Wild Karnataka Bandipur National Park Rajiv Gandhi National Park B R Hills Sanctuary Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary Kokkrebellur Pelicanry Kaggaladu Heronry Bannerghatta National Park Anshi National Park Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary Gudavi Bird Sanctuary Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary Mandagadde Bird Sanctuary Kudremukh National Park Chamarajnagar Dubare Elephant Camp     Soraba - 12km Sagar - 42km Shimoga - 112km Bangalore - 377km   Shimoga - 112km Mangalore - 272km   Mangalore - 272k     An obscure village in Sorab taluk of Shimoga district, comes alive in June as the energetic chirping of birds fills the air. The tree-lined banks of the Gudavi Lake become a brilliant mosaic of colours, with branches buried under bright plumage. The grey heron, night heron, little cormorant, jungle fowl, waterfowl, white-headed crane, pond heron, and the black-headed crane - you'll find them all holidaying at Gudavi. Their symphony can be heard miles away. Kavla Caves   The Kavla caves are located in the Dandeli sanctuary, 28km from the town of Dandeli. Embedded in the rocks on the ridge overlooking the Kali river valley, these natural caves were created by water seeping through porous rocks over millions of years. There are two ways to approach Kavla caves. Your first option is to ascend a roughly-hewn stairway of 1000 steps after crossing the Kali river stream near the Nagjhari Power Station at Ambikanagar. The other route is through the Dandeli game sanctuary via Panasoli village. The view of the river valley from Kavla caves is breathtaking. Though the cave is about 15 ft. high, its mouth is only three feet in height. You will need to use a powerful flashlight to explore these caves; they are pitch dark. After crawling on hands and knees for about 30 ft., the roof opens to a height of about 10 ft. A few more steps lead you to a mammoth Shivling-like stalagmite. The area surrounding it has been converted into a sanctum sanctorum and is maintained by a priest who is only present for a brief time each day. During the Maha Shivarathri festival, this cave is electrically lit to play host to a jatra that takes place here. Moving deeper into the cave, you will see some stalactites and a small finger-like stalagmite. The entrance and the exit of these caves is in the form of an inverted "U" with doors at both end