At the edge of one of the country's most lovely national parks lies a whole new world of luxury. About half a lifetime ago, a friend and I went on a quick trip to the Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary. We stayed in the very basic, no-nonsense forest guesthouse that made no pretence at fluff. We took an afternoon safari in a minibus packed end to end with clamouring families whose enthusiasm probably sent every last animal diving for deep cover long before our approach. No surprise—no sightings.
Times, they have a-changed. It’s still a jungle out there but the enthusiasts have been schooled into hushed wonder and the animals are more inured to noisy vehicles with silent gawkers—well, relatively silent; there’s always the incessant chatter of camera shutters.
The first of my three safaris over two days was in the forest department minibus of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve—to judge by appearance, it could very well have been the one I had sat in two decades ago, but it could still rumble through the jungle, even though a portion of the roof was wrenched off by a hanging branch. We were admittedly in a bit of a hurry—word had been received that two tigers had been sighted at a waterhole.
They had obviously had their fill by the time we got there and they, and all the other big cats that abound in this park, remained elusive that day and the next, whereas visitors of previous days could gloat. We had our share of elephant sightings though, including a tusker in immediate proximity who was mildly undecided as to what to do with us. He considered raising his trunk in half-hearted protest, then instead posed for a bit while our shutters snapped and finally jaywalked across the road, unmindful of the fact that there was no ‘elephant crossing’ board just there.
The same afternoon, I went on a water safari—three hours in a speedboat with an able guide to point out and name the riot of birds on water, reed and land, as well as wild elephants, gaur and boar going about their business nonchalantly. As always, binoculars are a traveller’s best friend for trips such as these.
The next day, hopeful that the warmer weather might draw out more animals, I went on a third safari, this time in an open Jungle Lodges jeep full of seasoned wildlife photographers or photography enthusiasts. Each armed with camera lenses as long as rifles, they disdained the plentiful spotted deer and peacocks and langurs, but dwelt on a flock of thirsty yellow-footed green pigeons and other such curiosities. An extremely civil bunch though—they did not look at me askance when I brought out my dinky point-and-shoot. They were on their third safaris too but with a fairly single-minded purpose on this one—tiger—but as veterans do, took it pragmatically when the mission failed. At one point, when we all had to spill out of the vehicle to change a punctured tyre, one of them hopefully remarked that maybe the ‘tiger buffet’ would act as a draw. Alas, not even that…
I had crossed over to Kabini from the Kerala border. The burgeoning abundance of wildlife in this sanctuary has meant that the smooth paved road that was once part of the highway into Karnataka has been shut and the road that now circumvents the park is a series of potholes. This stretch of discomfort in the journey though is a small price to pay. There are only about six guesthouses permitted to operate in the vicinity of the park, and the government-owned Kabini River Lodge exclusively operates the morning and afternoon safaris for the residents of all the neighbouring resorts as well, curtailing the influx.
One of the new lodges on the block is the Kaav Safari Lodge. Taking an existing residence, the wildlife-enthusiast partners completely revamped the structure and built a clean, contained, unfussy but extraordinarily elegant modern lodge, shored up with stone, wood and steel. The courtyard is vast and includes a most refreshing, brimming pool tucked away behind a bamboo partition, large pits for water-harvesting that replenish their wells (and serve as playground for resident Labradors Romeo and Juliette on their daily skirmishes) and a vegetable and herb garden that provides fresh produce for the ever-succulent meals.
The dining area on the ground-floor veranda adjoins the large, sparkling open kitchen. The rooms themselves are upstairs—four large independent rooms, each with sit-outs, accessed through a common area that includes an independent studio kitchen and a large den with a number of wildlife magazines and books, including, of course, ample animal and bird guides.
The rooms and the furnishing are every bit as comfortable as they are elegant, echoing the sharp, clean lines of the architecture. It is small wonder then that Kaav recently bagged the Karnataka State AAI Silver Leaf for the interiors, adding to their TOFT accreditation for sustainable tourism.
