The people at Skreem and The Serai know how to find interesting people. During the two days in The Serai, Kabini, I met the most amazing people, ate some of the tastiest food ( I’d die to eat that moussaka and the Payasam again!) did some cool things and stayed in a beautiful room.
Check out the video of this fantastic place and the great time we had!
It was 6.30 am when we left Bangalore. Some initial awkward smiles and hellos later, we found ourselves waiting for our breakfast. “You should try the akki roti ( Rice bread) “, I suggested to Saahil, (This super photographer from Delhi) and Nitin, ( This amazing wildlife photographer from Goa). We ordered one akki roti followed by three more plates of this goodness served with tomato curry! Food brings people together. Food is the biggest icebreaker. Agree?
After a good 3 hours on the road, at around quarter past 11, we saw a board which said “2 km – Serai, Kabini” So much excitement to be in one of the best places in Kabini. Kabini is a national reserve around a very famous river Kabini. It has the highest density of tigers and a heaven for people who love wildlife.
We were welcomed with Fresh towels and pink lemonade and were given a tour of the place. The reception was warm and rustic. Reminded me so much of Africa. Do you know what the smell of the forest is? It was that. I was sharing a room with Chandana Munipulle, (Blogger at The girl at the first avenue) We chatted about how much love the rooms and how there’s so much to do in the next two days and we started making a list of things we wanted to do sitting on the beautiful verandah outside our room! 🙂
All that travel got us hungry, and we went to ‘Wildgrass‘ their restaurant for lunch. I shared the table with Carolyn, (Super yogini and blogger at ‘A little bit of caro’ and Anvitha, (A travel blogger at ‘Loading miles‘) We spoke about healthy food to beautiful Serai properties over a glass of rasam and spoonful of raspberry pudding.
We were all set to go on a safari! Nitin gave us all a little tutorial on ‘how to get safari ready’. I got a chance to talk to the travelling couple, travelmynation during the safari. We were so excited, and every time the spotter stopped the vehicle, we hoped for a tiger or a panther. We spotted some elephants, wild birds, a lot of spotted deer, a very rare owl, and peacocks. We truly experienced the forest during the safari!
We all got back from the safari and joked about how we wanted to see the black panther — buried our disappointment of not spotting the big cat over a hot cup of chai and pakoda.
The evening bonfire was such a fun thing. We all grabbed a glass of wine, and shared travel stories and laughed over stuff with the team at Skreem. We saw the sun go down and the stars come up. We very rarely enjoy the sunset. 2018’s resolution? See more sunsets!
Meeting interesting people over a glass of wine and bonfire has to be one of the most beautiful things in the world.
What We Loved
The Service:
The Serai is known for its impeccable service! Everyone’s very courteous, happy and always ready to help! If you are staying in The Serai, be assured that you are in great hands!
The food:
I looked forward to every meal. There was a little bit of everything; Continental, north Indian, south Indian, amazing salads, and desserts. Big thumbs-up to the rasam and other south Indian food in The Serai!
The room:
The rooms are very artsy. Loved the glass roof over the shower and the extremely comfortable beds. There were lovely hammocks outside to just chill. I loved how the whole place instilled creativity!
The pool:
The pool in Serai is between a dozen coconut trees. This makes it never too sunny. It was such a good feeling to float and look at the blue skies above. A bunch of us even went crazy and jumped into the pool and splashed water all around! We all loved the pool so much that for one day’s breakfast, we chucked the tables and sat by the pool and ate our delicious omelette. How I wish I could go back in time and do the same again! 😀
The Spa:
After a whole day of kayaking, walking around the property and safari, I went to the spa around 7 pm. I chose a hot stone massage, and it was amazing! One hour of pure Bliss
The water activities:
The Serai Kabini has a lot of backwater activities like kayaking and coracle ride. It’s a very peaceful and enjoyable activity to do. You can thank me later! 🙂
What We Did
We did kayaking in the backwaters, cycled around the property, went for perfect spa, jumped into the pool, sat around bonfire over a glass of wine and had the best time! We went for a couple of exciting safari into the Indian jungle! The Serai Kabini gave me such a boost to write and shoot better and be more passionate about it.
There is something about being inside a jungle in a luxury resort. When you hear the birds sing and rustle of leaves at night, you absolutely cannot have any negative thoughts. Life is so beautiful in the midst of nature, and there is a special thrill when you know you are in a place where the tiger density is very high!
Big shout out to the Skreem team and The Serai Kabini team for hosting us and giving us a time of our life! 🙂
If you want to see tigers, experience the forest in style and luxury, The Serai Kabini is the place for you! And guess what it’s just 216 km from Bangalore!
So will Serai Kabini be your Next Check-In?