Renowned for its spectacular wildlife, enchanting greenery, and lush forests, Kabini is the perfectly mesmerizing destination for a weekend getaway or a short holiday trip. At this stunning wonderland of Karnataka, you will get the unique opportunity to spot elephants, leopards, tigers, and several other denizens of the wild in their natural habitat, while admiring the glorious forest views.
One of the frequently asked questions is “How to reach Kabini?“. The answer sometimes isn’t simple. You can easily drive down to Kabini from Bangalore, Mysore, and various neighbouring cities for a long weekend, to enjoy breathtaking sunsets and sunrises over the backwaters, in addition to the charming wildlife of the region. You are sure not to have a single dull moment at Kabini, as there are numerous things to do, starting from going on an exciting Jungle Safari to taking a peaceful stroll beside the Kabini Dam.
How to reach Kabini River Lodge and where is it?
Lying near the southern fringes of the Rajiv Gandhi National Park (also referred to as Nagarahole National Park), River Kabini Lodge would be among the best places to book a stay here. It traditionally used to be the hunting lodge of the erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore but now has been converted into a sprawling resort present right at the heart of elephant country. What’s more? You can easily reach this destination by road, air, or railways. Keep reading to find the best way to reach Kabini and enjoy a delightful vacation there.
Reaching Kabini by Air
If you are staying abroad or in a state in India far away from Kabini, then opting for air travel would be the most prudent option for you. However, as Kabini does not have an airport of its own, you ideally have to book a flight for Coimbatore or Bangalore and then travel to this beautiful holiday spot by road. There are taxis, rental cars, and buses plying from both Coimbatore and Bangalore which offers various options on how to reach Kabini.
Coimbatore to Kabini
● Coimbatore International Airport: This is one of the major airports of India, where both domestic and international flights arrive on a frequent basis. The distance from Coimbatore to Kabini is essentially 187 km. From here, you can either choose to take a rental car, taxi, or a bus to Kabini.
✔ Bus: It takes about 11 hours, 28 mins on a bus to reach Kabini from Coimbatore. The bus fares can range from Rs. 1607 to Rs. 2182. This shall be the most cost-effective way to reach Kabini from Coimbatore. However, we do not recommend this option unless you are on a strict budget and you can’t travel in any other mode of transport.
✔ Taxi: With a Taxi, you can reach Kabini from Coimbatore within approximately 3 to 4 hours. The taxi fares can range from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 3700 depending on the car you choose.
✔ Rental Car: In a rental car, it will take you approximately 3 to 4 hours to drive down to Kabini as well. Depending on the type of the car, you might be charged somewhere around Rs. 8 to Rs.19 per kilometre. Choosing to rent a car would be a good idea for families or groups having senior citizens and kids, as it shall provide you with the freedom to take breaks between the journey, whenever you like.
You may even opt to visit Mysore from Coimbatore via train and subsequently travel to Kabini by road from there.
Bangalore to Kabini
● Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru: While Coimbatore airport is the nearest to Kabini, this is the most well-connected one. The Kempegowda International Airport is located about 272 km away from Kabini Bangalore. This airport is well-connected to most of the major cities of India, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Flights from multiple foreign cities also arrive here. Subsequent to reaching the Kempegowda International Airport, you can simply take a rental car, cab, or bus to reach Kabini.
✔ Bus: It takes approximately 8 hours, 24 mins on a bus to reach Kabini from Bangalore. The bus fares can range from Rs. 2484 to Rs. 3274. If you have a good amount of time on your hands or are falling short on the travel budget, then taking a bus would be a good idea for you.
✔ Taxi: With a Taxi, Kabini distance from Bangalore can be covered in around 3.5 to 4 hours. The taxi fares here can range from Rs. 5500 to Rs. 7000.
✔ Rental Car: There are a variety of rental cars plying from Kabini from Bangalore, which you can book as per the size of your holiday group or family, as well as your budget range. These cars would typically cost you somewhere around Rs.6500 to Rs.7000.
Rather than travelling from Bangalore to Kabini, you may even opt to take a train to Mysore and then drive down from Mysore to Kabini. However, this would involve quite a bit of unnecessary travel, and hence should be avoided, unless necessary.
Mysore to Kabini
● Mysore Airport: Alternatively, you may even opt to fly down to the Mysore airport, and then go to Kabini by road. While the Mysore airport is relatively smaller than that of Coimbatore or Bangalore, it has frequent flights to and from Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Goa. After getting down at the Mysore Airport, you shall have the option to reach Kabini by bus or a taxi.
Reaching Kabini by train
Kabini does not have a train station of its own. Hence, you have to take a train to either Mysore or Bangalore, and subsequently reach Kabini via road.
● The Mysore railroad station is the nearest train station to Kabini. The Kabini to Mysore distance is around 70 kilometres. As Mysore is quite a prominent destination in Karnataka and a home to some of the major tourist spots of the nation, there are numerous trains from all around India that arrive at this city. This scene train route would be ideal for setting the holiday mood, as you shall get to admire a host of scenic views from your train window.
