The first edition of the Hyundai Jungle Diaries sees us drive from Pune to Mudumalai national park and seek out the local wildlife in a thrilling safari. Here is a short account of our trip.
Story: Harket Suchde
Photography: Saurabh Botre
Our journey began at the crack of dawn, as we left Pune behind and made our way towards the Maharashtra-Karnataka border and eventually towards Mudumalai. We had just over a thousand kilometres to cover that day, definitely a daunting task. We had a secret weapon though, because I was at the wheel of the Hyundai Creta, specifically the top-end petrol automatic.
Which means I had a 151 PS-producing 1.6-litre engine at my disposal, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission – speed and ease of driving would not be a problem. The further I travelled, the more I began to appreciate the Creta’s plush suspension and comfy seats too. Both features meant I felt less fatigued and more alert while driving, and helped me traverse those 1000 kms with absurd ease.
Soon enough, we arrived at our resort in Masinagudi – the Jungle Hut, and called it a night. The following morning, we were up and ready to leave for our safari before the sun’s first rays appeared from behind the Nilgiri Hills around us. After driving to the the visitor’s centre at Mudumalai, we finally commenced our jungle safari.
During the safari, we saw exotic birds and animals such as the Peacock, spotted deer, Indian gaur, and giant malabar squirrel. After exploring the forest’s leafy hallows, we also checked out the nearby elephant camp, where we were fortunate enough to arrive just during feeding time. After keeping the resident elephants company while they ate, we finally departed back to our resort.
After a quick check out, it was time to leave the forests behind and head back in to the chaos of urban living. The Creta though had proved itself adept in both scenarios, and that too without breaking a sweat.
The first part of our Hyundai Jungle Diaries web series ends here, but stay tuned for further episodes, and check out Car India’s July issue for a detailed account of our adventure in Mudumalai.
