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#1 of 1 lodge in Lakvalli
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Nestled in the Western Ghats the River tern lodge gets its name from the nearby island that attracts hundreds of river terns during the breeding season. It is located on a hillock on the edge of the Bhadra reservoir, near Lakkavali: a stone's throw away from the northern boundary of the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, in the Chikmaglur district. Chikmaglur was once a princess' dowry - and still holds the charms of a place that a king's favourite daughter once took as her dowry. Amongst all this, is a perfect place to form a whole new bond with nature.
The River Tern Lodge is a Jungle Lodges and Resorts property, located on the banks of the Bhadra reservoir. This was our first visit to this particular resort and the experience was as good as any other JLR property. We stayed in a cottage, which had a spectacular view of the Bhadra backwaters. The bridge crossing and climb of roughly 150 steps each time to reach the cottage was totally worth it for the view. The room was spacious, air conditioned and quite comfortable. The itinerary as usual was jam-packed. After check in and lunch, we went for a jeep safari into the Bhadra reserve. The roads are a bit primitive and there was a spell of rain during the safari. The jungle was verdant and we saw the usual spotted deer, sambar, wild boar and our first sighting of a monitor lizard and the Malabar pied hornbill. Next day morning we went for a boat safari and to tell the truth we enjoyed the boat safari more than the jeep safari. Saw amazing mist covered vistas of the Mulyangiri and surrounding mountains, the usual water birds and a surprisingly large number of Brahminy kites. Some of the foliage on the river banks was a delight with its multi coloured hues. There was also an option to do watersports after breakfast but we skipped these and preferred to relax in our room sitout. The food served at River Tern Lodge was the best we have ever had at any Jungle Lodges properties in terms of both taste and spread and a special thank you to the restaurant manager and staff. As mentioned earlier we stayed in a cottage and thoroughly enjoyed it. But a word of caution, you have to climb up and down around 200 steps just to have your meals and going for sightseeing. So if you have small kids, elderly people or even problems with knees and / or back, then recommend staying in the loghuts that are close to the reception and restaurant. These also have a river view and are priced the same as the cottages. Overall it was a great experience and we would live to visit during the summer months when we actually get to see the river terns after whom the resort is named.
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are few places where you get an unforgettable experience. Our visit to the River Tern Lodge was one of those mesmerizing experiences. The booking process was hassle free and our early checking request was considered as the rooms weren't occupied the previous day. I have visited 5 JLR properties before this one and must say that this property has the best staff and food options. They cater to all your personal needs and tastes, cook some fantastic food and always serve you with a smile. A big THANK YOU to Venkatesh and his team. In terms of activities, we were completely occupied during our stay with water sports, jeep safari and boat safari. While the boat safari and water sports gave us a chance to enjoy the bhadra backwaters, the highlight of the trip was the jeep safari. Never in my previous multiple safaris have I spotted so many animals in the wild and the icing on the cake was to spot the big cat - TIGER. Our excitement knew no bounds when our naturalist Mr. Divakar spotted the tiger and let us observe it in the wild for a good 10min before it disappeared. The bonus was spotting the same tiger again while we were returning from the British Bunglow, again thanks to the sharp vision of Mr. Divakar. He is very knowledgeable and knows in and out about the forest.
Overall, we were extremely satisfied with the stay and the activities. Highly recommended for everyone!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Location
Cleanliness
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Room Tip:Â Cottages are more secluded from the Gazebo/Reception so you need to walk more but gives you more...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from JungleLodgesResorts, Public Relations Manager at The River Tern Lodge Jungle Lodges
Responded 6 Feb 2020
Thanks for taking the time to share your valued response on Jungle Lodges and Resorts. We are delighted to give outstanding services to every customer and we're overjoyed to receive your compliments and appreciation. We hope to see here with your friends and family. We will ensure they all enjoy the same quality of service as you have. It would be wonderful if you could share images, videos of your trip on media@junglelodges.com. With your permission, we will exhibit them with Photo Credits on our page.
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This is one of the top jungle resorts in Karnataka. The location is the highlight of this resort, built on an island on top of Bhadra reservoir. The reservoir is spreading 192 sq km which gives it a feel of staying at a beach resort, with forest right beside it.
There is not a single dull moment throughout the day with 2 safaris, water sports, bonfire, movie, bar and 4 times food and snacks. This is a govt facility but you will be surprised at the quality and taste of food along with the politeness of the employees.
Safaris are the highlights of this resort with one boat safari and one jeep Safari which are included in the room rates along with the food.
