As you gape at a tiger hunting stealthily, ever wonder what it would feel like to stay in a forest, amidst the tigers, leopards and elephants?  Would you be scared or excited?

The thought often crossed my mind and I finally experienced staying in a wildlife sanctuary! Here I was, in Masinagudi, a picturesque town in the Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nilgiris district. The morning was awake with a multitude of forest sounds – the twittering of sparrows, woodpeckers, bulbuls and parrots coated in the most spectacular green, screeches of the Langurs, barking of the wild dogs and every now and then some new sounds which my still amateur self, was unable to identify! The energy of the wild permeated through the tranquil and serene atmosphere.

As I settled into my chair with a steaming cup of coffee, I viewed the soul stirring beauty around me with a sense of peace and joy. The rolling plains met the lofty Nilgiri mountain range, rightly christened the Blue Mountains because of their colour. There is something very powerful about mountains I thought, a symbol of quiet yet majestic strength! I watched in awe the rising sun peeking over the thick line of forestland.

My friend invited me for an early morning stroll. Albeit a bit nervous (an elephant had been spotted at the gate yesterday at 7 a.m.) the crisp air of the magical morning lured me to leave the safety of my home and explore my surroundings.The excitement I felt discovering some paw marks close to my residence  was soon replaced by awe, on finding the jaw bone and remains of  a skull of perhaps a deer – probably this animal was a meal to a tiger! The villagers informed us that a tigress, living in the area next to our residence had been spotted several times recently. The news as daunting as it was didn’t seem to bother anyone but me.

The peaceful coexistence of man and beast in Masinagudi warms one’s heart. That evening I visited the forest that runs along the Moyar River .The Moyar – Masinagudi Elephant corridor in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is situated between the Moyar and Masinagudi villages and maintains habitat connectivity within the Mudumalai tiger reserve. Here we spotted elephants, Indian bison, wild boar but sadly no tiger! Driving around Masinagudi I was struck by its beauty. It is still winter in the month of February and the forests are uniquely beautiful, moving gently into myriads of colors; white, black due to forest fires, rust and even green! During this time animals are spotted mainly at the watering holes.

Things to do in Masinagudi:
In my view Masinagudi has something to offer to both wildlife enthusiasts and holiday makers looking for a relaxing getaway in the heart of nature and away from the humdrum of city life. One of the major tourist attractions in Masinagudi is the Mudumalai National Park and tiger reserve which is located at a distance of 15 kms from Masinagudi.

The National Park organizes safaris into undisturbed sanctuary areas, which lasts anywhere between forty five minutes to an hour. For more adventure you can even tour the jungle atop an elephant. If elephants fascinate you then you can visit the Elephant Camp where elephants are trained and cared for and I am told even perform pujas!

For those of us who may not want to spend hours gazing into the wild to spot animals, there is aplenty to fill your time. You can plan a trip to the Nilgiris tea plantations and observe the journey of a tea leaf right from the parent plant to your steaming cup! You can also plan a day visit to the nearby hill stations of Ooty or Coonoor or pack a picnic to various camping sites. You can get the necessary information from the resort guide.

Things to know about Masinagudi:
1. Covering an area of 321 sq km Masinagudi is a small town close to both Mudumalai and Bandipur wildlife sanctuaries. It is well connected to Mysore city.

2. Best time to visit for wildlife enthusiasts: June to November. June to September monsoon brings short spells of rain and provides perfect time for game spotting. Temperature is mostly 16 to 28 degrees Celsius, though it drops to about 21 degrees Celsius in November.

3. Walking through the reserve forest is prohibited.

Accommodation:
There are many resorts in Masinagudi which offers visitors the opportunity to stay in the wild. Recommended below are the family run resorts known for their warm hospitality.

Jungle Hut: Prices Rs.6, 000 onwards, double occupancy and offers APAI plan which includes all meals and taxes.

Jungle Retreat:  Room rent is Rs.3, 598 plus food at Rs.1, 470.

The Wilds at Northern Hay: Prices are Rs 4000 onwards, double occupancy and it includes breakfast. Option to stay in a Tree house: Price 4,500.

How do I get there?
It is convenient to connect to Masinagudi from Mysore. The journey time by car from Mysore Airport to Masinagudi town is approximately 2 ½ hours.

Flights: Spice Jet flies to Mysore from Chennai via Bangalore.

Train: The Shatabdi express commutes from Chennai via Bangalore to Mysore. Masinagudi can be reached From Coimbatore via Ooty.