Bandipur Reception Office (OLD Safari) (Forest Department)

I have stayed here for two days and it is a standard room with basic amenities and is a good option for those who want to stay in the forest with good security The food is available here and you have to pay in cash. It is good food. And we do not agree to go out at night because we are doing so considering our safety because this is a forest with many wild animals. Room booking can be done online. Then there is the safari through the jungle.

We had booked two cottages harini and kokila. I think there are two kinds. Old ones and newly renovated ones. Apparently harini was the older one. The room was pathetic to say the least. It looks just like a room in a jungle. Unkempt bed sheets, cob webs everywhere, old style doors and windows, meshed sitting area, gas geyser and no electricity for most part of the day. The renovated rooms look a tab cleaner.
Yes, you can spot a million deer from close range. You can spot wild pigs too.
The cafeteria attached to the lodge was equally pathetic. Food is just ok. Don't expect any hygiene. The staff is friendly though. We took a bus safari on that particular day we could only see couple of deers, peacocks, mongoose and one turtle in a one hour tour.
The weather was the only thing that we enjoyed during our trip . It rained and the place looked green and cool.
You can totally skip this place. You won't miss a thing.
Had booked for safari while booking accommodation and it was disappointing to see just mongoose, peahens, and birds waste of an hour
Overall not so good experience (esp food and safari )....

A great place to stay to experience the sound of the jungle. We stayed in Chital. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly. People staying here get a Rs 300 discount on the Jungle Safari ticket. If lucky one can see a tiger in its natural habitat. We saw plenty of deer, an elephant family, a wild boar and peacocks.

Good governance stay inside forest lot of deer inside the property if ur lucky you can spot leopard at night

We stayed in the government cottage insidecforest. Trust me, it was one of the best experiences we have ever had. Surrounded by greenery, completely dark post 7pm, best food and lifetime memory. Safari is awesome, but we saw limited animals during our time.

Bandipura - Early Summer (most luckiest combination).

Positives:
>> Vintage buildings..especially those Zameendari designs over doorsteps (elephant head, gaur head were seen).
>> Proper time-time collection from sufficient dustbins.
>> In wild. Surrounded by wild animals not just deers and wild boars but elephants, leopard(s), Wild dogs (dholes), Nilgris Tehr and many birds. Tip: if you don't see any deers around, there's a predator around (mostly leopard/leopardess).
>> Best place to walk hand in hand in early evenings and silent (? - low volume) talks.
>> Only BSNL throughout the premises and Jio near canteen. So data speeds are sufficient to check mails and post pics.
>> Battery carts (Golf court ones/IRCTC Sr. Citizen carriers) are available to commute within the premises.
>> Sufficient Parking space that is safely guarded from wildlife. 100rs is being charged for a four wheeler (visible when you are booking online).
>> Almost wilderness sounds alone after 6PM and no other sound post 9PM. (Network strength too drops after sunset)
>> Only Veg Food.😍
>> No staff expects any tips.
>> Perfect demonstration of how to inculcate local people in rest of the world.
>> Mosquitoenets and mesh nets on all windows

Scope For Improvement:
>> Call support to know if any advance info needed. As of now, only mail support which is guaranteed in a day. (I visited during lockdowns, so had to mail them to know the vaccination mandates etc)
>> Reception center here is ONLY for ACCOMMODATION. - This needs to be highlighted than Safari is shifted to Melkomanahalli. -- we were not sure of the location we booked since no boards/hordings that says this update. Trusted our instincts to get in here. Luckily one housekeeping staff understood my butler Kannada and confirmed that this is the place we need to reside.
>> We don't expect 5-star food in jungle and shouldn't. So please restrict the menu to simple Thalis (you may provide southern style and northern style if needed) but provide in sufficient quantity cause you are the only source of food in the entire jungle around if we don't carry food with us (especially breakfast and dinner cause we can come down to Melkomanahalli JLR as a walk-in customer for Lunch).
>> Please implement strict silence in canteen especially from evening to morning. Your garbage management is appreciated by the way.
>> Any inclusion of wildlife explanations (we read through your wall paintings but it can be communicative with your staff if it is organised.
>> Some LAN connection in your canteen to enable CARD payments.
>> Any wired announcements in all the blocks from reception center improve the hospitality to next level.

Negative:
>> Only negative is how we(tourists) are behaving when finding wildlife in surroundings...like clapping/clicking pics with flashes. This needs to be better. May be above wildlife explanation can improve this better.

Visit: April2021

Beautiful place in Karnataka forest area. The treatment of guest is surprising more beautiful. facilities are very good

There is nothing open for public here after the reception centre has been shifted

What a place, heaven on earth

Location superb. The rooms were neat and simple.

Here the place To enquire about rooms and dormetry

Good Stay

Super

💚💛

Parking area is good

Good entertainment place.

Nice Jungle

Nice place