Rated among the top luxury resorts, Evolve Back(earlier Orange County, a name that is still popular) resorts are located at Coorg(the original), Kabini, and Hampi. In the midst of Covid pandemic, I thought it would be comparatively safer to visit top end resorts and hence chose to spend 2 nights at Evolve Back, Kabini. Being a luxury resort, the price points are much higher. But is Evolve Back Kabini worth the higher cost? Read on to find out.
About Kabini
Created by a dam built over river Kapila, the Kabini reservoir covers an area of ~2,000 sq kms. Most of the better known resorts are located on the western side but Evolve Back is located on the eastern side, bang opposite the Jungle Lodges and Resorts. Though Bandipur National Park is also accessible from Kabini, the safaris normally take visitors to Nagarahole National Park.
Kabini is ideally located for a 2-3 nights getaway from Bengaluru.
Kabini river, Karnataka Kabini river, Karnataka Sunset over Kabini river, Karnataka
Accomodation at Evolve Back, Kabini
The villas are set amidst lush green surroundings. The size of villas, including open spaces within boundary, is big. The smallest is Safari Hut at ~1400 sq. ft. and comes with a private Jacuzzi. The Pool Hut is even bigger at ~2400sq ft. and comes with a private pool. Then there is Pool Reserve that comes with a heated pool. Despite the size, the villas are essentially designed for 2 adults but additional persons can be easily accommodated.
The resort has aimed to combine luxury with ethnicity. More specifically, ideas are drawn from the lifestyle of Kuruba tribe. There is no doubt that lot of thought has gone into designing the rooms. The thatched roof is replaced every year at a significant overall cost as they are not designed to withstand more than 1 rainy season. Fresh fruits and snacks are provided on a complementary basis. But I hardly felt the need to have them. Surprisingly, when it came to tea/coffee, there was not much variety.
Evolve Back resort, Kabini, Karnataka Evolve Back resort, Kabini, Karnataka Evolve Back resort, Kabini, Karnataka
So how to keep yourself occupied?
Safari
Jeep safari or a Boat safari is at the top of the list and both are run by Jungle Lodges and Resorts(JLR). I opted for Jeep safari and we all travelled by boat across the river to JLR. It took about 15 minutes. Similar journey by road would have taken almost 2 hours. The safari lasted about 3 hours. It was certainly hard on the bladder. I had deliberately avoided drinking water after waking up but still, in the last one hour of the safari, I had no interest in sighting wildlife. Just wanted to get back to JLR to relieve myself!
Normally, Jeep safari is preferable for better sighting of animals but during summer season, boat safari too can be productive. I am told herds of elephants and other animals, can be seen quenching their thirst. Even crocodiles can be spotted.
River cruise
A sunset cruise on Kabini river too is a nice experience. After a long time, I was able to experiment with my DSLR camera, trying different settings to capture sunset.
For couples or close friends, the 2-2.5 hour dinner cruise is a nice option. The only problem is lack of privacy. The two of us were outnumbered by 3 members of staff from the resort! And yes, I do think the price point is on the higher side.
Other activities
It is nice to walk around the resort after lunch/dinner. Bicycles too are available. There is a library located at the edge of the river. Great location for some serious reading. There is a fair collection of books though a casual glance did indicate relatively less importance being given to updations.
There are other activities such as coracle ride, bullock cart ride(guess it is for kids), night trail, jungle trail etc. but nothing that cannot be missed. Kabini dam is nearby but not open to general public.
My first sighting of tiger in the wild
Jeep safari took me into the Nagarahole National Park. I was bit disappointed to see a long stretch of the forest had been cleared to built HT electric towers. I was told wild animals are often spotted in this clearing but beyond a herd of Gaurs, I did not see anything else.
But just inside the forest, a few minutes later, all my disappointment vanished – I had my very first sighting of a tiger in the wild. I have no words to describe the thrill that I felt. But it was all over in a few seconds, with the tiger disappearing into the dense foliage. The driver took us to the other side of the foliage with the hope that the tiger would emerge there but no further luck.
We moved ahead, hoping to spot a black panther that had been sighted a few days back. No luck. Elephants, Gaur, Indian common mongoose, few very attractive and colorful birds were all that I could spot.
Nagarahole National Park, Karnataka Tiger spotted at Kabini, Karnataka
Vegetarian Food
To me, the food is the highlight of the resort. Breakfast and dinner buffet have considerable variety. Especially breakfast. Lunch is ala carte and provides an opportunity to taste local food.
The resort has two restaurants, one serving Indian, Continental(essentially Italian) and Oriental food and the other serving Kebabs and Grills. I requested for a table to be set outside in the open and they readily obliged.
There are 2 other exclusive options-one is dining by the river/reservoir and the other is candle light cruise. Both require a prior booking. I am not sure if additional amount is payable for dining by the river but charges apply for boat dinner.
Coffee was fairly good but masala tea was not up to mark.
Cost
At present, a Safari Hut costs INR 26k without food and INR 31k with breakfast and dinner for a couple. Pool Hut is INR 5k extra per night for a couple. My recollection is that the rates were higher prior to the pandemic but not very sure. Simple lunch can be managed with INR2k per couple. For a 2N booking, a meal credit of INR4k is provided.
Dinner cruise costs INR 9k per couple, Safari and sunset cruise cost INR 3K and 0.55k per person. Drinks are priced reasonably. The souvenir shop has few interesting items, even for Indians.
Overall, I spent about INR 90k for 2 of us, excluding the cost of travel from/to Bengaluru.
When booking, choose the villa with breakfast and dinner option. For a couple it costs INR 5k extra but you get plenty of variety in return. Similar variety on ala carte basis will cost more. But if you prefer simple vegetarian food, you can get by with about INR2k per meal for couple. Given the location, there are no other good options for food nearby.
Is Evolve Back worth the price?
Despite all the positives, the resort did not appeal to me as a luxury resort. Was it because of the rustic ambience, with much of the stuff sourced locally? Hard to say. So spending an average of INR40-50k per couple is definitely on the higher side. I am deliberating ignoring the fact that the smallest villa available, the Safari Hut, is about 1400 sq. ft. That may account for a portion of the relatively higher cost. Goods and Service tax at 18% too adds to the overall cost. In my view, for the facilities, the ambience and the experience, the price points need to drop by a minimum of 20%.
How to reach Evolve Back
Evolve Back Kabini is located about 80 kms from Mysore. I drove along the ring road in Mysore and exited to Mananthavadi Road. Proceeded to H D Kote, a distance of about 50kms. It was a two lane road and in decent condition. Just after HD Kote, I could have taken a left turn towards Sargur but chose to go little further and took left at Kallegowdanahally. There is a sign board but you may miss it if you are driving fast. But Google maps indicates the turning accurately. Once you take a left, the road become quite narrow and passed through agricultural fields and villages with small houses adjoining both sides of the road.
Avoid driving over the plants that the villagers lay on the road. Some of it coiled around my SUV’s spinning driveshaft causing fair bit of noise. It took me over 30 minutes, with help from a local, to get rid of it.
The road got worse once I reached Kabini dam. The last 20kms, from Kabini dam to the resort was very much a village road, the progress was slow and took 40 minutes. Overall, it took me about 2 hours from Mysore, excluding the 30 minute stoppage time.
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