Mar 10, 2009 11:53 AM
1525 Views
Tusker Trails is located in Mangala Village, very close to the Bandipur Information Center. It is in the very heart of wilderness in Bandipur - spotted deer outside my cottage is testimony to this. One of the very few resorts located in such pristine location there(Jungle Lodges is actually outside the forest limits!)
The resort is fairly big, with around 12-14 rooms(I may be mistaken). The reception has some very cool furniture and gigantic pods(almost 1 metre in length) with seeds! The check-in is a breeze - took us less than a minute.
The rooms are very spacious. Two single cots with side tables, a dressing table, a luggage table and a sofa set make up the furniture. Natural lighting from the roof removes the need to switch on lights for most of the day. The attached bathroom is very clean. There is a balcony behind the room that opens up to wilderness.
The restaurant is modeled around the Gol Ghars typical of Jungle Lodges properties. Food is buffet all three times of the day and is a mix of South and North Indian cuisines. It is cooked well and seemed to pretty healthy as well. A couple of non-vegetarian dishes are also served.
2 safaris are arranged - one in the evening and one in the morning. The resort has 3 jeeps(Maruti Gypsy) and 1 mini-truck. The lack of naturalists is the only limiting factor in these safaris. Although the drivers try hard to show you most of the jungle and its residents, it is mostly up to you to spot the animals/birds and stop the vehicle.
In the evening, a documentary on Bandipur is shown. You can also spend time by going through the books(a very impressive collection of wildlife books is available), or by playing table tennis or carrom.
The night is very eventful, with a lot of noises coming from the jungle yonder.
All in all - a great getaway at an excellent price!
