Jungle lodges and resort | Sakrebyle Elephant camp, a perfect weekend getaway from Bangalore
Are you feeling restless and tired of the hustle and bustle in the city?
With summer vacation around the corner, are you trying to plan something that will interest everyone in the family starting from the elders to the kids?
Your quest ends now… Here is a perfect weekend getaway plan for you…
Jungle lodges and resort in Sakrebyle, located amidst calm, peaceful, lush green forest, in the vicinity of river Tunga, opposite to the Sakrebyle Elephant camp is a great weekend getaway. Something about seeing those majestic animals upclose in their natural habitat brings great joy to people of all ages. This is a blog about my experience at Jungle lodges and resort in Shivamogga.
Here is a recommended watch for those interested in viewing video form:
Route preview:
It is located at a distance of 302 Kms from Yeswanthpur, Bangalore and just at 14 kms from Shivamogga. The route till Hiriyur was very good post that till Bhadra dam it was a mix of good and broken roads. Post Bhadra dam till the Sakrebyle Jungle lodge the drive was very smooth and it was a nice scenic route. It takes 5 and a half hours to 6 hours drive from Bangalore depending on traffic and here is a preview of the route we took:
Bangalore — Tumkur — Sira — Hiriyur — Bhadra — Shivamogga — Sakrebyle
Little history about Sakrebyle Elephant Camp:
Sakrebyle elephant camp houses elephants of all ages from all over karnataka that needs some training and attention. It is taken care by the Karnataka Forest department. There are experienced Mahouts taking care of these animals; tending to their medicinal, nutritional and behavioural needs. The campsite attracts wildlife enthusiasts and general public providing an opportunity to observe these majestic animals in close quarters in their natural habitat.
Activities at the Jungle Lodges and Resort:
We had booked a package for an overnight stay for a couple and we chose wooden cottage stay. It costed us Rs. 2500 per person at the time of our booking. We arrived at the campsite around check in time which was at 1:00 PM. There is a safe parking space for cars available within the resort facility. There are around 10 cottages and couple of dormitories, so it will never get too crowded. You will be able to enjoy the calm nature and have serene experience.
Here is a detailed itinerary of activities during our stay:
Day 1:
- Checkin was at 1:00 PM on the day of arrival
- We headed straight for lunch and the meal was included as part of the package. Food was tasty, options were good and proper hygiene was maintained.
Post lunch we were offered to go on a motor boat ride for 30 minutes for an additional charge of Rs. 350. They accepted online payment and Vodafone and Jio networks were working well. It was around 3:00 PM, the boat had shade so we opted for the boat ride and got to witness some birds, enjoyed the beautiful scenery and at the end we got a coracle ride kind of experience which was fun. Here are some of the photos from the boat ride:
Once we got back, we relaxed for a bit, had some tea and biscuits and got ready for our evening nature walk. This was again part of the itinerary they offer, we started our guided nature walk around 4:30 PM and headed deep into the forest. The trail was simple as there were kids and elders. We got to hear the stories about the Jungle and the animals that live there. We visited elephant crawl, got to see 3 to 4 elephants roaming around freely in the forest. It was refreshing to be lost amongst the nature. On the hike we also got to cross two small water streams. Here are some clicks during our nature walk:
Post evening nature walk we returned back to the resort, where they had setup a 30 minute movie screening about Bhadra wildlife. There was also snacks and tea arranged for the guests while we sit back and watch the movie. It was informative especially to learn the measures and efforts by forest department to prevent forest fire in summer, how they track and keep a census of tigers and protect them from poachers and so on...
Finally to end the day we had campfire and dinner and it was a great time to interact with other guests and share travel experiences and future travel aspirations.
This brings about the end of Day 1.
Day 2:
Morning started with us getting geared up for nature walk in Shettihalli Wildlife and elephant interaction center. Morning trek was even more pleasant, it was a different trail than the previous day and we got to witness beautiful sunrise. As we headed deep into the forest we reached the banks of river Tunga. The reflection of sun on the river, with a mist floating on the surface, surrounded by thick tall trees was indeed a surreal and magical experience. We spent some time by the river and then we continued our hike. Here are some snaps during our morning hike:
During the morning trek we were again able to spot couple of elephants in the forest and we spent good time observing and admiring the majestic animal in their natural habitat. We were advised that only when a Mahout is present we can go close to the animal if not it is best to maintain a safe distance.
Post morning trek we got refreshed, had breakfast and headed straight to the Elephant training camp. Entry fee is free for the guests of Jungle lodges for outsiders it is Rs. 50. The camp is open between 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM. There is also a separate ticket counter if you want to take part in Elephant bathing activity. It was Rs. 100 per person and this is not included in the package. It was little crowded on the weekend but still way less than Dubare elephant camp in Coorg. There were close to 20 elephants including 3 to 4 baby elephants at the bathing area by the banks of river Tunga. We went and took part in the activity and post that went to the interaction and feeding area where you can observe the animal having it’s meal and click some photos. There were also informational board about each of this animal.
Finally we head back to the resort and checked out by 10:30 AM. This brings us to the end, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Jungle Lodges and resort. Seeing those animals roam around freely in the forest during the nature walk was a much better experience than seeing them in the Sakrebyle training camp where they were constrained for the safety of public.
Here are some nearby attractions:
- Kudli, a temple town near Shivamogga where two rivers Tunga and bhadra merges and becomes Tungabadra. The site where these two rivers merge there are some temples and ruins which you can visit. You can also take a dip in the river, they have changing rooms at the entrance. There are no entry fee nor parking fee to visit this place.
2. Explore places in the main Shivamogga city like Shivappa Nayaka Palace/museum and Tavarekoppa — zoo and wild life sanctuary. Entry ticket to Zoo was Rs. 50 per person, parking charges were Rs. 70. There is a 30 minute safari as well and it was Rs. 150 per person. There is also a big children play area. One can easily spend 2 to 3 hours at the Zoo.
There are also good place of stay options available in Shimoga if you are looking to cover more places around Sakrebyle. We stayed at “Akash Inn”, it was affordable, neatly maintained and at the center of the city.
3. Jog falls located at 100 kms is the nearest falls from Shimoga and it is one of the highest waterfalls in India. Best time to visit is post monsoon (August to December) to see the falls in it’s glorious self. There is no entry fee you only have to pay Rs. 70 for car parking. Only the view of the falls from the top is allowed, public is not allowed to go near the falls.
4. Sharavathi Valley view point located at 20 kms from Jog falls is another place to explore. Park your vehicle on the side and enjoy the beautiful view of the valley. There are no entry fees nor parking fee.
5. Aghoreshwara temple in Ikkeri is an architectural marvel dedicated to Lord Shiva. During Chaudapa Nayaka reign this temple was built and is a classic example of Nayaka architecture style. There are three shrines one for Lord Shiva, one for Parvathi and one for Nandi. Ikkeri is located at 70 kms from Shimoga, just at 4.5 kms from Sagara and around 36 kms from Jog falls. It is a must visit historic place and here are some photos:
6. Finally pay a visit to Keladi Rameshwara temple which is also known as the twin temple of Ikkeri Shiva temple. Both of these were constructed by Nayaka’s in Hoysala style architecture. Beautiful intricate carvings running all through the exterior and interior of the temple will leave you spell bound. Here are some pictures:
