Galibore (pronounced as ‘Gaali-bo-ray”),situated near Sangam, where Arkavathi meets Cauvery,is an ideal place to spend a relaxing weekend.
View of the river and the mountain from the resort
Getting there
Galibore is approximately 100 kms from Bangalore. The route is
Bangalore-Hosahalli-Kanakapura-Sangam-Galibore.
The roads are good to drive on. Though its not like the 4-laned Mysore highway, this 2-laned, divider-less road is a plaeasure to drive on.
There is a small stretch which seemingly is a ghat-section, where the tar’s gone missing and its a mud road, nevertheless motorable.Once you reach Sangam , there is the forest check-post where one need to pay the entry charges. Soon after the check-post, the signboard for Galibore fishing camp can be seen. The ride from the check-post till the Galibore fishing camp is a good off-road experience.
The overall time to cover the distance from Bangalore to Galibore would be anywhere between 2 hrs to 2.5 hrs depending upon the breaks and speed variations. Driving during the rainy season may be a good challenge here (the last stretch especially).
Staying options
The accomodation offered by Jungle Lodges and Resort is the only acco available here. Booking in advance is a good idea.
JLR - the only accomodation at this place
Information about the packages available at the website
http://www.junglelodges.com/V2/Galibore.htm
The place is calm and scenic. The cottages are situated amongst lots of tree-cover.
The cottages are more of tent-cover over a concrete platform. Quite comfortable. The lack of proper electricity makes it a “close-to-nature” experience. During the nights, one has to use the lantern to find one’s way. Good fun :-)
Exterior View of the Tent. Pretty comfy
Inside the tent.
This stretch of place is known for fishing. Couple of fishing camps have been set up along the river. One being in Galibore and the other at Bheemeshwari. For those who are interested in angling, this is a perfect place to spend time in the waters. The major catch is “Mahaseer”.
As a policy, once the fish is caught, you can pose with it for a photo and then leave it back into the water.
For the beginners or new-to-fishing people, you get to try your hand at joy-fishing, where you get to drop the line with the bait (Ragi balls). When the fish actually grabs the bait, its an experience to feel that pull. Initial attempts did not yield any results, but after a couple of attempts , we did manage to catch fish for a couple of occasions.
A short coracle ride take one across to the other bank.
During seasons where there is abundance of water, River-Rafting is also offered.
Early mornings is a good time to spot birds.
Food is included as a part of the package. We found it to be good.
Hot hot Dosa for breakfast
There are no other eateries/restaurants in this area. Hence if your food needs are something specific, make sure to carry them along.
Having fun with friends n family, or enjoying a book lying on the hammock or fishing in the river, or sitting on the rocks in the river, whichever way one chooses to unwind, this is an ideal place and worth a visit.