National Parks and Sancturies

Trip to Hampi : Hampi is a historical place founded by Hakka and Bukka in 1365 AD and the seat of the Vijayanagar empire. Visit to Hampi is a one day program that covers major monuments and temples. Should they wish to cover more places, they can do so after the program. The entry fee of 3 euros is covered only for the volunteers/ interns who have opted for the ‘100 euros extra scheme’. Others will have to pay the entry fee.

Trip to Sangankal Neolithic caves : 20 Kms away from Bellary are the mountains where the prehistoric Neolithic people lived. The rock art and the ash mounds near these mountains is as old as 10,000 BC. This was the Neolithic age when people discovered the art of farming.

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Daroji Bear Sanctuary : Perhaps the only sloth bear sanctuary in India which is home to about 132 sloth bears. Here you get to see the sloth bears at a very close range in their natural habitat from a watch tower. For those who are adventurous, a trek inside the sanctuary to get very close to their dens is possible. The sloth bears are nocturnal animals sleeping most of the day and spending the evenings and the entire night foraging for food. You can also spot leopards, striped hyenas, mongoose, Indian wolves, jackals, hares, wild pigs, etc if you are lucky. The avian species includes the peafowl, painted spurfowl, yellow throated bulbul, whistling thrush, blossom headed parakeet, black hooded oriole, red avadavat, rufous tree pie, pied kingfisher, painted sandgrouse, etc. The entry fee for the sanctuary is about 3 euros and the trek fee is 2 euros and is covered for volunteers/ interns who have opted the ‘100 euro extra scheme’. The dress code is green, kaki, camoflague, etc.

Visit to the Bellary Fort : Bellary hill is considered to be the second largest monolithic structure in Asia. In 1775 Haider Ali, father of Tippu Sultan built a fort on this majestic rock which is a mile and a half in circumference, 1976 feet above the sea level and stands 480 feet above the ground. A trek to this historical monument is breath taking and you can dwell in the memory of the by gone days. The entry fee is 3 euros and is covered for volunteers/ interns who have opted the '100 euros extra scheme'

Trip to Sandur : Sandur was described as a paradise by Sri Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian Independence on his visit to Bellary district. This forested area is rich in manganese and iron ore and sandal wood trees. Sandur is rich in flora and fauna and is home to the four horned antilopes, chinkara, leopards and a host of other mammals and bird species. The town of Sandur is famous for handicrafts made by the Lamani or the Banjara tribes.

Visit to the medicinal plantation sanctuary : Dr Mahadeva Diggavi who is an expert on ayurveda and medicinal plants will lead the group to sandur medicinal plantation sanctuary. The slopes of the forest has over 300 species of naturally grown medicinal plants which is now protected by the forest department.

Visit to the Banjara or the Lamani tribe’s village : These Lamanis probably have the same roots as the gypsies found in Europe and the Balkan States. The dresses worn by these gypsies are colourful with lots of beads and mirror work. The volunteers/ interns are taken to these villages to study their culture and their handicrafts. Folk songs and tribal dances may also be arranged.

Birding trips : Bellary, Sandur, Hampi and Daroji lake are rich in birds. A guide who is familiar with the area and the birds will lead the team. Mr Santosh Martin, who is a good birder himself may lead the team sometimes. The birds found are greater flamingos, painted storks, open bill, white and wolly necked storks, ibis, herons, egrets, cormorants, eurasian eagle owl, golden backed woodpecker, pied wagtail, chestnut bellied nut hatch, black drongo, the highly endangered great Indian bustard, and also the bird which was thought to be extinct in 1915, which resurfaced in 1985 the Jerdon’s courser.

Cultural trips : India is a country of varied culture, language, religion and tradition. Volunteers/ interns are often taken to different places in Bellary and Hospet to study the culture and the tradition of this place to see how people from different religious and language background live in harmony. They are also taken to the different places of worship like the church, temple, etc. If possible they get a chance to attend the Hindu, Muslim or the Christian wedding. They may also visit the English cemetery where the British soldiers and the officers were buried during the colonial rule of India. Then they may visit the Turkish martyrs cemetery where the Turkish soldiers were buried during the Second World War.

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