Hidden Gem in Madumalai Forest : Jungle Hut.

Amidst the dense and beautiful Madumalai forest is situated a perfect wildlife Resort for all nature lovers – Jungle Hut.

I fell in love the moment I entered this place. The tranquility and serenity just takes over you. The feeling of staying in a jungle yet being in safe cozy environment is bliss in itself. Deer’s move freely in the resort and the surrounding is like a home to them. We also spotted giant Malabar squirrel and various varieties of birds in the backside of the resort.

Rooms are spacious, clean and homely. Rooms do not have a television which is amazing as you truly spend time with your loved ones instead of looking at the idiot box.

I would give 10 on 10 for food. They serve variety of dishes, some authentic south Indian dishes and mouth watering desserts. The taste of their carrot sabzi is still lingering on my tongue. The best part is that the owners dine with you from the same menu. They are perfect host and are absolutely warm and welcoming. They will go out of their way to make you feel at home.

We visited Bandipur Forest Reserve which is hardly an hour away from the Resort and the journey is one of the most picturesque one. We saw elephants, peacocks, one sloth bear on the way to the forest reserve. You have to just keep an eye on the sides of the road to catch the glimpse of wild animals and make sure you do not disturb them and let them be by themselves.

You have to wait for an hour or so to get into the safari canter, though throughout the safari we only got to see deer’s and elephants and a pair of mongoose but the ride was enjoyable.

Resort staff also takes you on small treks/walks around the resort at extra cost. In free time you can simply stroll in the resort and get one with the nature or you can play indoor games like carom and chess or read a book from the resort library. If you are bird lover, this place is a heaven. The Resort also has a small swimming pool having Nilgiris in the backdrop. Overall I loved the experience of staying here and I would definitely recommend this place to all.

How to reach :

Masinagudi is situated in Tamil Nadu and the nearest airport is Coimbatore which is just 4 hrs from Jungle Hut.

You can book a cab from the airport to the resort.

Bangalore is around 250 kms from the resort so you can also hop on a Volvo bus from banglore to ooty which usually leaves in the morning at around 6:30 and get down at Thepakkadu Junction, Masinagudi.

Radhika Thankar