The forest feels – Cicadas are at play without any disturbance, leopard walks past the waterbody we call a beautiful swimming pool, an Indian blue jay nibbles of tiny pieces of bread, two cute dogs call this place home, tiger roars can be heard from the veranda and It’s hard not to fall in love with Kaav, Nestled in the edge of Nagarhole wildlife sanctuary of Karnataka.
Kaav Safari Lodge offers two premium tents and four cosy rooms. We checked in, and the manager PK welcomed us. We were very excited about this trip and the safari! We chose a chic tent which boasted a bedroom with handcrafted rosewood furniture, a lounging deck and wait-for-it, an open bathtub. The tent was so cosy that we felt at home within seconds. Driving for 5 hours from Bangalore got us very hungry, and we proceeded to the dining area for lunch. I can assure you that it would be one of the best meals you would ever eat. You don’t expect something so delicious in a jungle. It was tasty, simple, nutritious and made with a lot of love.
Kaav Safari Lodge is ideal for anyone visiting Kabini and is looking for some luxury. There’s something incredibly charming being among all the greenery, in complete silence, just listening to the sounds of the forest. What we loved about Kaav is that it blends into nature effortlessly, making you feel like you are truly living in the lap of nature with luxury subtly oozing out. The pool in Kaav is underneath a sprawling banyan tree, definitely making it to our favourite pools list.
There was a sightings board right next to the dining area, and it got us very excited for our safari. They had spotted the famous panther that morning.
As soon as we finished our lunch, we left for our first safari. It was a 10 mins drive to the Jungle lodges, and all the safaris began there. We had already informed that we wanted to go for a safari and they had arranged it for us. It was 3 hours in the beautiful jungle of Kabini. Even though we have been to this jungle for more than three times and not spotted any big cats, there’s always something special about this place. You must check it out yourself to know how amazing it is. After 3 hours of refreshing safari, we returned to Kaav at dusk, only to be welcomed with some delicious Bhajji and chai. We’ve mentioned our love for this combination multiple times on our Instagram and the blog. We watched the sunset from their deck which was facing the jungle. As the sun set, we were enveloped, not by silence, but the calming lullaby of crickets chirping, and insects and more massive creatures rustling.
Here’s an extraordinary thing about Kaav. Because it is right by the jungle, you will be able to hear the many alarm calls and sounds of the wild at night. You might be lucky to spot a leopard right next to the pool while you are having dinner. We fell asleep to these sounds with only a canvas separating us and the raw jungle. It is such a beautiful experience.
We skipped the morning safari for a mini Safari. That’s right. Kaav has this fantastic experience they offer to their guests. We set out for it around the resort just after a scrumptious breakfast. They provided us with a unique hat which has a net covering our face. The in-house naturalist Mr Sujith took us and showed us some spectacular specious of spiders, ants, cicadas, praying mantis and a lot more. He told us some mindblowing facts about their life, and it changed the way we looked at the jungle. DO NOT MISS this experience in Kaav. It’s so special.
After lunch on the second day, we went out to the jungle for the boat safari which will have you floating amid two National parks flanking the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. We got to see the most amazing thing: The largest congregation of Asiatic elephants. Did you know this happens every year? Elephants from national parks in Bandipur, Mudhumalai, come into Nagarhole on the banks of river Kabini for water and some fresh grass that forms because of receding water. The water safari was glorious. We saw over 100 wild elephants grazing peacefully. They say you get lucky sometimes and can see an occasional tiger on the banks, but we weren’t so fortunate!
The national parks in Karnataka are exceptional cause it’s open throughout the year even during the monsoon, Unlike India’s other national parks. You will get to see another side of the forest. Lush green & buzzing with energy!
We got back from our safari and enjoyed a delicious barbecue at Kaav. We love to meet fellow travelers and exchanged travel stories, and couldn’t have asked for a better end to the day.
Just when we thought that everything was over and we were going back to Bangalore next early morning. This happened.
We had asked for a 5.30 am an alarm call.
We heard a knock outside our tent at 5 am. It was PK. He said something and that made us jump out of our bed and run out.
“Do you want to see Jupiter and Saturn?”
We saw the planets through the very fantastic telescope, and it was exactly like the Google Image. Crystal clear. Saturn with its rings and Jupiter, it’s hazelnut coloured clouds, and it’s four moons. We had already seen it in Sariska but not this clear! What a beautiful way to end this trip!
We said goodbye to our Kaav family, which included the two adorable Labs after a strong cup of filter coffee.
I hope our experience encourages you to choose something other than a typical hotel on your next holiday. Do you enjoy glamping as much as we do? Tell us in the comments below.
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