Evolve Back, Kabini

ASeason: Allyear Price: ₹35,000 per night, per couple, inclusive of breakfast, dinner, select activities and all taxes.

pproximately four hours from

Bengaluru, after you drive past Coorg, lies Kabini and its forests, teeming with a range of flora, tigers, leopards and elephants, among other wild beasts.

The property is bordered on two sides by the Kabini River which separates the Bandipur and Nagarhole National Parks, and in turn is part of the larger Nilgiri Biosphere

Reserve. And to experience the natural wilderness, the resort offers safaris via vehicles, boats, and even a coracle ride. “All safaris are by the Jungle Lodges and Resorts which are operated by the Karnataka Government,” explains

Jose Ramapuram, director of Marketing at Evolve Back, adding that safaris begin at the Kabini river lodge. Trained guides are provided by the resort, and the safaris (morning and evening) are “organised and wellmanaged” to balance the carrying capacity. “The parks are divided into different sections, and limited vehicles are permitted in each section.”

As for the boat safari, it begins from the property and guests are taken in the backwaters upstream. “With Nagarhole and Bandipur on either side, this zone is rich in wildlife. Between January and April, the forest dries out, and animals come to the reservoir from far away. There is ample grass that attracts herbivores, who in turn attract the carnivores,” says Jose, who adds that the light is very different in a boat safari as compared to a land safari. “One can see crocodiles, water birds, geese, etc. that fly in from as far as Europe and Siberia. The animals you see are different, and it is a varied experience.” There are also Nature walks along the banks of the Kabini River, and for the more adventurous traveller, night trails that explore the region’s nocturnal insects, amphibians and reptiles. The resort is also home to the Kabini Interpretation Centre, an Insect Interpretation Centre, a small Kuruba Tribal Museum and a twoacre wilderness insect/butterfly sanctuary within the resort premises.

Jose explains how there has been a rise in occupancy over the past few years that he attributes to the pandemic, and how people preferred the property as the area is “relatively isolated”.

Jose further explains that the market is now reverting to prepandemic levels, and how “there is an increased interest in wildlife, probably due to more awareness being generated during the pandemic.”