The top floor is a wide, covered deck with easy chairs and a divan, perfect at all times of the day but particularly appealing for a sun-downer, positioned as it is to overlook the forest that lies just beyond the boundary wire fence. Since the fauna of the park is not necessarily conversant with boundaries, it would not be unlikely to have a stray sighting from the comfort of your chair—arm yourself with a torch and a pair of binoculars. Neighbouring farms often complain of elephants trampling through their fields. And if your pursuits have you reaching higher, they can set up the telescope for you—zoom in for a moon bath.
The staff is excellent, from PK, manager and naturalist, who runs a tight and efficient show, and the rest of the multi-tasking hospitality team. A special round of applause here for the kitchen. Kumar from Gundalpet had the kind of hand that made manna of cucumber. He tossed up salads and snacks and meals of all varieties, all superlatively delectable to the point of blissful excesses of greed. The palate remembers—joyfully!
Safaris aside, an early morning walk in Madalli village with KP was an education, striding past jatropha fields that are now widely cultivated for biodiesel, tut-tutting at the pretty but relentlessly destructive lantana, parthenium and epotorium weeds, taking in an eyeful of fork-tailed black dragos and innumerable other birds whose names escape me, being pointed out giant wood spiders, two-tailed spiders and the master of disguise, an ornamental tree trunk spider.
There is a plethora of excellent reasons to stay at Kaav but reasons for not staying are also pertinent here—if you are looking for a merry fiesta with loud music, if you have no interest in or respect for wildlife or you are looking for a weekend playground for your feisty children, this is not the place of choice for you. Playing loud music and children below ten are not permitted here. You may very well choose to not go on safaris or village rambles and may merely want to loll in bed or by the pool or sit on the deck or read a book (with regular brilliant sustenance from aforementioned kitchen) but you are encouraged to do that in gentle harmony with the beasts over the boundary.
Another resort to have opened even more recently a little further from the park is Red Earth, off the highway, down the turn-off to Hosa Mala village and past freshly ploughed fields of red earth. Most places that stand out for their originality generally reflect the personalities of the owners. Ravi and Rachel have lived colourful lives—by all accounts full of movement and cheer—that included stints on plantations in Wayanad and Papua New Guinea. Their return to the homeland included some time in Bangalore but they soon craved the wide-open and green spaces again. While their son runs a smaller, more compact property in wilder, verdant Wayanad, the parents have set up a resort of opulent abundance here. If you are not already charmed at the entrance with the landscaped gardens—a riot of multi-coloured flowers, butterflies and birds—the cottages await.
There are mild variations on the theme but each of the twenty rammed-earth, Thanjavur-thatched cottages contains a spacious and extremely gracious suite, with bright covers, cushions and hand-picked furnishings, under a roof that has gently billowing sheets tucked under the rafters to lull you in your cocoon. But the cherry in the bubbly is the open-to-sky space that is fully devoted to and dominated by a large sunken jacuzzi. Did I indulge in a long, warm, invigorating soak? Without a doubt. I bade my time though and kept it for the second night. On my first, the beckoning lights of the large swimming pool were far too inviting to be refused, and then of course there was dinner to be had.
The cottages are spaced out in two clusters of ten, spread out over the ten-acre property. The Wetlands leisure room is reminiscent of clubs of yore with a snooker table, deep-cushioned sofas, library and a spread of offerings of what every self-respecting watering hole would offer.
Out in the yard is a large children’s playground. There’s a spa on the property for an indulgent massage. There are televisions for those who crave a connect with the outside world or indoor distraction on a rainy day.
And then there are the meals. Most of the fresh produce is grown organically on the grounds itself or sourced locally; and as for the cuisine—multiple. Not only are there seven chefs par excellence in the kitchen, Rachel often throws in her experienced hand, and so do other members of her staff, like her accountant and receptionist who each have their particular specialities! Each meal is a carefully thought out production but a production it is—the guests are vetted in advance as to their choices and preferences but there is so much variety and so many courses, each irresistibly delicious, that it is difficult to battle surfeit.
When there are sufficient numbers, a sidewalk cart is wheeled out at teatime to dish up fresh, hot street food like dosas and vadas. Cooler nights bring on bonfires and barbeques. Do not venture to Red Earth if you are indifferent to food. It would be such a waste.
