Wildlife, Luxury & The Best Couple’s Getaway: The Serai, Bandipur

An encounter with the tiger. A relaxed dip in the pool. Endless coffees overlooking the Nilgiris. Evenings that turned into night by the bonfire. Wine that never stopped pouring. Birds which never stopped chirping.

The Serai, Bandipur was this and so much more.

The Journey

Our journey started with us flying to Bangalore. We reached late at night, expecting lot of rainfall but Bangalore surprised us with a cool evening & nice winds. We set out for our hotel in the outskirts of the city. The next morning we had leave, so we just crashed for the night! The next day was super exciting, we met the fellow bloggers & then embarked on the journey till Serai. It was longer than we anticipated, 4-5 hours from Bangalore. But the journey was worth it when we stepped into the property. The lush green & super huge resort was one of the best we have ever stayed in. Our rooms were more like Greek cottages with limestone walls, pink bougainvilleas. The room was so huge & overlooking the trees, birds chirping, an occasional rabbit darting by; what more could you want, you will ask?

About Bonfires & Walks

In the evening we set out for a nature walk with the in-house naturalist. He told us about the Nilgiris, how far the forest stretches & his encounter with a leopard right in the Serai property! In the evening we relaxed by the bonfire, chatting over drinks & getting to know everyone better. But what we didn’t know then was that the next day will be something that everyone will remember.

Is that a Tiger?

It was the day of the Safari & we saw a magnificent tiger in the just the first 30 minutes of our safari. While we thought there was only a deer whose horns were visible, in the next second a big tiger was ready to make a kill of that deer! It was a scene straight out of Nat Geo. There was a feeling of excitement in the air, as we talked in hushed tones; the tiger stared straight at us. A memory etched in everyones hearts for sure!

A Romantic Night!

After returning back from the delightful safari, we thought we will rest. What we didn’t know was that a surprise couples dinner was planned for us. Flower petals on the floor, a table for two & some wine. There could not have been a perfect ending to the day!!

The next day, we did a couples spa at the Oma Spa. They have some of the best masseuse you will come across, they massage with love  & surrounded by trees you get transported into another dimension. This could not have been a better end to our trip.

Watch the video of our trip here, to get a good sense of what we are talking about:

The Serai has to be the best Couple’s Getaway! Take your special someone far away from the crowds, for a 3 day-2 night escape into the coziest nook of nature, secluded and tucked away among Bandipur’s thick trees and hills. Know more here: http://www.theserai.in/bandipur.php