Rooms have huge balconies overlooking water. The beds are firm and good. However the decor of the room makes it very basic especially the lack of good lighting after the sunset. The room has AC, a geyser, power backup, electric kettle. Lack of TV was not missed.
This is a govt resort which shows in its rooms decor but the top notch services pleasantly surprises you in terms of food quality, staff eagerness to serve, quality of boats and jeeps.
Cherry on the top is their bar which is stocked with Black label and Chivas Regal at almost MRP price of the bottle. This was the highlight of the trip.
Overall Great resort, might not find value for money if you compare it with Taj, Serai etc. at same prices but private properties will struggle to get locations like this.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Stay near golghar. These rooms are called loghuts during booking times. All the rooms have more...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am die hard fan of JLR and Bhadra was the one I always wanted to go to except the prices never allowed me. But this time we made it and what a stay. Stay : we got the best cottage - facing the jungle directly and every morning we saw animals at the waterfront even in this season deer, elephant one morning, wild boar, peacocks and birds Food: JLR beats every single hotel i have reviewed when it comes to food, simple, tasty and u are well fed through the whole 2 days. The Chef was amazing. Safari: Got the best driver Diwakar, he was so motivate to make that tiger an leopard come out but unfortunately the jungle is green and lots of water streams so Mr Tiger and Master Leopard not interested to come out. We saw boar, owl, young Tusker, Langoor, peacocks Boat Safari: The boat guy was again all geared to make sighting happened but we saw Boar, OH A DANCING PEACOCK ( now that is rarer than a tiger, to see this in the wild), birds, deer Location : Outstanding facing the Badra Reservoir
Overall: Just enjoy the location is so so pretty , u will come back home relaxed.
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Date of stay: July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed there for two nights - 7th Feb and 8th Feb 2022. The cottage has a rustic looks which gels well with the surroundings it has, especially the forest close by. The Bhadra Reservoir overlooking the resort is too big and super imposing. We had booked a Deluxe Cottage and the room was clean, well kept, spacious and had a fantastic view of the Bhadra reservoir from the cottage balcony. Food was too good with local cuisine playing a major role. The boat and jungle jeep safaris were very good with lot of sightings. We went for jeep safari twice and on both occasions saw different set of animals. We could sight leopard, crocodile, tortoise, a huge tusker, bear, deer, peacocks, plenty of different species of birds, etc. The naturalists who accompany the safaris are quite knowledgeable and answered most of our questions about the birds and animals. The Deluxe Cottage was a 10 minute walk from the restaurant/reception but we liked the walk. All the staff with whom we interacted were quite co-operative and ever smiling. Special mention of Gopal and Satish, the fabulous chefs, who made some lovely lip smacking stuff, which we enjoyed. Shankar, the housekeeping staff, was very helpful
Few suggestions for improvement (hence not a 5 star rating) : 1. The trees near the balcony have overgrown and require trimming so that the guests can have uninterrupted view of the reservoir 2. The LED lights on pathway to the bridge needs replacement. As the pathway has steps, guests may trip and fall if the lights are not adequate. In fact an old couple shifted their room to log rooms from the deluxe cottage due to this reason. 3. Bath room had only one small towel rod with no other hooks or place to hang the dress for changing.
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Date of stay: February 2022
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Room Tip:Â Deluxe Cottage no. 13 has a fantastic view of Bhadra Reservoir.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
After reading quite a lot on the web, we decided to give the JLR resort in Bhadra Tiger Resort a try. Having visited Kabini and Bandipur, this was in our list of forests to cover in Karnataka and boy, was it worth it. First of all the accommodation was really nice. We stayed in the log huts which are nearer to the reception and dining area. The cabins are a bit further out and probably nicer but if you have elderly people in your family I would avoid it as it would involve numerous up and down trips for them. BTW, the cost is same for both. The log cabins by themselves were quite nice; they were clean, spacious and had a balcony with spectacular views of the reservoir. The staff were extremely nice and helpful and the food quite good; standard JLR stuff. The safari and boat trips were quite nice but I must say this is where it falls a bit short, especially the safari. First of all the Jeep has only a driver as opposed to a driver AND a guide in Kabini. Second, they seem to be less knowledgeable and enthusiastic than their counterparts in Kabini/Bandipur. That being said, we still managed to spot quite a few wild life species, including a leopard. Given that this forest has lesser concentration of big cats, we were quite lucky I guess. The boat ride is superb as well, very picturesque and enjoyable. Given the price tag is almost half that of Kabini and 2/3rd of Bandipur, I feel this is definitely worth exploring. The drive itself is really nice and even though it's a bit farther the roads are nice, it would take you 5-6 hours, depending where you live in Bangalore to get there. Also, it's much less crowded, so if you can manage a trip during weekdays, you almost get the resort to yourself. I would also advice to do 2D/2N, otherwise it becomes a bit hectic. So final piece of advice, Go For it!!
