River Tern Bhadra - a photofeature

Standing on the bridge that connects India and Sri Lanka (Thats how the two islands at the River Tern Lodge are referred to as ) , I could not help but stand in awe and say it out loud that this got to be the best Jungle Lodges property.

Imagine staying in one of these 25 cottages, surrounded by woods where all the cottages face the backwaters and imagine being woken up by the melodic songs of the Puff Throated Babblers and being greeted by spectacular scenes of the sunrise.

Surrounded by the Bhadra Tiger Reserve on one side and the Bhadra Backwaters on the other, there are a whole lot of activities that can guarantee you a dream vacation.

The Jeep Safaris:
The first two days of my stay, having sighted all the three top predators - The Tiger, Leopard and the Wild Dogs found at the Bhadra Tiger Reserve, I couldn't have asked for anything better.


Elephants, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Gaurs, Barking Deer, Monitor Lizards are fairly commonly sighted.

Among birds, watch out for the Crested Serpant Eagles. This Juvenile was oblivious of our presence and did let us approach quite close.

The Brown Fish owls are commonly spotted too.

Boat Safaris
If you think, its only on the Jeep Safari that you can spot wildlife, you couldn't be more wrong..Our Boatsmen Dilkush and Mahesh say that they had once watched a pack of wilddogs chase away a leopard and in summers, it is not uncommon to spot tigers and large herds of elephants cooling off in the backwaters.

And dont be surprised to see a Monitor Lizard warming up in the morning sun..

But thats not what the River Tern Lodge is known for. Its this black capped, orange-legged, yellow billed beauty, the River Tern which adds a meaning to this place.Between March - May, imagine a sight, ten thousands of these birds breeding on a small island, which remains submerged for most part of the year.

And in winters, the Ospreys are a regular visitor.

If you are on an Evening Safari, the sunsets are gonna blow your mind off. Truly spectacular and beyond any words to describe

And in between the Safaris, you can rejuvenate with some kayaking and a good swim..
All in all, a place you would never want to leave..

Posted by Adarsh Raju, photographer , naturalist and NTP member. You can see more pictures here