displays information on the inhabitants of the forest, with large mounted labelled photographs, interactive quizzes on display, as well as the pug marks of important forest inhabitants casted in plaster.

Laxmi Talao

It is the reservoir lake of Radhanagari Dam

You can see a cluster of old ruins on an island in the reservoir where Shahuji Maharaj said to have occasionally rested. The temple constructed by Rajarshi Shahu is near this Laxmi Reservoir.

Margajache pani point : You may see the crocodiles here

Vaghache Pani

• Located on plateau of sanctuary made from Besalt Rocks.
• Tiger visits frequently for drinking water, hence this place is called as Vaghache Pani. (Tiger Water)
• There is a reservoir constructed by Rajarshi Shahu on this plateau.
• The watch tower (manora) located near this reservoir where you have chance to see Tiger, Panther, Deer, Wild Bear, etc.
• Also get to the Radhanagari Darshan Point, Sambar kund, Konkan darshan and Vengurla Harbour sea view.

Konkan Darshan Point

• View beautiful Sunset [similar to Bombay sunset point of Mahabaleshwar]
• Watch theShivgad Fort , Phonda Ghat, Malavans Sea view and Gagangad from this point..

Sambar Kund

• See flora at this point  such as Karvi, Ghaneri, Rametha , Kumkum , Kadipata, Tamalpatri, Shembisal, Amsul, Honey etc.
• Sambars also do visit here frequently for drinking water. Hence this spot is known as Sambar Kund.

Mahadev Temple

• Built by Rajarish Chh. Shahu
• Located on the way of Manora near Kittan Nala.

Ugvai Temple

• Located about 1.5 km to the south of Digipur village on the hill top.
• See Phonda-ghat, Sahyadri ranges and Radhanagari area from this point
• Be-aware of monkeys

Kalamwadi Mini Vrundavan Garden

• Similar to the Vrundavan Garden of Mysore
• Located at Kalamawadi about 3 km away from Radhanagari
• Area 46800 sq. metres.
• The facilities like swings, mercury lamps, swimming tank, and different plants of coloured flowers, Medicinal plants, etc are available

Dudhganga Dam and Hydroelectric Power Station

• This dam is constructed in Radhanagari sanctuary near Aasangaon village.
• Dudhganga dam aka Rajarshi Shahu Sagar Reservoir.
• Water storage capacity : 28 T.M.C.
• 12 MegaWatts capacity Hydroelectric power station is built at the base of this dam.
• Dam is located about 10 km from Radhanagari Dam and 8 km from Kalamwadi nodal point.
• Bus facilities are available up to dam.

Radhanagari Dam and Hydroelectric Power Station:

• Radhanagari dam is historical place which is constructed by Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj at Fejiwade.
• Also called as Laxmi Reservoir.
• Water storage capacity : 7 T.M.C.
• This is earthen dam.

Rautwadi Waterfall

• Located near Rautwadi village.
• Good to see birds and natural vegetation

Ramanwadi Waterfall

• This waterfall is 5 metres in height
• Located near Ramanwadi village.
• Available during monsoons

Shivagad Fort

• The Shivgad Fort, built by Shilahar King Second Bhoj
• Shiv temple is very near to this fort. Hence this fort is popularly known as Shivgad. This fort is 95 km away from Kolhapur city and located at the height of 728 metres above the mean sea level. Shape of Shivgad is as like rectangle.. Shivgad Ghat is near to this fort. But the tourists do not know the information of this fort. The water management and art on this fort are main attractions of Radhanagari wildlife sanctuary. There are several ranges having height between 760m to 950 metres. Savarai hill is the highest point in this area. The hill tops are known as Sodas which are occupied by grass land with variety of grasses There are several sodas like Shivgad, Zunzuchepani, Savarai sada , Hadakyche sada , Konkan Darshan Kada etc These sadas are main attraction to tourists. The plateaus are very poor in shrubby and tree vegetarian but rich in herbaceous flora. More than 300 species of different grasses are observed on these plateaus. In the recent more than 50 species of plants have been recorded which are new for botanical science. Every year on an average of about 15000 tourists visits the sanctuary.

Do not forget to read my guide on

Jungle Safari tips in India [Things you should know for]

Where to stay and Food availability at Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary

• Government guest house:
  • Book at least a week in advance
  • Get permission letter from the respective Kolhapur office
• The PWD Rest House
  • Kolhapur Tel: 0231-2650042, Fax: 2650140
  • Room Tariff: 470 Rs per person [2 rooms at Radhanagari]
  • For reservations, write/ fax to C/o Executive Engineer, South PWD, Kolhapur.
• The Irrigation Department’s Inspection Bungalow
  • Kolhapur Tel: 0231-2654736, Fax: 0231-2654735
  • Tariff: 200 Rs per person
  • Located near the Radhanagari Dam
  • 2 VIP suites and 2 ordinary rooms.
  • You can get scenic views of the reservoir.
  • For reservations, write/ fax to C/o Executive Engineer, Kolhapur Irrigation Division, Tarabai Park, Sinchan Bhavan, Kolhapur.
• The Dajipur Forest Guest House
  • Kolhapur Telefax: 0231-2542766
  • Tariff: 400 Rs per person, Tents 1,000-1,400 Rs [1 room and 3 tents]
  • Located closest to the forest reserve, good for starting early morning.
  • No FOOD available (Carry your own) or go to the Bison Resort Hotel and Bapucha Hotel at Sunset Point which are at walking distance.
  • For reservations, write/ fax to Chief Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Kolhapur.
• Ekant Homestay
  • Tel: 08888336668
  • Tariff: 1,800-2,000 Rs
  • Located near to the sanctury
  • Food : veg and nonveg food available and included in the tariff.
  • Owner : Ingle family

To read about other locations for fireflies festival in Maharashtra please read my post

Fireflies festival locations near Mumbai and Pune