We always talk about going on vacation escape the hustle and bustle of the city and find yourself in a crowded hill station, right? We then console ourselves by saying that we booked a stay away from the city, in a quiet place, which may be true in some cases, since such facilities exist, and I have been to many such beautiful ones. But when I saw the video Wild Planet Resort on Facebook, I was amazed! I was so curious to experience it for myself and present a detailed review to my favorite readers. I was excited to see if this place really is what it claims to be. And to be honest, I came back impressed and the stay exceeded all my expectations. Read on to find out why I say this. And at the end of this post, I have posted a video of our experience at Wild Planet Resort, which will give you a visual representation of what you have already read.
First, location. Wild Planet is nestled among the dense Nilgiri forests bordering Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The place is really secluded. When I say solitary, that’s what I mean. Having reached Devala, we had to drive several kilometers through well-tarred mountains surrounded by tea plantations. A small village passed by, and it was the last settlement we saw until we got to the Wild Planet Resort. We drove through the hills, crossing one after the other, and the roads got bumpy but manageable for our little Punto.
Other than a couple of cars that we think were returning from the Wild Planet resort, we didn’t notice a single person around! It was a one of a kind experience for us and it took our excitement to a new level. Throughout the trip, we were guided by well-placed signs to help us make the right turn and reassure us that we were on the right track. We were alone, but not lost. A few minutes later we made it to the resort’s parking lot, where our car rested for the next couple of days. We got into a 4×4 jeep with our luggage and went on a breathtaking ride through the deep forest.
Our jeep trip to the resort
20 minutes later we finally arrived at the resort. Beautiful lodges overlooking the valley were camouflaged in lush green tea gardens. Having spent so long in the forest alone, far from human habitation, we peered with reverence at the panorama of the resort and thought, ‘No kidding! The resort really is in the jungle!”
Find a pool!
at the reception we were greeted with a refreshing welcome drink and informed about activities at the resort. We were given the keys to our luxury kenyan tent and were brought to our room in a sparkling brand new Mahindra Thar. The reception is located at the highest point of the resort, while the restaurant located at the top offers stunning views of the area. Our luxury tents were about a kilometer from the reception, and when we wanted to go to a restaurant or to the pool, we could call a car to the reception at any time of the day and they would be there to pick us up in a jiffy.
PS: If you choose to stay here, you will be in for a special surprise. Read the review and it will be revealed at the end 🙂
Overview of rooms at Wild Planet:
There are currently 4 types of rooms in Wild Planet. Hilltop Cottages, Valley View Cottage, Jungle Log Cabin and Luxury Kenyan Tents. Let’s take a look at each type of room they offer.
Hilltop Cottages: They are located on top of a hill and are evenly distributed throughout the main building, which includes the reception and dining room.
Valley View Cabin: These cabins are located a little lower down the slope and have easy access to the zipline area and the pool.
Valley view cabins
Log house in the jungle: These log houses are located slightly away from the main reception area and create the feeling of being in a real forest. They are secluded and provide much-needed privacy for honeymooners.
Luxury Kenyan tents:
Our luxury Kenyan tent
This is a new addition to Wild Planet, which is presented this year and lives by its description! The interior is tastefully decorated with eco-friendly artifacts and quirky furnishings. The beautiful layered fabric roofing gives these rooms a much-needed tent-like appeal while still feeling luxurious. I especially liked the rustic wooden feel of the bathroom decor. The beautiful balcony opened up into a picturesque spectacle against the backdrop of huge mountains and layers of tea gardens in the foreground. Every morning we woke up to the chirping of birds and the melodic whistle of the Malabar whistling thrush. Needless to say, the balcony was our favorite corner in the entire room.
beautiful bathroom
Activity:
Not everyone likes to sit on the balcony and watch for hours together. After a while, everything can become monotonous. To allay that boredom and get an adrenaline rush, the folks at Wild Planet offer plenty of outdoor activities for visitors to take part in. Trekking, nature walking, bird watching, rainforest walking, monkey crawling, floating bridge, archery, kayaking, spider web and hammock climbing – so many to choose from that you will never get bored! As night falls, the temperature drops and begins to get colder, and the fire in such weather made the stay here very special.
