Tranquil Stay with a Rich Cultural Experience – Evolve Back Resorts, Kabini

November 2, 2017 Deena Pinto

Hello Peeps! Took me forever, but finally got time to put my awesome 3-day staycation with Evolve Back Resorts! I had been meaning to put it up for awhile now, and a hectic schedule had me delay this. It is Finally Here!

There is something magical with Evolve Back Resorts, as they make you travel back in time. From the laid back cultural lifestyle that blends with luxury all around you. To get a feel of the heritage and culture, it surely promises to be an escape from reality. At times your mind and body need to take a step back to blend with the surroundings and be one with nature.

When my sister Doreen aka IndianGirlinPoland and I are together, we are a total riot. She was in India for a month, visiting me from Poland. Now its not everyday, that the two of us can spend some valuable sister time.

When we got the opportunity to spend the weekend at Orange County, Kabini. Now known as EVOLVE BACK KURUBA SAFARI LODGE, KABINI. It seemed a perfect excuse to have a much-needed Sister Staycation. The venue was apt for us – Safari, River ride coupled with some R&R.

– Getting There –

Plane – Fly into Bangalore airport, then drive down.
Railway – Mysore (80 kms), Bangalore (220 kms)
Drive – From Bangalore it is about 220 kms. Roughly takes about 5 to 6 hours depending on traffic.

We had the Resort car pick us up from my residence. We started way to early around 630am to beat the Bangalore traffic. To our dismay due to the metro station work along the route, we took longer than expected to leave the city. Besides, we did have a lovely drive, I dozed off a bit to get some shut eye and be fresh for what was in store the next 3 days.

– The Hotel –

On arrival, and to get accustomed to the true traditions, the tribal tunes that played had us travel back in time. The warm breeze swayed as we were greeted with garland and a tikka. I immediately felt at ease, and knew there was a lot in store for us to soak in.

The entire look and feel of the resort is inspired by the Kadu Kuruba tribe. From the architecture to the huts and surrounding is as true to a village, but has luxurious touch to it. The gorgeous property is surrounded on both sides of the River Kabini making this more picturesque and a scene right out of paradise.

We were greeted by the local guide, on arrival each party gets assigned one. We sat down and had the local coffee, whilst being guided with an already set up itinerary so we waste no time at all. By the looks of it, that next three days were packed with safari, boat rides, nature trails and time out at the Ayurveda spa.

But first a tour of the property! The sparkling river Kabini caught our attention. As it was noon the sunlight played softly along the river. The outdoor infinite pool is a breathe of fresh air. From one angle it looks as though it blends with the sky and the river, making it an endless stretch. I had to get myself into it for sure…but first the Villa.

– The Room –

The entire property is like a maze. We walked along the winding paths and reached the end of the property close to the banks of the river kabini. Ours was a Pool Hut. Now this is one spacious HUT (VILLA), with an outdoor pool that greets you upon entry. The entire villa has cemented flooring, thatched grass roof to recreate a tribal home and ambience. The furniture is rustic and blends right in to give a feel of a true safari outback but with modern day amenities to make living a breeze.

The sit out at the Pool Hut faces the river, so does the bedroom. My favorite part of the villa apart from the pool is the little open space inside the villa. The bathroom is well equipped and is quite modern.

The Jacuzzi Huts, are slightly smaller and equipped with a personal open-to-sky Jacuzzi.

– The Pool –

Sometimes I let the pictures do the talking. The weather was a bit nippy as its monsoon. The drizzle didn’t stop us from having our swim. It was cold…like really cold. Anything to get some good shots for the blog <wink>

I particularly like the pool at night. My sister and I had our glasses of wine and we just star gazed, and enjoyed the calm. The frogs around kept us company with their croaking.

– The Spa –

I love exploring places and the surroundings, this resort like I mentioned earlier is a maze. You can follow the yellow bricks and it takes you to various huts and one such stop is the Spa. The spa is called Vaidyasala and boasts itself to have some of the ancient treatments. To experience the Spa, I took my favorite ayurvedic massage, the Abhyanga or Abhyangam. This is a synchronized therapy, using herbal oil. Its not your regular massage, and brings numerous health benefits. The massage is followed by a steam/ sauna in traditional pods. This one surely clears all toxins. After the shower… I felt more relaxed and exceptionally nourished and cared for. The state-of-art wellness facilities are a definite plus at each of the Evolve back properties!

– Food & Drinks –

There are two restaurants here – The Honey Comb The main dining area (inspired by the honey gathers of the tribe). And the Kuruba Grill.

The Honey Comb has an open verandah, is the best seat at the dining hall as you get to view of the river side, not to mention the lovely breeze. The restaurant has a buffet system in place for all meals. Its no fuss, local cuisine mixed with some continental and asian so you can take your pick.

Being a foodie I stuck to the local dishes, and have to admit it was really tasty, had me go back for seconds.