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Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is probably one of the best jungle lodges resort I've ever stayed at. Everything about this place is excellent. We stayed in the cottages which had breathtaking views and were well maintained. The cottages are a bit of a walk from the reception and it's not convenient for elderly people to access. The log huts are a better option. The food was as always nothing short of brilliant. With the limited resources they have, they always impress me with their delicious food. We didnt spot many animals during the jeep safari but we were incredibly blessed and lucky to have spotted the TIGER during our boat safari in the morning. Time stood still as we watched the majestic tiger stroll on the banks of the river. What an experience it was! Last but not the least, a special mention to the staff at river tern. They go out of their way to help you and make you feel special. It's the biggest reason I keep coming back to jungle lodges resorts.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from JungleLodgesResorts, Public Relations Manager at The River Tern Lodge Jungle Lodges
Responded 6 Feb 2020
Thanks for taking the time to share your valued response on Jungle Lodges and Resorts. We are delighted to give outstanding services to every customer and we're overjoyed to receive your compliments and appreciation. We hope to see here with your friends and family. We will ensure they all enjoy the same quality of service as you have. It would be wonderful if you could share images, videos of your trip on media@junglelodges.com. With your permission, we will exhibit them with Photo Credits on our page.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
If you compare Kabini with this place then this is below average as the rangers are inexperienced and the safari is not well coordinated as in Kabini. I am not sure why all the JLRs do not operate same as Kabini? Surely the people running this chain can connect all of them and provide the same experience.
This visit was sheer waste of time ...we could spot so many rare birds in the land safari and we had to forcefully stop the driver so that I can take a pic. They just didn't have a clue of anything!!!
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Date of stay: February 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from System Manager, Owner at The River Tern Lodge Jungle Lodges
Responded 28 Oct 2020
Hello, We are sorry to hear that you had a bad experience. We will take this into consideration and ensure that other people do not have the same experience.
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Visited River Tern JLR on 30th May 2022 for 1 day package.
Not for rejuvenation or relaxation but for people who are more interest
Pros :
1. Food is awesome tasty and lot of options 2. Location is excellent 3. Helpful and knowledgeable staff 4. Full of Activities 5. Safari staffs goes extra mile to spot wildlife
Cons:
1. One has to have stamina to walk from rooms to parking, dining, reception, since the rooms are on an island hence need to cross the hanging bridge and climb stone steps ( like ~ 200 steps ) every single time 2. Itenary is too tight and hectic, not advisable if you are going with infant, toddler or elderly people. Dont think so they will be able to cope-up 3. Felt slightly expensive
Suggestion to JLR: 1. Kindly give sometime between each activity since people take time keep up the schedule
2. Have some flexibility if people request additional meal ( provided extra money ) after the itenary since there are no good resturant nearby atleast 60kms surroundings.
3. If possible make arrangements to carry the luggage on a trolly
4. For boat safari, we need to have balance between people sitting on the left and right side. We were on the left side of the boat, all the spot were made to see close to right side of the boat which was disappointing
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Date of stay: May 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip:Â book premium rooms to avoid walking and choose right of boat during safari
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The location of River Tern Lodge -JLR is on the Bhadra dam backwaters, you can have a superb view of slient water and the bhadra hills. The Log Huts are located close to the dining room and the reception area while the Cottages are located on an island which is connected to the main land with a cable bridge. Its a bit of a walk to the cottages but its worth it since the cottages offer the best view. We stayed in cottage #13, which is the perfect. Food is good in all the JLR properties, we enjoyed . We have Boat Safari and the Jeep Safari, Both are really good that we go on a boat in the backwater for 3 hours for animal and birds sightings . We go into the bhadra tiger reserve forest in the Jeep ride, which is really good but one must be lucky to sight Tigers :). This property also has the Ayurveda Kendra - massage was good. The documentary show in the evening was really worth watching, followed by bonfire. We had a fantastic stay @ River Tern. I Definitely recommend the Place.
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Date of stay: November 2022
Value
Rooms
Service
Room Tip:Â Cottages has best View
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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