JLR - Old Magazine House

What People are saying

Tucked amidst Jungle

damvilramon 26/07/2017 07:14

The history of the name is itself interesting. This was the store house for explosives and gelatine at the time of building the Supa dam across the river Kali. It has nothing to do with the printed word.

Was there for three nights between 11th & 14 th . I was clearly told even while booking at this Karnataka Jungle Lodge that this was not the season for bird watching & that it might rain. It was a calculated gamble by me to book to enjoy the monsoon rains in the western ghats. The place is as basic as it can get. Stayed at the dormitory as it was off season & being a solo traveller it was easy on the wallet too. It was fun staying in bunker beds like students & the whole place was owned by me during the entire stay period. Perks of going during off season !. The manager Mr Mohan Babu arranged the itinerary quite well right from picking up at the nearest rail head of Londa Jn. He was good enough to call me when on train from Goa to Londa to watch out for the Doodsagar waterfalls enroute. The entire staff at the place were active, cheerful & really helpful. Special mention is to be made of Santosh who was ever smiling & took great care to pack biscuits , fruits & water for my onward journey. It was small town hospitality at its best with no expectations & really touched me. I was chaperoned the whole trip by Vinay, the naturalist who was always at hand to help me out with holding my camera or umbrella which I had to juggle in the rains off & on. The property itself is off the main road & surrounded by green forest cover. The so called reception is basic with rough plastering of the floor & gaudily painted green on the wall. The dining place on the first floor gives a bird's eye view of the birds shall we say. Vinay took me on a walk along the main road daily & we were lucky to spot Giant Malabar squirrels & Malabar grey hornbills along the sides of the road. The plan was made to perfection & the Sintheri monolithic rock face was a great place to visit. There was also a 2 km +2 Km trek organized by the OM team to view the Supa dam catchment area from a vantage point after trekking up the hill by the side of the property.

The early morning time provides ample opportunities for viewing & taking snaps of the birds that stop by in the water bowls kept strategically in front of the porch by the management. There was also a coracle ride organized . The good part of my stay at Old Magazine was the opportunity to visit the Syke's Point which is apparently a no go place for regular tourists. Seeking permission from the electricity authorities we went to the point which gives a stunning, almost 360 degrees view of the deep valley and mountains in layers on all sides with lush green as far as the eyes can see. This is a truly remarkable place which was made possible by OM. Thanks a ton for it.

Piping hot water is provided for bath and the bed linen & towels are neat. The organic soap is exceptional. Well there has to be negatives too. My new camera bag was chewed up by rats inside the dorm. This after several affirmations from all that there was no chance of a rat inside!. On the whole a place basic which is not for family but for those who like roughing out a bit & for hardcore birdwatchers with exceptionally warm service.

ARM CHAIR BIRDING EXPERIENCE

Hemanth Bon 13/06/2017 06:27

Its one of the JLR in Dandeli- Ganeshgudi. They have good food (especially Non Veg). Friendly staff with trained guides for Bird watching. some of the guides are also good in reading the signs of mammals and reptiles.

Most of the endemic birds of Western ghats come to the water bath, One can get excellent pictures even with a simple lens.

One should not miss the trek to the Sunset point.

Note- Trek is a bit challenging but its worth for the Awesome Sight.

Great place for nature lovers

Gaurimadiwaleon 24/04/2017 20:05

Old magazine house is situated right in the middle of densely forested hills of Uttar Kannada. The property has some beautiful bird visitors everyday. Apart from that you also get to see butterflies, giant squirrels and flying squirrels. The rooms are rather basic for what they charge but the service is great and so is the food. You will however get only buffet meals which are prepared in the local style. They do taste good though. They do not serve alcohol or have AC rooms (we didn't mind it as the weather was bearably warm even in April and we didn't wanna add to the pollution). The place is great to spend a quiet weekend away or if you are into bird photography.

Birding heaven!

AngadAchappaon 21/04/2017 14:17

The name Old Magazine House is synonymous with birding! The resort is a small yet lovely place under the Jungle Lodges & Resorts group.
The resort has setup bird baths which attract a huge number of birds which come in to quench their thirst and take a quick dip.

The manager Mr. Mohan Babu has been the resident manager at lodge for quite a few years and is very helpful and eager to help.

ACTIVITIES:

While birding is the main forte of the resort, there are a few other activities that can be done such as:
1. Rafting - completely depends on the dam water being released (best to call the manager or lodge and confirm)
2. Nature Trail - this is a 1-2Km walk within the property and the path leading to the main road. Easy on the legs and good birding. Take the naturalist Vinayaka for this, and he will teach you a few things about nature around.
3. Trekking - This is a little steep, best avoided if you have a wee knee or any other disability that causes difficulty in walking. At the end of the trek on the hill you reach one of the most beautiful sunset points from where you can see the backwaters.
4. One can leisurely walk outside the campus during the day.

ACCOMODATION:

1. There is a dormitory which is quite comfortable with good bathroom facilities.
2. There are new rooms constructed which are an ideal choice for families or those who want their privacy in non activity hours.

FOOD:

Like all Jungle Lodges & Resort properties there is a golghar where food is served in buffet style with a decent veg & non-veg spread.

GETTING THERE:

From Bangalore - I usually catch an overnight sleeper bus (prefer VRL), leaves Bangalore around 9:30PM and reaches Dandeli at 7AM, from there one can take a bus or an auto to Ganeshgudi.

paradise for bird photographers

George Jon 15/04/2017 15:01

Small but Superb lodge set in Jungle. Has family accommodation too. Set in Dandeli jungle, this place is ideal for Birding and Bird watching. If you are lucky you may also spot leapord, barking deer, wild boars, bear etc.

Lodge itself was well kept and clean with basic facilities nicely taken care of.