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Safari at Nagarhole Tiger Reserve – A Memorable Adventure

by · March 5, 2025

A rich bio-diverse country, India holds about 60 percent of the world’s elephant population and about 75 percent of the tiger population. Fauna is manifested in cultural narratives and religious beliefs. Beyond their cultural significance, endangered species are crucial to preserving the entire ecosystem. Yet, as human population keeps expanding, achieving harmony between humans and wildlife becomes increasingly challenging.

During our visit to India, we had the amazing privilege of exploring one of such ecosystems: the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. This sanctuary works on the preservation of endangered elephants and tigers, and it is possible to observe a diverse range of wildlife interacting in their natural environment.

We stayed at the Kabini River Lodge for two nights, allowing us to take two excursions by jeep and one by boat. We planned this adventure thinking that it would be interesting for our daughter to see some “big” animals in their natural habit. However, we later realized that we, the adults, were the ones playing scavenger hunt in the back of a jeep.

The Nagarhole National Park is home to about 1,000 wild elephants. The Park is part of the “Elephant Project,” a government initiative to protect the endangered Indian elephant.

Our arrival at Kabini

We traveled from Mysore, a city in the south of India where we enjoyed plenty of things to do with kids and where I took a one-month yoga program. The natural reserve is only two hours away from, and it was relatively easy to arrange for a cab. Along the way we passed several towns and small villages. We got to see rural India, where people tend to cattle, grow vegetables, or just run their daily errands. The landscape was pleasant, a flat land with picturesque patches of green and coconut trees. It seemed like a very peaceful life, distant from the chaotic image of India sometimes portrayed in social media. 

We were getting very close to the lodge, and we were still going through a populated village, with people just living their normal routines. It didn’t seem like a habitat for wild animals. Later we learned that the village was on the boundary of the reserve, where people co-exist with animals sometimes with just a fence separating each other.

Near the entrance to the reserve there is a village where locals co-habit with wild animals. Big iron fences can be seen in the proximities to prevent wild encounters.

Staying at a Natural Reserve in India

We spent two nights at the Kabini River Lodge, also known as the Jungle Lodge Reserve (JLR), a state-run facility that manages the safaris in Kabini. It has the great advantage of having all the safari programs, meals and activities organized in one place. Upon arriving we were offered fresh squeezed lemonade and checked into our tent acomodation. It is a cabin-type of lodging with comfortable beds and an attached bathroom. Vienna got to play in a great playground by the river, and soon after we had a buffet-style delicious lunch.

Our tent accomodation at Kabini River Lodge

 

Experiencing a Jeep Safari

At three o’clock we departed for a three-and-a-half hour drive through the reserve. We were assigned a jeep, on which each row has a different high, ensuring unobstructed views for everyone. James suggested we sit in the back, the highest row from which we could enjoy a nearly a 360-degree view.

Shortly after leaving, all the jeeps stopped in the rangers’ office and were assigned an area to mobilize. The park is divided into two sections and jeeps need to remain within their designated area. After leaving the village, we encountered two elephants grazing next to the paved road. It was great to see them eating undisturbed by our presence. Then, we entered through a maze of dirt roads within the national reserve. 

This jeep took us with another 6 explorers into the maze of dirt roads in the reserve. Throghout the ride we kept our eyes wide open in the look out for wildlife

Although most of us wonder about which animals can be found in a safari, the most exciting experience for me was to see the wildlife interacting in their natural habitat. Black-faced monkeys taking off bugs from each other or fighting in the trees, just above where wild peacocks were looking for some bugs. In the background, a crocodile resting on the river bank while an Asian Openbill bird stood innocently by its side. Nearby, herds of spotted deer were grazing pacefully.

During the safari, each driver chooses his route. They communicate with each other when there is an animal at sight. At one point, our driver was told of a tiger sight prompting a fast-speed drive through the jungle for about 15 minutes. We arrived too late as the big cat was already gone. We kept driving, attentive to the sounds of the jungle, with our eyes wide open. That is all the grown-ups, as Vienna was deep asleep by that point. Just as we were about to leave the reserve, we caught a glimpse of a tiger, just for two seconds as it moved through the bushes.

The next day, we had a wake-up call at 5:30, and by 6am we were on a jeep. We saw the dark night transforming into a misty morning as the nearby village was awakening. The jungle had a different vibe in the morning, the clouds were hovering over and everything looked magical. We spotted a bison family grazing, hundreds of white-spotted deer, and numerous species of birds. We drove about 50 kilometers within our designated area. Vienna took a snooze towards the end of the safari.

As we entered the reserve we spotted an indian wild board resting next to a hoard of white spotted deer. It got scared with the jeep and ran away. We saw hundreds of spotted deer as we drove through the park.
Black-faced monkeys were a common sight during the safari. The lonely one was hurt on one leg, perhaps during a territorial fight
A family of bison was grazing in the misty morning. We saw few others during our exploration.

Experiencing a Boat Safari

The last evening in the resort we enjoyed a boat safari. The experience was peaceful as the boat moved through the waters of the Kabini river, in the boundaries of the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve and the Bandipur National Park. This was a nice break after two bumpy jeep safaries, but also an opportunity to see the jungle from another angle. We saw plenty of birds, a couple of crocodiles resting on the banks, again the peaceful scenes of monkeys playing and deer grazing. We also got close to an elephant that was munching greens on the river bank.

As we were heading back to the lodge, we experienced a beautiful sunset in the Kabini waters. Shortly after we would have our dinner and our last night of rest before heading out to Coonoor, our next destination.

From the boat we could see numerous species of birds flying or resting, and animals grazing on the river banks.
We enjoyed the serene landscape and a beautiful sunset from the boat
A crocodile resting on the river banks

A wonderful closure to our safari trip. We got close to an elephant grazing on the river banks. He won’t eat without first shaking the dirt off.

Traveling considerations with kids

We traveled with our almost four-year-old daughter who enjoyed the safaries for the most part, was excited to look and discover new animals, but also consistently took a nap towards the end of each trip. While traveling with younger kids is possible, the jeep rides can be rough and the boat safaries long. If possible, plan to stay for minimum two nights to have flexibility in case your young kid has a difficult time.

Animal sighting is a matter of luck. Although some animals like bison or elephants are easy to spot, others are sneaky. Kids can be easily disapointed if they are told they will see something and they end up not finding it. Be ready to submerge in the wildlife experience without high expectations.

At the Kabini Lodge Resort we were provided with all meals, and we found good non-spicy options for our daughter. However, bringing our own snacks for the rides was crucial as the rides were long and it was one way to keep to kid entertained. Last but not least, although you might come with kids, adults still have an unlimited supply of wonder. Relax and enjoy!

We dread the magic that is beyond our reach. Many children’s books are filled with animals found only in far-away places. “L” for Lion, “E” for Elephant, “G” for Giraffe, “C” for Crocodile. Somehow those exotic animals capture the imagination of little ones, and as parents we try to close the distance between the stories and the reality. Our visit to Kabini in India brought those stories to life, and took out the child within us.

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