Perched on a hillock on the edge of the Bhadra reservoir, near Lakkavali and next-door from the majestic Bhadra Tiger Reserve, the River Tern Lodge by Jungle Lodges is the most-scenic forest getaway in Karnataka.
Perfect for family groups, kids, friends and of-course the wildlife enthusiasts – The River Tern Jungle Lodges has something to offer for everyone. 😊
The River Tern Jungle Lodges is spread across two hillocks connected by a suspension bridge. The 1st hillock has the main entrance, parking area, reception area, Golghar (common dining area) and Loghut accommodation.
The 2nd, an island-hillock connected to the mainland via a suspension bridge has the Cottage accommodation and is the most-scenic among the two.😍





Features and Amenities:
- Type of accommodation: They have 2 types of accommodation – both of them are twin-sharing, spacious, air-conditioned wooden cottages of the same-size.
- Loghut: offers good view of the Bhadra dam backwaters
- Less distance to walk from parking/reception and Golghar
- Total number of loghuts: 08
- Cottage: best view of the backwaters (we stayed in the Cottage)
- More distance to walk from Golghar through the suspension bridge connecting the two island-hillocks.
- Total number of cottages: 15
- Loghut: offers good view of the Bhadra dam backwaters
- Swimming Pool: Not present, but they offer swimming & kayaking under supervision in the backwaters of the Bhadra reservoir.
- Children & Infants allowed: Yes
- Best suited for:
- Family, Kids, Infants
- Friends
- Groups
- Walking: Staying at River Tern Lodge demands a healthy dose of walking to the dining/activities area (at least 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day) – factor this while booking the resort.
- Alcohol Consumption: allowed in the cottage, loghut and at the attached bar in the Golghar ONLY
- NOT ALLOWED in public/common areas of the resort
- Carry your own alcohol & mixers (they don’t sell alcohol, mixers, soft-drinks at the resort)
- Smoking: NOT allowed
- Activities:
- Jungle Safari by Jeep/Bus: inside the majestic, lush-green Bhadra Tiger Sanctuary – DO NOT MISS 😍
- Duration of jeep safari: 1.5 – 2 hours
- When is the Jeep Safari: Mornings & Evenings (The guest/group has to confirm the time-slot with the property manager)
- Boat Safari: on the backwaters of Bhadra dam reservoir – try the evening slot, the sunset from the backwaters is magical 🥰
- Duration of boat safari: 1.5 – 2 hours
- When is the boat Safari: Mornings & Evenings (The guest/group has to confirm the time-slot with the property manager)
- Kayaking: They offer a 2-person OR 1-person kayak for more leisurely exploration of the Bhadra dam reservoir
- Note: All water-based activities are subject to weather conditions, & under the supervision of the staff.
- Wildlife Movie Screening: both adults and kids
- Campfire: close to the Golghar to soak beautiful views of the stars and great conversations.
- Jungle Safari by Jeep/Bus: inside the majestic, lush-green Bhadra Tiger Sanctuary – DO NOT MISS 😍
- WiFi: Free WiFi for guests
- Free parking (non-sheltered) within the Jungle Lodges premises for cars and motorcycles
- Food: pre-set fare of tasty, regular (non-extravagant), unlimited veg and non-veg food.
- Main meals like breakfast, lunch, dinner served buffet-style ONLY at the Golghar (common dining area)
- Evening Snacks/Coffee/Tea: served at Golghar ONLY
- Additional Snacks/Juice: ask them for a menu, can be ordered as Room Service (with extra-charge).
- Work-cation: Although I feel sorry for someone who has to work from this beautiful place – their WiFi is good and CANNOT support work bandwidth.
- Wheelchair Access to the Jungle Lodges: Except the parking area, all the other spaces are NOT Wheelchair friendly
- Pet-Friendly: Pets are NOT ALLOWED
- Medical Emergency: They have a doctor-on-call, please inform the staff for any specific-needs
- Bird Watcher/Wildlife/Trees Lover’s Paradise: The boat-safari & jeep-safari transport you to a beautiful dimension filled with crisp air, wildlife, sounds & nature. DO NOT MISS THIS!!
- Best time to visit: The River Tern Jungle Lodge is a pleasant place to visit throughout the year.
- October to February: is ideal.
- June to September: entire sanctuary is lush green from the monsoons.
- March to May: might be a little warm.




Do Not Expect:
- Spa & Gym: No
- TV: There is NO TV in any of the rooms
- Respect the sanctity of the Jungle: Make minimal noise, enjoy the serenity and calm
- Food & Amenities: it’s not a full-fledged hotel/resort to cater extraordinary requests.
- Outdoor Common Area: to drink/chat for large-groups is NOT present. [Except the camp-fire area]
Useful Information:
- Check-in after: 1 pm
- Check-out before: 10:30 am
- Staff: extremely friendly, accommodating – they speak very good Kannada and English
- Price:
- Loghut: INR 7,021 per person/day (includes taxes, 3-meals a day, coffee/tea, snacks, 1-jeep safari, 1-boat-safari)
- Cottage: INR 7,523 per person/day (includes taxes, 3-meals a day, coffee/tea, snacks, 1-jeep safari, 1-boat-safari)
- Camera Fees: carrying a camera into the wildlife safari attracts a separate fees
- Phone camera doesn’t attract any additional fee
- Operating a drone needs some permissions & likely to attract additional fees – feel free to call the resort before booking.
- Location: The River Tern Jungle Lodge, Lakkavalli, Bhadra, Karnataka (Find on Google Maps)
- Distance from Bengaluru: 285kms
- How to book: Visit Website
A mesmerising sunset, beautiful views of the Bhadra reservoir backwaters surrounding by lush-green pristine forests and cosy wooden cottages transforms a regular Jungle Lodge into a dreamy vacation 😍


✅ Travel Responsibly || DO NOT LITTER the backwaters or the jungle || Have fun || Respect the tranquility of the people & wildlife around ✅
Leave a Reply