Often teased by friends and family for not having visited Jim Corbett ever, I was ecstatic when we embarked on our journey to this National Park on the infamous date, Friday the 13th of June.
Many would argue that June may not be the perfect month to travel to this destination because of the weather. I, on the contrary, feel differently. Despite the hot and humid temperatures, it turned out to be the best climate to spend ample amount of time in the water, whether in the swimming pool or the Kosi river flowing parallel to the resort.
Travelling as a family to Club Mahindra resorts, thanks to my sister-in-law (SIL) being a member, always translates into an adventurous yet luxurious experience. Boasting of a fun zone, spacious rooms, sprawling open green expanse and an inviting pool rarely sees us miss an opportunity to head out for a vacation with the SIL and family.
This time was no different! Except that we came back home sunburnt and bruised. *Ouch!*
Not because we hurt ourselves, but courtesy our adventurous spirits that saw us climbing greasy rocks in the river and stand for the most part of our bumpy 5-hour jungle safari!
Useful tips for travelers to Jim Corbett:
- Take your own car for jungle safari unless you have qualms about driving through a rough terrain
- Make sure your room is facing the river for a beautiful view
- Explore eating options outside the resort as it will fall cheaper and give you a home-cooked flavour
- If you are on a mission to spot the tiger, stay at Dhikala rest house
Adventure with River Kosi
A small stream was running parallel to the Club Mahindra resort which ended up being our favourite spot in the entire 3-day trip. We thoroughly enjoyed the cold water in the heat and how!
Perched on the rocks in the middle of a rapid, clinging on to our packets of chips and mangoes and what not. Trust me, if it is difficult for you to imagine this sight, in actuality, it was even more challenging yet exhilarating to say the least!
The force of the water combined with our slippery feet on the algae rocks not only made us challenge our strength, but had us cracking into bursts of laughter at how vain we were!
Having spent three straight hours in the stream on arrival, we satiated our senses with a hearty chicken curry-rice meal and a power nap.
Let me not forget to mention that we were not yet done with water as the swimming pool awaited us. After enjoying some water volleyball, we decided we were done for the day.
Cycling our way through the lawns and pathways of the resort
Do you remember the last time you rode a cycle on road? That is exactly the question I asked myself when I was jittery carrying the niece on the carrier, especially on the uphill. The last time I was on one was on the stationary cycle in the gym few months back. And, before that I really don’t remember.
Little did I realise that in the routine life of city hustle bustle we miss out on much more than we imagine.
Later, when I attempted artificial rock climbing, I found myself deeply thoughtful when I could not complete the task. Frankly, fitness was never one of my concerns but any attempts of avoiding it are certainly not possible anymore. :-(
Anyhow, I was gratified with the share of fun and adventure I had on this trip with Water.
Eyes on the forest for one glimpse of the Big Cat - The Tiger
After a stint with outdoor sports, the next afternoon saw us all prepped up for our jungle safari in the open jeep. Focused about spotting the Bengal Tiger, we set out single-mindedly with that goal.
Eyes locked on the jungle while tightly gripping the iron sidebar on the jeep, we rarely blinked for the fear that we might miss out on one sight of the Big Cat..
After about two hours like this, we loosened our hold, not because we were giving up, but now the journey was more about absorbing the sheer raw beauty of traversing a path, treaded by wild animals on a daily basis.
Even though we spotted a herd of deer and nilgai crossing the uneven path, the best experience for me was when I enjoyed about a km long walk through the jungle, when our jeep broke down.
In the quietude of a jungle, you rarely miss any noise, even if it is a fly lingering near your ear.
As I walked along, clicking pictures of the sunset and listening to the sound of dry leaves crunching under my feet, I was least bit excited to see our jeep approaching us.
Although, the passersby who were quite concerned about why we were walking around the jungle alone had a reason to breathe a sigh of relief!
Although, the passersby who were quite concerned about why we were walking around the jungle alone had a reason to breathe a sigh of relief!
Shortly after, we stopped by a stream to take one of our many breaks during the extended safari. By the time we reached the end, it was dark and still a long way home (the resort).
So, that were some of the memories I took back with me from our Corbett trip. I’m hoping the next one will be coming soon too, may be at Dhikala Forest Lodge.
No comments:
Post a Comment