Red Earth is a fully self-contained resort, ideally suited to complete and utter indolence. But if you are not merely content with sitting on your personal back porch looking out at open skies and the land dipping to the beautiful empty stretches of bank on the Kabini dam waters, it is more than worth it to venture a little beyond. You can walk, or go further with a cycle from the resort, and go miles alongside the pristine waters and see nothing but birds and more birds against the horizon. If you’re the kind who likes to put a name to the bird, take the in-house naturalist along.
They can also organise a small coracle ride. It’s curiously exhilarating to bob over the water in a light, round basket, particularly when you accept the boatman’s offer of a quick, giddy twirl round and around in a panoramic circle! To round off this particular journey, there was a bright green bullock cart waiting when I alighted from the coracle to take me for a bumpy, happy sunset ride through the village and regally back through the gates of Red Earth.
Unlike many of the parks in North India, Nagarhole is open all year round, as are the Kabini resorts. And I imagine that the other seasons bring their own brand of allure to the surroundings, which remain constant in their charm.
Startled deer fleeing through the green forests, myriad birds flocking across the open skies, cycles, carts, coracles, jeeps and speedboats over warm earth and silky waters. A muffled roar, a muted trumpeting, the stillness of the quiet night, teeming with life. Idyllic, quite idyllic.
How to Getting there
BY AIR The closest airports to Kabini are in Kozhikode and Bengaluru; the driving time is approximately 4hrs from Kozhikode and 5hrs from Bengaluru. BY RAIL The closest railway station is in Mysore, about 80km from Kabini. The resorts can organise airport and station transfers.
Where to stay
The Kaav Safari Lodge, located at the edge of the Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary, features four air-conditioned rooms with private decks, common lounge, viewing deck, al fresco dining, swimming pool and barbecue on request. Also on offer are morning/afternoon safaris by jeep or boat in the Nagarhole National Park, organised through Jungle Lodges and Resorts at Rs 1,250 per person; guided treks and village walks with the in-house naturalist; cycling to the banks of the Kabini river; and coracle boat rides. TARIFF Rs 12,000 single, Rs 15,000 doubles, Rs 3,500 for children from 10 to 18 years; includes all meals, guided trek, cycling trip, coracle boat ride.
Located on the backwaters of the Kabini dam, Red Earth offers 20 villas in three different designs. All the villas are air-conditioned, with their own ‘open-to-the-sky jacuzzis’. There are three honeymoon villas and one villa designed for the physically challenged. Other facilities include a drivers’ dormitory, conference hall, children’s play area, bar, library and lounge, swimming pool, gym, jogging tracks, bicycles, taxi hire and baby-sitting services. Activities in and around the property include safaris to Nagarhole in a forest safari vehicle; bird-watching with the in-house naturalist; music, dance and theatre performances over weekends; rides in coracles; fishing trips and cycling on the lake banks or in neighbouring villages. TARIFF Rs 12,000 per cottage for single/doubles and a child under 8, Rs 3,500 for extra adult, Rs 2,000 for extra child; all meals included.
Red Earth also offers various day trips such as a safari to Wayanad National Park and the Tholepatty range, 57km away, (forest fees Rs 250/head, cost of jeep inside the forest Rs 500, guide fees Rs 250); a full-day forest trip which involves a trip to a coffee plantation, lunch in Coorg at a local residence followed by a visit to the Wayanad park and Tholepatty range, or a visit to the Bale elephant camp; and an outing to Tibetan monasteries—Gyudned Tantric University and Dzongkar—an hour’s drive from Red Earth.
Also on offer are a full-day trek in the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary (Rs 1,500 per group, guide fee Rs 250; starting point approx. 2hrs drive away); a trek to Pakshi Padalam in Wayanad (trek duration 7-8hrs, Rs 1,000 per person, guide fee Rs 300); and a trip to the Gurukulam Botanical Sanctuary, 65km away and home to about 2,000 species of endangered plants. You could also visit the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement in the sleepy town of Saragur, 25km away, which is engaged in community-based development projects.
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