Medla watchtower by bullock cart
The Medla trip starts by jeep from the Lataguri side and runs to the Medla camp, near the Murti river. From there you ride a bullock cart along a forest track to the Medla watchtower, which looks over the river, grassland and forest edge. Elephants, gaur and rhinos sometimes come down to the river, and birds are plentiful.
Most trips end back at the camp with a short performance of dance and song by Adivasi villagers from nearby. It is a simple, local programme. Watch respectfully, and if you want to give something, use the collection or contribution the organisers suggest.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
Is the Medla bullock-cart ride comfortable?
It is short and bumpy rather than comfortable. You sit on a wooden cart pulled by two bullocks along a forest track for a few minutes. Children usually enjoy it. People with back problems can walk alongside instead; ask the guide.
What animals can I see from Medla?
Medla looks over the Murti river and its grassland. Gaur, deer, peafowl and many birds are common; elephants and rhinos sometimes come to the water. Sightings are less predictable than at Jatraprasad, but the river setting is very pretty.
Is the Adivasi dance at Medla a tourist show?
It is a short programme organised for visitors with performers from nearby Adivasi villages, so it earns them an income. It is not a religious ceremony. Watch quietly, ask before close-up photographs, and thank the performers. Festival dances in villages are different and should only be watched by invitation.
Also in Gorumara and Lataguri
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