Jungle Lodges Bhagavathi Nature camp detailed review
This post is a detailed review of Jungle Lodges Bhagavathi nature camp inside Kuduremukha reserve forest, based on my 1 night stay. Reading this review will help you set your expectations right and decide on your bookings.
The rooms:
The Bhagavati nature camp has 3 types of rooms-Most luxurious is the wooden cottage costing 5k+ per night for 2 pax.
I stayed in next category- tented cottage, which costs about 4500+ for 2 pax. Tented cottage has slightly lesser insulation from cold and heat due to fabric outer layer, otherwise similar space and facilities. I saw a Tata Sky dish near a wooden cottage- guess few of them have TV as well (not in tented cottage)
They have few extra beds in documentary room which I am told will be given to drivers accompanying guests, if needed. Not sure of extra charge.
Activities at JLR Bhagavathi nature camp:
Unlike other JLR properties, Bhagavathi Nature camp doesn't have any exciting activities such as forest safari, trekking, bird watching, corracle ride etc which are included in other JLR campus. You will get bored soon, so more than 1 day not worth.
There is a river right next to the camp, but it hardly had any water in December. Also the river is outside camp property with boards written do not enter river. Not sure if some river activity like coracle ride is done in monsoon months
#1 A nature walk is the only free activity, which is just walking along the road till main road. You can do this on your own- there is nothing special about this.
#2 A documentary show is done. Good 30-45 min time pass watching nature videos about Kuduremukh, Bhadra etc
#3 Watch tower: you can walk on your own to a watchtower nearby. You can get below view.
#4 Jeep safari to hill top- paid activity- explained at the end of this post
Jeep Safari- Chargeable activity- 4500 INR
JLR Bhagavathi nature camp offers a jeep safari but cost is not included in stay- need to pay extra. Safari is priced at 4500 INR, but staff allow you to share it with other guests. 3 groups of 2 people each, each had to pay about 1500 INR, almost 750 INR per person.
The safari ride
lasted about 30 minutes, took us off road to a hill top, but we got zero
view due to thick morning fog. So what you get to view is based on your
luck & season. If you can't see clear sky from the camp before
starting, very high chance you won't see any either at the top.
When asked for a receipt they gave a receipt for full price, not for what we had paid. So this whole receipt thing looks fake- if all 3 couples ask for bill then JLR staff have to give bill for 13500 INR- obviously they didn't get that much money and won't submit to treasury- so I feel the bill is totally fake or not accounted for and staff will pocket the money received.
#5 Kids play area- for small kids only
#6 Trekking options
There are some trekking options available but not part of your JLR stay package. You've to book them separately online and manage your own transportation to starting point.
Food: Decent.
Standard JLR stuff. 2-3 main items, 1 non veg item, tea/coffee etc.
Hot water: The cottages have 2 different types of source for hot water
Some cottages, such as ours had an in built electric geyser- but the camp's solar power can't power geysers, so staff have to turn on generator, which they will do only once a day. So if you had plans of taking hot water shower in the evening, forget it. The hot water supply was slow- warm water for 2 mins and then wait another 5 mins for water to get hot again. Practically I could only have a warm water bath.
Some cottages on the other side are powered by a wood fire heater. These will have better supply of hot water, but during monsoon hard for staff to lit and maintain fire for the geyser.
Waste disposal issue:
JLR staff are throwing waste and plastic into river bed next to the camp. This is very bad and unprofessional. JLR Bhagavathi nature camp collects almost a lakh rupee each day from bookings (about 10 rooms generating 50-60k, dormitory 20k, revenue from safari etc). JLR should plan for proper waste management.
Other known issues:
No mobile signal. Jio, Airtel, Vodafone have zero signal in Bhagavathi nature camp. If anything urgent you've to drive 15 kms to Kuduremukha town to get some signal. BSNL has a weak signal 500 meters from camp- staff use BSNL phone, walk to this spot and make calls. In a way not having mobile signal or data is a bliss, but you have something urgent you have to wait.
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