Bhadra and Muthodi – It is not just about the tigers !

Which of these would get you hooked - The rawness of Muthodi sanctuary with its only human inmates: the forest officials or the vastness of Bhadra with the classic and expensive treatment of Jungle Lodges? If you are still looking for an answer, reading what I’ve got to say will surely not help. And if you bother to go there, I can promise it won’t help you either!
Bhadra and Muthodi are neighbours in stark contrast. They share borders, they are just a couple of hours drive apart, but possess very different personalities. Muthodi doesn’t welcome you; you have to find your way in, while Bhadra spreads the carpet for its guests. Deep in the jungle at Muthodi, scorpions & creepy insects give you company around your bed in the single room guest house; in Bhadra, you stretch out with a chilled bottled drink to the sight of sun setting into the vast Bhadra reservoir. Take your four wheel power into the forest in Muthodi, while in Bhadra you are driven around in safari jeeps. At night in Muthodi, you might find yourself tuning your ears for that distant roar and other unfamiliar noises of the jungle; while nights in Bhadra cannot be christened anything but romantic. At Muthodi, insects around you and that slight chill in your spine demands more vigil at nights; whereas in Bhadra you pass out quickly and for long. Muthodi is raw energy and solitary solace, Bhadra is made for a nature lover’s honeymoon.
6+ hours drive from Bangalore one way, consuming at least a weekend plus a day for the whole course; you also discover something that is common between both: The scents, the colours, the different sounds, and the contrasts in both Muthodi and Bhadra stays with you. And if you did not spot any of Bhadra’s own majestic creatures, remember: ‘It is not just about the tigers!’
You can reach Muthodi via Chikmagalur (ask around for directions at Chikmagalur). It is preferable to book at any forest office (http://www.wildindia.org/wiki/Muthodi Bangalore/Chikmagalur) before you go there but then negotiating with the officials on the spot for a room wouldn’t be a bad option either. Proceed to ‘Jungle Lodges’ Bhadra from there, again via Chikmagalur and Kadur. Check out some Chikmagalur maps / http://www.junglelodges.com/.