Kabini River Jungle Lodge
Run by the State of Karnataka this lovely lakeside resort on the north bank of the Kabini Backwater (reservoir) is just up the road from the entrance to the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve and holds the monopoly for safaris into the reserve.
You choose between jeep and boat safaris and both are fascinating. We stayed 4 nights but it is all really geared up for a 24 hour stay whereby you check in at 12 noon have lunch at 1 pm out on safari (3 hours long) at 3 pm then socialising a film and dinner at 8:30 pm. You are then roused in the dark at 5:30 am for a cup a tea and out on safari for 3 hours after which you have your Breakfast and check out. Phew!.
Fortunately we didn't have to rush like that and had a peaceful time enjoying the grounds, the super-romantic sunrises and sunsets over the lake as well as going on a total of 7 safaris (4 in jeep and 3 in boat). Just a note about the safaris: On some there is a driver (or boatman) PLUS a naturalist/wildlife expert and this is ideal as the expert can tell you what to look for and explain further while the driver sticks to driving. However on some others there is no naturalist and the driver is trying to do everything - Drive on difficult and sometimes winding tracks, spot the wildlife, talk to other drivers about where the tigers are and try and explain further especially as some of the tourists are, put mildly, ignorant. This situation is far from ideal but unfortunately it's the luck of the draw. One dark morning we were shown to a jeep and told to get right up in the back. We couldn't face all the jolting so got ourselves into a different jeep sitting at the front (much more comfortable) and lo and behold we got a lovely naturalist who explained everything. This made a real difference, it should be the norm but there probably aren't enough to go round when there are 10 jeeps, 3 boats and a bus going out at the same time.
Food all cooked on site by a team of chefs slaving over a tandoor and hotplate so it was all super-fresh but very veggie so only a few limited meat and fish options. This was strange with so many international tourists there but we think most people don't have time to complain before they're out on safari again or checking out! Nice colonial style bar and affordable booze AT LAST!!!
What did we see you might ask ...
Well birds: vulture, kite, snake eagle, jungle owlet, loads of peacocks, egrets all sizes, cormorants large and small, herons, ducks, Osprey, bee-easters, mynah, kingfisher. We also saw a kingfisher catch a snake and beat it to death which apparently is a rare sighting
Animals: elephants large and small tusked and not tusked, Mongoose (plural), Langurs, macaques, Indian giant squirrel, 3-striped palm squirrel, golden jackal, thousands of spotted deer, sambar deer, smooth-coated otters, wild pigs, guar (a large cow), crocodile ... oh and Tigers - 3 times
Also we witnessed a traffic jam of about 10 safari jeeps and buses all in the same place and trying to get past each other Hmmm ...