Subsequent to arriving at the Mysore railroad station, you can take a taxi to Kabini. It takes around one and a half-hour to drive down to Kabini from the Mysore railroad station. A private cab shall cost you something around Rs.1500 to reach the destination.
● While the Mysore train station would be the easiest and fastest way to reach Kabini through the rail, you can do so through the Bangalore Railway station as well. It is located 215 km from Kabini, and you have to again take a bus, cab, or rental car from there to reach your destination.
Reaching Kabini by road
Kabini is extremely well connected via roadways from diverse parts of Karnataka, and hence you shall face no problems in reaching there. If you are tight on your budget, you may opt to take any of the private and government buses that run between Kabini and major urban centres of Karnataka, including Bangalore and Mysore. However, if you desire to enjoy a more comfortable trip or are short on time, booking a cab to Kabini would be a way more viable option.
For the ones having a private car or a bike, enjoying a long drive to Kabini shall be an excellent choice. The gorgeous greenery surrounding the roads en route to Kabini makes for an excellent excursion. Plus, you can always stop to take a number of mesmerizing photos in transit for your social media feed.
Taking a bus
KSRTC operates buses regularly from diverse major cities of Karnataka, such as Mysore and Bangalore to Kabini.
● The overall journey from Bangalore (Central Bus Stand) to Kabini shall cost you about Rs. 800 by a private deluxe A/C bus, and Rs 300 – Rs 400 by a state bus.
● The journey from Mysore to Kabini shall ideally cost you around Rs 300 for a deluxe bus and Rs 125 for a state bus.
Driving down to Kabini
Driving from Bangalore to Kabini:
✔ How far is Kabini from Bangalore?: 210 kms
✔ Driving down to Kabini from Bangalore would take you about 4 to 5 hours. The best route from Bangalore to Kabini goes through the regions of Ramanagara, Maddur, Mandya, Mysore, and Anthare Santhe. You should ideally take the NICE road that connects Bangalore to the Bangalore-Mysore highway to enjoy a smooth and hassle-free journey. The Kabini River Lodge is situated at Karapur about 220 Kms from Bangalore.
Driving From Mysore to Kabini:
✔ How far is Kabini from Mysore?: 70 kms
✔ You can cake the SH-33 from Mysore, and subsequently, proceed with the help of the Karnataka Tourism and Jungle Lodge signboards to reach Kabini. This whole journey would take you around 1.5 to 2 hours. The Kabini River Lodge is 80 kms from Mysore on the Mysore – Mananthavadi Road.
Driving from Coorg to Kabini:
✔ How far is Kabini from Coorg?: 150 km
✔ The travel time from Coorg to Kabini is around 2-3 hours. Coorg is among the most famous hill stations of Karnataka, renowned for sites like Madikeri Fort, Raja Seat viewpoint, Omkareshwar Temple, and Abbey Falls. Hence, if you are planning to enjoy a long holiday, then you can easily visit Coorg after completing your Kabini tour.
The roadways to Kabini are quite well-developed, and hence you can enjoy quite a smooth drive. You will find proper signboards and friendly locals throughout the ride to guide you. Just the last 10 km leading to the Kabini River Lodge is a bit underdeveloped, and hence you must drive carefully there.
If you are driving from Ooty to Kabini, then you can choose to follow the Bandipur, Gundlupet, Begur, (Don’t miss the left turn) Nugu Dam and Hand Post Circle route. While this route might be a bit bumpy, you shall read Kabini faster through it. Being a forested region, some of the roadways to Kabini are prone to landslides or rock falls, especially in monsoon months. There can also be blockages caused by wild animals there. Hence, you should be orderly prepared for it.
Summary
The answer to this frequently asked question depends on a few variables. It depends on where you are travelling from. It depends on how you want to travel, it depends on what budget you have for the travel options. We’ve listed the most possible ways in which one can reach Kabini.
If you are from any place that’s the north of India or you’re an international traveller connecting from Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi or anywhere else in India, we’d recommend you arrive as early in the day as possible to Bengaluru International Airport. Since it takes over five hours to reach Kabini, you got to be here in Kabini by lunchtime at least as most lodges offer a check-in around noon and checkout after breakfast.
So it would be wiser to plan your travel in such a way that you arrive for lunch and you check out after breakfast on the day of your departure. While you can book your stay in any of the lodges in Kabini on your own through the lodge or resort’s website, we highly recommend you have a word with us if this trip means more than just another holiday to you. We at Toehold specialise in Kabini and we also have a Toehold Kabini Store that you can visit while you are here. We offer camera gear on hire and some merchandise and wildlife gifts for sale. Business apart, we also can give you free advisory, and share our passion for this place with you. Looking forward to your Kabini visit.
How to reach other resorts and lodges in Kabini?
If you are driving to any of the other lodges around Kabini except Evolve Back, which is a deviation from the route discussed above, you can follow this guide to reach the Dammankatte Safari gate and then Karapura Village, or the Belathur Village to arrive at lodges like KAAV, Serai, Bison, Water woods etc. But to reach Evolve Back, you need to continue travelling to Beechanahalli Dam and then to the opposite side of the Kabini Reservoir to reach Evolve Back. Please follow instructions on the highway once you reach HD Kote handpost. Talk to us for any assistance.
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