KABINI River Lodge is set on a expansive land on the banks of a huge Reservoir of water formed by Kabini Dam. Cottages are top class with all ameneties but at the same time minimalist with no unnecessary luxurious add-ons.Understandable , given that its managed by Karnataka Govt. Definitely opt for the River facing cottages than the rooms in the Bungalow as they overlook the River (actually its a reservior as I would like to repeat again) with lots of ancient large trees and Hammocks. Another advantage is ofcourse these cottages are closest to the Dining Hall which is set on a beautiful giant platform on the River Bank serving very authentic local simple fare.(this is not the place to expect your usual gravy rich Paneers and usual "north Indian" fare. You get a very decent meal as part of the all inclusive tariff with extra charges for Beer/Mineral Water if you want.
Ofcourse this being a Jungle Lodge the main activity ofcourse is not to laze around or to indulge your tase buds..its about exploring the Jungle and this is something the Lodge staff are quite focussed at. There are early dawn and Dusk Safari tours on jeeps with dedicated naturalist who is well versed with all flora and Fauna in the jungle, including the Occasional Cheetahs and Tigers.( We weren’t so lucky though..) However you can easily sight elephants, deers, monkeys, boars, etc and if you plan your visit during Feb- April, when water is scarce in these parts, you can see the mammoth congregation of upto 100-200 elephants at one place near Kabini River which is believed to be the largest gathering of these mammals in the world.
Dont miss it if you can ..and you need to book much in advance for this property as its highly in demand. The only complaint is after reading that, its rated as top 10 jungle resorts in the world, its a bit disappointing to see the surrounding of the resort is actually being slowly inhabited by the nearby villages ruling out any animals near the resort. For those like us , expecting to be in middle of the pristine forest on the banks of a wild flowing River, it is a bit disappointing. But overall commendable job by Karnataka Forest Dept and Govt. It takes 6 hrs drive from bangalore.