For the first night we had the buffet dinner, as we were pretty exhausted from the safari, post that we sat by the pool side.

Breakfast on Day 2 was at the Honey comb as we had to rush for the coral ride and bullock cart ride.

Dinner day 2 we had it at the Kuruba Grill, and is an a la carte restaurant, is in a lovely and more intimate enclosure by the pool. You can take your pick of some of the fresh fish or meat.

The bar is well stocked, we stuck to beer during the day and wine for our dinner. The bartender was keen to stir up some cocktails but perhaps another time.

– Activities –

This resort is definitely for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike, there are so many activities to chose from, to keep you busy throughout the day. You can chose to be a spectator or a participant is left to you. Again, we had our fair share and ensure we covered as much as possible.

BULLOCK RIDE – Now this has to be the most epic rides I had …my sister and I took turns to ride…although it was an epic fail. The farmer who owns the bulls, took us for a ride around the banks of the river and sang a folklore. I have to go back if anything for this ride. We end the trip by sipping some tender coconut and clicking some awesome pics.
BOAT SAFARI – For wildlife lovers this is you best bet to get some candid shots of animals coming to the river to quench their thirst. Bird lovers get a glimpse of some of the beautiful myriad water birds.
VEHICLE SAFARI – This is my all time favorite. These vehicles take you deep into the Nagarhole ecosystem. We were told this area supports the highest density of herbivores anywhere in Asia with around 108 animals per sq km. Unfortunately it was not in our cards to spot any tigers that day. None the less we enjoyed everyminute of it, being surrounded by nature was the highlight.
NATURE WALK – This is a guided walk, for those looking to explore the flora and unravel some of the beauty of birds and insects then this is a must do.
EVENING ACTIVITIES – A troupe of Kuruba tribal dancers performs their traditional dance around a campfire. This dance is traditionally performed during festivals & times of strife and is an invitation to their gods to join them and bless the occasion. This is followed by a light local snack especially corn that has been roasted. Also gives an opportunity to network with other guests residing at the resort.
They also play a mini documentary on wildlife, at the Check-in Lounge
NIGHT TRAILS – Again this walk is a mini night expedition around the river, whole world of nocturnal life emerges, and you are free to explore nature around the resort at night, armed only with flashlights.
CORACLE RIDE – I had a blast in this one. A bit dicey at first getting onto one, but once in…it is a load of fun, drifting along the river bed.
READING LOUNGE – This is where you can take time off, put you feet up and relax. Grab a book and order in some coffee.

– My Final Thoughts –

The evening’s here are surreal! The sunset is like sky theatrics at its best. We took to having coffee at the boat on our last day. The entire stay was a bit of adventure that calmed the nerves. A staycation with a loved one is always the best. I have to give credit here to every staff member. All went out of their way to help my sister who had a nasty cold, throughout. Sending in herbal tea at odd hour of night was really thoughtful. For me the ‘Namaskara’ or greetings by the staff was a bit intriguing along the way. Other than than, everything was as expected.

Soaking in some culture, a relaxing massage to just lazing around the pool. My entire staycation was heartwarming. Especially with my little sister to give me company I could not have asked for a better place to spend it than at the Evolve Back Kuruba Safari Lodge, Kabini. Here is a 60sec glimpse of my staycation.

About Evolve Back Resorts – The resort was once called ‘Orange County’. And now has the name changed to ‘Evolve Back’. Evolve Back promises to take you back to an enchanting world – a world of luxury holiday experiences, so steeped in the lore of the land, in the culture of its people and in the untainted natural beauty of the region, that it enjoins you to be one with the Spirit of the Land. To learn more – CLICK HERE

Have you already been Evolve Back Kuruba Safari Lodge, Kabini? Would love to hear your experience if you have, and if you have enjoyed this post do leave your comment below.

You can also follow my little sister’s adventure – IndianGirlInPoland

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**Disclaimer: Even though the invite was complimentary, all views expressed are my own.

3 thoughts on “Tranquil Stay with a Rich Cultural Experience – Evolve Back Resorts, Kabini”

adashofdanish

November 27, 2017 at 12:51 AM

This looks absolutely amazing. Your pictures makes it seems as though you were the only people there.
- Deena Pinto
  
  November 27, 2017 at 2:20 PM
  
  Thanks for taking the time to check my blog out, there were a lot of guests…we made sure we were alone and no one passed us hahaha….the pool was pretty much to ourselves as it was a bit nippy and drizzling…but crazy sisters if you ask me !
Evolve Back Kabini

July 22, 2023 at 12:47 PM

Your storytelling transported me to the banks of the Kabini River. I felt like I was on a virtual journey through Evolve Back Kabini. If you want stay in this beautiful place, connect with us to book a luxurious stay at evolveback kabini, Contact us for more details Website: https://evolvebackkabini.com/ Contact: 6366366971