Jungle lodges (K Gudi) trip thoughts

This is our fourth trip to jungle lodges in the past 2 years - we've been to dubare, kabini and dandeli before. So me and wife are probably getting tired of the same routine (jungle safaris) and same food (esp lunch and dinner are similar). Even then i think k.gudi one probably ranks the best in terms of location. It is right in the middle of the preserved sanctuary and not much human settlement for a huge area on either side. It is quiet peaceful and relaxing here. dubare comes next - again it is little isolated (separated by the cauvery river) and very peaceful. Kabini has become lot commercial and except the small complex nothing outside interesting and takes a few kms ride to get into conservatory area. dandeli was absolute last it is right in the town and it smelled bad when we were there (some industrial wastage i think). In this trip some nice changes i observed were the water served is mineral water (20 litre can) - hence no need to spend lots of money buying the bottled water, i hope other jungle lodges also started doing it. Afterall one drinks 2-3 litres and it costs 2-3 rupees per litre, so it is only additional 10 rupees for head for jungle lodges - makes lot of sense. Another nice change is a small cloth hanging stand in the tent - very useful. I was also pleasantly surprised with a tea served at 12'0 clock the day we arrived, was refreshing after a long journey. I don't know whether it is a routine now. They also took us to the Biligiri Ranganathaswamy temple on saturday which was a pleasant surprise. The things we did not like are dinner was pathetic on both days and lunch was not good on the day we arrived, next day it was better. Chicken was uniformly bad and coffee/tea is at best passable. Ovearll food quality was below average, breakfast is the only saving grace. Even there no omlette first day since they were serving dosas hot and no bananas or juice for breakfast (proably only kabini serves them). There is not much to do in k.gudi resort except the jungle safari. The trekking they took was a nice change, it was more like hike for first 30 minutes, then it became a pleasant trek. Overall i'm satisfied with the trip, but have to think twice before going to another jungle lodges.

Route to K.Gudi (B.R.Hills) Jungle lodges and resorts

I made a trip to K.Gudi (B.R Hills) jungle lodges and resorts this weekend (last week may'09). There are few routes possible from bangalore. This is the one i took and i think the shortest (given my residence is in bannerghatta road).

1. Took nice road on bannerghatta road to Kanakapura road (6.5 kms)
2. Keep on kanakapura road which becomes NH-209. Kanakapura, malavalli and kollegal are on the way to B.R.Hills. The road is generally very good even though it is only a 2 lane highway and some patches were under repair work. The distance from nice road kanakapura to kollegal bus stand is 130 kms (2.5 to 3 hr drive).
3. After kollegal bus-stand keep on NH-209 towards chamrajnagar after 3 kms there is a road starting towards B.R.Hills (signs are there) just before a bridge.
4. This road is good for 4 kms and next 8 kms is generally bad (with patches being good), then next 8 kms it is generally okay (with patches being bad). This road goes thru many villages and hits a T-junction at a point where you'll have to take a left. (45 mins drive).
5. After 20 kms on the road you'll enter B.R.T hills sanctuary area where there is a checkpoint. Road is pretty good here and for next 13 kms you'll keep driving and just 2 kms before B.R.Hills you'll see a road (signs are there for jungle lodges) on left. Another 17 kms drive brings you to the K.Gudi jungle lodges. (45 mins drive).

Total distance from nice road intersection of kanakapura road to K.Gudi is 174 kms and 4.5 hrs drive.

The other alternate route possible is take mysore road till maddur and take SH-33 highway from maddur towards malavalli which merges into NH-209 at malavalli. Follow the rest of the route the same.

One more alternate route possible is drive to mysore and from there to chamrajnagar via nanjangud. Chamrajnagar - BR.Hills highway passes thru K.Gudi (28 kms from chamrajnagar).

One variation possible on kollegal route is continue on NH-209 till yelandur and from there go towards B.R.Hills - i did not try this route and this is what is shown on jungle lodges website.