The concept of Jungle Lodges run by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation is fantastic. Wildlife Safari, Nature Trekking, Adventure Sports...... they have it all. 13 wonderful locations within a 200 km radius of Bangalore.
The best part of Jungle Lodges is the package design. Full marks to the KSTDC team for putting togather thoughtful and affordable packages.
You can make a Day Trip or take an Overnight Package. Depending on the location you are visiting:
-> a Day Tour costs around Rs.350 to Rs.650 per person,
-> an Overnight one costs between Rs.1600 per couple to Rs.3600 per couple.
-> Package includes Welcome Drink, Lunch, Evening Tea + Activities for a Day Package,
-> while Dinner, Bonfire and Breakfast for next morning are included in the Overnight Package.
-> For Overnight Packages you can choose between a Tent (@ about Rs.1600 per couple) or Log Hut (@about Rs.3500 per couple). Both categories are well furnished, comfortable and safe.
Booking can be done conveniently at the Jungle Lodges office on MG Road in Bangalore (2nd Floor, Shringar Complex, MG Road, Bangalore 1).
You can make enquiries on telephone no. 00-91-80-25597021 or 24
or send an email to info@junglelodges.com
or visit https://junglelodges.com
Since the lodges are in remote areas, full payment is to be made in advance at the MG Road office, which then makes arrangements at the respective camps accordingly. Entry to the camp is strictly on the basis of the receipt, so make sure you travel only after a firm booking. They even have a customer loyalty programme and every time you take an overnight package you stand to earn discounts on your next trip.
Importantly:
1) Carry caps for the trek... the jungle tends to get hot in the late morning and afternoon
2) Carry water bottles for the trek
3) Wear light shoes
4) Carry a change of clothes even if on a day trip
To share my experience, our first trip to the lodges was absolutely fantabulous!
"Bheemeshwari Fishing Camp" is located about 100 Kms South of Bangalore just off the Kanakpura Coimbatore State Highway. Directions are well marked and the road, though bumpy at some places, is lined with trees. The last 30 kms is through a winding jungle road.
The camp is set along the banks of the (much disputed) Cauvery river with almost a comic book precision to the setting.... tall iron gate, fencings all around, khaki clad forest department employees.....
The visit was a good mix of fun, relaxation and activity. If you get in before 10 am, you can start your day with an elephant ride. There is a complete herd - 2 gigantic male tuskers, 4/5 females and the cutest living being I have ever seen..... an elephant calf. He was the star attraction. If our kids were curious to see the elephants, the little jumbo out did them.... He would snout around our necks and shoes and run around the whole place in excitment. While the bigger elephants were watchful, they were at ease and did not make any impression of aggression. At 10.30 the elephants are taken into the forest for grazing and return only by dusk. So if you want to play with the little calf, make it early.
The camp is full of hammocks and rope nets. The lazy ones can just cling on to a hammock and rest all day long. For the activity enthusiasts, you can take a guided nature trek (included in the package) through the forest. Its a 6 km walk and you are bound to see some wonderful sights. Our guide suddenly stopped us and asked us to sit low on the ground..... and behold! A herd of deer sprang past in front of us only some 200 metres away. Breathtaking! I have a photographic memory of the scene and it will last with me forever.
After about 2 hours of trekking we returned to the camp for lunch. Post lunch we went on an amazing river rafting session. This was a bonus since the river was flooded and the rapids were fast and furious. There were 8 rafts, each with a capacity to seat 6 to 8 members + a guide/ leader. After 30 minutes of class room training we were ready to hit the rapids. It was my first time on a raft and the experience was thrilling. The first few strokes on the paddle taught us that river rafting is all about team work. If you don’t paddle in sync, you’ve had it. Slowly the team fell in sync and then it was a good ride. We hit many rapids and each time the raft went up on a big one, the entire team cheered. When we approached a relatively calm patch on the river, the leader asked us to get off the raft and swim alongwith it. Some of us jumped off without a second thought while some sat wondering whether to do it or not. But once off the raft, all fears vanished. We floated with ease because of the life jackets and just had to put our feet in the direction of the river flow. After about 10 minutes the leader pulled us all out of the river one by one. At the end of the 8 km ride, the rafts were mounted on top of a caravan and all members got into jeeps and were driven back to the camp. The experience was so good that we decided to back for a second round of rafting.
By the time we got back from the second round, it was past 6 pm. Since we were on a day tour (no accomodation available for the night) we had to return to Bangalore. We had spent only about 9 hours at the camp but it was an extremely satisfying and relaxing trip. My mind was away from all the worries of every day life and was raring to go back to work full blast.
My 13 year old nephew on holiday to India from the Middle East aptly summed it up "Going to a mall is an every day thing, but Jungle Lodges was a REAL holiday". I am now looking forward to my next trip to the Lodges.
Highly recommended experience!