Last updated on April 7th, 2021 at 10:43 am
The Serai Kabini will always remain very special to me because it is the first place we ventured out during 2020 after the pandemic hit us. Towards the later half of the year, when things started looking a little better as far as the pandemic is concerned, we decided to explore a place near Bangalore and where no long travels (air/train) were involved.
There are many great places to venture out from Bangalore over a long weekend and Kabini is one of them.
Perhaps after being stuck at home for a prolonged time, I was really longing to explore someplace. And that’s the reason I did extensive research on the safest places to visit near and around Bangalore.
The Serai Resorts, Kabini is most certainly one of them!
1) Where is The Serai Kabini
First of all, a few words about Kabini.
Kabini is the name of a river that originates in the state of Kerala and then flows through Karnataka.
The river attracts a variety of wildlife species and has a thriving forest ecosystem around it.
The Serai Kabini resorts, Karnataka is a beautiful and plush resort located in a village called Karapura right on the banks of the river Kabini.
By Road:
At 220 KM from Bangalore, the route to Kabini is a very comfortable drive and is an ideal road trip candidate
If you start early morning (around 5:00 or 5:30 AM) from Bangalore (to beat the traffic jam), you will be entering Mysore by 8:00/8:30 AM. Take a breakfast-break here.
From Mysore, it is just a 68 KM distance.
By Air:
Nearest Airport: Mysuru Airport at a distance of 75KM
A personal story
While driving from Bangalore to any destination via Mysore, I always stop by for breakfast at a restaurant called Swad right on the highway. The restaurant is part of The Atrium Boutique Hotel towards north of Mysore.
While fresh & delicious breakfast is certainly one of the reasons to choose this place, the main reason is that there’s an aquarium in the reception area. Over the years of my travel via this route, I have been taking a series of photos of my son standing in front of the aquarium. Earlier he used to be below the ceiling height of the aquarium. But this time, he has grown taller!
Time flies and this aquarium is now one of my treasured travel memory while my son is growing up.
2) What is Kabini famous for
Nature and wildlife are what Kabini is famous for and a tryst with them both is the reason why Kabini is worth visiting.
Located on the Southeastern end of Nagarhole National Park, Kabini is home to one of the largest number of elephants in Asia.
Its proximity to Bangalore makes it one of the most sought-after weekend getaways where people can unwind in the lap of nature.
Kabini is certainly a photographer’s delight. For people who are into wildlife photography, Kabini is a prime destination for those perfect wildlife moments.
3) Best Time to visit Kabini
October to May is the best time to visit Kabini.
Since, Kabini Jungle Safari is one of the prime activities people opt for in here, the month of visit does matter a lot. The dry summer months Certainly, if you visit Kabini during the monsoons, the chances of wildlife-spotting during the safari is less.
4) The Serai Kabini Experience
The Serai Kabini is a plush resort run by the ‘Coffee Day’ group. It is located in Karapura village on the banks of river Kabini.
We booked the Serai Resort by directly calling up the resort facilities. You can check out the tariffs on the website of the resort.
Let me start with WHY I chose The Serai Kabini as our place of stay during an extraordinary year.
The impact of the pandemic is far-fetched in peoples’ minds and one of the most important things that matter in health and safety.
The Serai Kabini has a detailed write-up on how they are hosting guests during COVID times. Adequate social distancing, disinfecting sites, restricted movement in dining halls are some of the measures mentioned. Room service was also restricted to maintain social distancing.
During our stay there, I was happy to find the precautions exercised. The resort has maintained balance by spreading the cottages across. Hence, there’s enough privacy and distance maintained amongst the guests.
4.1) Rooms at The Serai Kabini
The resort has various room options as mentioned on their website.
Here, I will share my experience of the rooms at the resort. I had a very specific room requirement.
We traveled as a family (family of 4). We were looking for two rooms with a partition in between and a sit-out area.
The cottage that we opted for exactly suited our requirement! The cottage was facing the Kabini River with greenery around.
The rooms were well-maintained, clean, comfortable, and equipped with a locker and mini-fridge. The refreshments and snacks were well-stocked as well. Interesting to find is the Instant Filter Coffee sachets. Tea/Coffee sachets are anyway provided everywhere but I have come across a Filter Coffee sachet in a hotel room for the first time.
(FILTER COFFEE is a specialty from South India. It’s a bit coarse and brewed for a longer time. The taste is heavenly!)
No less interesting is the room décor. Can you find the Kayak replica here?
The sit-out area is surrounded by peacefulness with lots of greenery around and Kabini River in front.
It is a perfect place to submerge in your thoughts while watching the serene river and spend some zen time. The sit-out area also ended up as our coffee session venue.
4.2) Wine and Dine
4.2.1) The Wildgrass Restaurant
Embark on a culinary journey in The Wildgrass Restaurant.
Under normal circumstances, the chefs conjure up a delectable spread of Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian buffet. But during this different time, the resort has quite thoughtfully stopped buffet spreads keeping social distancing in mind.
You can order from their a-la-carte menu which is no less than a stunner. For the breakfast, there are many options available from the set menu and you can order accordingly.
4.2.2) The Outpost – The Bar
The wooden interior themed bar provides no less than a stunning view of the Kabini river from its deck. Pair up the experience with your favorite alcoholic beverage.
4.3) Experiences and Activities at The Serai Kabini
The resort provides an array of experiences from spa to water sports. Indulge in whichever suits your taste and fancy.
4.3.1) Jungle Safari
Kabini Jungle Safari is perhaps the most exciting activity people watch out for while in Serai. There are morning and afternoon slots for Safaris and you can choose the one you prefer. For the morning safari (which we opted for), the hotel authority will provide a wake-up call early morning for you to gather at a central point before starting the safari.
Point to note: The safari starts from Jungle Lodges and Resorts or JLR run by the Karnataka Government. You need to board a bus and reach JLR first. From there, depending upon availability, you can opt for either a Jeep Safari or board a bus. Watch out for elephants and a variety of birds and if too fortunate, you might end up spotting the Big Cat as well!
4.3.2) Nature Walks
Go for nature walks with an experienced naturalist and get to know minute details about the flora and fauna.
4.3.3) Cycling
The resort is sprawling and one of the best ways to explore it is on a bicycle. While I preferred walking, my husband and son were on a cycling spree.
4.3.4) Boat Ride
A 1.5-hour boat ride on river Kabini ensures visitors experience various bird species. There’s provision for Kayaking also.
4.3.5) Coracle Ride
Fancy a coracle ride? The resort offers the same during afternoon. Coracles are round-shaped boats made from bamboo and plastic.
If you have never experienced a coracle ride before, go for it. It’s quite a unique experience. I experienced Coracle ride for the first time in Hampi and it was memorable
4.3.6) Indoor Game facility
We spent quite some time here. Table Tennis, Carrom, Foosball are some of the games you can try.
4.3.7) Outdoor Games
There are a badminton court and a small ground where you can play cricket. The provision for various games makes it even more interesting if traveling with young kids.
4.3.8) Bonfire
The resort arranges for a small bonfire every evening.
4.3.9) Swimming Pool, Gym and Spa
When we travelled these facilities were closed in order to avoid touch and maintain social distancing.
Closing Thoughts on The Serai Kabini
It is time now to cautiously opt outside and explore nearby places while exercising all necessary precautions.
The Serai Kabini, with its array of experiences and resort facilities coupled with adequate safety measures, is a perfect weekend destination from Bangalore.
Have you been there before? Let me know how your experience was in the comment section below.
