A heady brew, this!

It was supposed to be a five-hour ride. After all, Sakleshpur is only about 230 km from Bangalore. But it took seven hours. There were so many draws that lured us out of the car every half hour or so.

Like the snow-white coffee blossoms on deep-green Robusta coffee plants stretching for miles on either side punctuated with tall trees and pepper vines snaking around them, which offered great views and photo-ops. There were also elegant coffee-stump furniture and desktop accessories in the workshops lining the road. We just had to stop and shop, especially once we were told the same stuff cost two to four times more in glitzy Bangalore showrooms!

And then there was the great weather––we paused to drink in gulpfuls of this pure, clean, lung-rejuvenating air. The initial grumbles by fellow-travellers about the car not being air-conditioned subsided as the weather became wonderfully cool as we entered the Western Ghats area. Once we entered plantations area, we also stopped to drink water from streams and roadside taps––it was cold, wonderfully clear, and tasted heavenly-pure. And there were spices to buy––pepper, cardamom, vanilla, and cinnamon, besides sun-dried ginger and of course great coffee-beans and powder.

Sakleshpur is one of the lesser-known tourism destinations of Karnataka, though the scene is slowly changing and the trickle of visitors is becoming a stream. Located about 3,100 ft above sea-level, Sakleshpur is in the Western Ghats––one of the world’s richly biodiverse areas. It is in Hassan district and part of the Malnad region.

The Bisle and Kempuhole Reserve Forests are around Sakleshpur––so this area is in the elephant corridor and wildlife-sighting and birdwatching are possible in the interiors of the forest. We spotted two barking deer which had strayed into a thicket of trees, one peacock on the outskirts besides plenty of elephant droppings on the paths around the resort we stayed in.

Motor-rally enthusiast H S Prithviraj told us he and others had spotted gaur and tigers only a few days ago while driving around––incidentally, the best way to navigate this terrain. We also saw a large variety of birds during dawn and dusk. Given its terrain, rich biodiversity and picturesque views, coffee-country Sakleshpur attracts nature-lovers, naturalists and trekking enthusiasts.

There are about 12 good trekking routes with distances ranging from two to 40 km. Offroad driving and rallying are also major activities here and river-rafting is also rewarding here. There is also the Manjarabad Fort, though it is rather nondescript, and temples too including many to Kalabhairava. A must-see is the centuries-old Ramalingeshwara temple with several alcoves to other deities like Ganesha, Durga, Veerabhadra, Kalabhairava, the Navagrahas, etc. The famed Kukke Subramanya temple is a short drive away.

Threat to biodiversity

However, like all biodiverse spots in India, Sakleshpur is also facing threats to its ecology from rapid and eco-insensitive projects, unbridled construction, deforestation, and careless tourists. The good news, however, is that several concerned persons are trying their best to spread awareness about this and doing their best to preserve the delicate eco-balance of this region.

Environmentalist and President of the Wild Elephant Protection Committee, H M Vikram Gowda says, “This is a richly biodiverse area enjoying about 350 inches of annual rainfall, with nearly 150 species of trees, and is a haven for wildlife and birds. The region is home to bears, tigers, leopards, elephants, gaur, sambar, giant Malabar squirrel, flying squirrel, porcupine, deer (including mouse and barking varieties) and a host of bird species, etc.

“However, the hydroelectric dams are cutting into the elephant corridor and reducing their area so they often end up entering villages and sugarcane and paddy fields, and causing havoc. The many windmills have created difficulties for birds––for eg, the low-flying Great Indian Hornbill finds its flight path impeded. The clearing of roads for construction of buildings, windmills and roads are affecting the green cover and contributing to pollution. We are trying to combat these problems.”

According to Manoj Rai, Director of a jungle resort, “Sakleshpur region is a virgin tourism destination that offers myriad options for the tourists. However, various stakeholders of the tourism industry should understand the ecological sensitivities of the region and act appropriately to ensure the place is not exploited.

Sustainable tourism is the need of the hour as it implies low impact on the environment while also creating employment opportunities for locals. At our resort, we follow this philosophy in letter and spirit; support local economies by purchasing local goods and use the least possible amount of non-renewable resources. We will soon generate our own hydel power.”

‘Sustainable tourism is key’

Praseen Shetty, a Sakleshpur-based coffee-planter and racing enthusiast, says that the local population strongly believes that tourism brings a positive experience to them.

“While the potential is immense, care should be taken early on to minimise a negative fallout. Given the ecologically sensitive nature of the region, the locals should be educated in community-based sustainable tourism initiatives.”

All those who are interested in saving this area recommend measures like forest clearings to prevent the spread of forest fires (which this area is prone to), limits on construction activity, not disturbing the elephant corridor, encouraging responsible tourism like ecotourism, and making concerted efforts to conserve the rich biodiversity of this area by involving all the stakeholders.