It’s commendable how an entire ecosystem has been created inside the isolated deep jungle to give visitors a rewarding and memorable experience, and the owners deserve a round of applause for pulling this together.
For children:
A happy child is a happy mother. While at the Wild Planet Resort, kids can keep themselves busy so they don’t get bored. There’s a lovely pool where the kids just can’t get enough and have to be literally pulled out of the water – after all, they need to experience a lot of other activities meant for them, right? My son was so excited to try the zipline and once he did, he absolutely loved the experience!
A small pond with a very nice hand-traded boat pleased Rinita, who really wanted to go kayaking, but was not allowed due to age restrictions. He was so pleased and happy in the boat that he spent more than an hour in the pond. His favorite pastime was the children’s play pen, which contains a collection of exciting games.
Another interesting thing I noticed about the resort was that they have a separate ‘Children’s menu’ to the buffet table. There were dishes that would delight the children, something that would interest them, such as noodles, french fries and toast.
Did you notice a small buffet in the middle? There is a children’s menu.
Dining room:
Wild Planet Chefs Every day we were treated to delicious delicacies. For 3 days of our stay, not a single dish was repeated, and the taste was on top. We must choose from a wide range of dishes, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. And every day I looked forward to enjoying delicious desserts and ice cream. Rhinitis is a picky eater and we would lure him in with a scoop of ice cream at the end of the meal provided his plate is clean!
The best part of the restaurant was the fact that it is located on the top of a hill, which offers a panoramic view of the surrounding green mountains. Just sitting at the table and watching the clouds roll by while we ate was a wonderful feeling. And as I write this, I was transported to that very moment and felt a surge of feelings in my soul. Such is the power of nature and its therapy.
Service:
People on the wild planet were friendly and always ready to answer any question you ask them. You can often see front desk managers interacting with guests, asking for feedback, or trying to help guests with their questions and requirements, which shows the dedication and passion they have for serving their guests well.
The resort is spread over 100 acres sprawling tea plantations. So the cottages are scattered all over the place. While those who are near the restaurant can walk to it, those who are far away find it difficult to reach the restaurant. To solve this problem, quickly call the front desk and they will send a pickup. All vehicle drivers and front desk staff are well coordinated via walkie-talkies, allowing us to provide guests with impeccable service every time. It’s also important to note that the vehicle they ship is not a regular buggy but a sturdy 4×4 because the terrain is like that. There are twists and turns so if you stay in luxury tents or jungle log houses then every time you go to a restaurant it will be an exciting jeep/van ride!
Find a jeep driving to luxury tents!
How to get to Wild Planet Resort:
Welcome to the wild planet
Google maps did a good job taking us to the resort. We need to get on the Ooty route from Bangalore, but instead of heading towards Masinagudi, we need to turn left after leaving Bandipur towards Gudalur. And at the Gudalur circle, we need to turn right and head to the city of Devala. At a crossroads in Devala town, Google maps helped us turn left and from that point on there are well placed signs showing us the way we should take to the resort. These signs are placed strategically, confirming to us that we are on the right track, just when we start to wonder if we have lost our way. As soon as we got to the parking lot of the sanatorium, our car stood there for a couple of days and we were taken to the sanatorium in their jeep.
car parking
Contact:
Wild Planet Jungle Resort,
Devala,
Between the Wayanad Hills and the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve,
Nilgiris, Kerala – Tamil Nadu border, South India
Administrative office:
Room No. 108, hotel complex Jaya
Tali, Calicut – 02. Kerala. India
Phone: +91495 3025000
Phone: +91495 2700557 / +91495 2303106
Mobile: +91 940083 2000 / +91 940073 8000 (from 09:30 to 18:30)
General Experience:
Our stay at Wild Planet Resort was one of a kind. You really need something bigger and better to surpass this experience. Words cannot explain this feeling. However, I would like to leave you these few lines that I wrote at the resort.
“When noon came, a thick layer of clouds covered hectares of greenery, conquering the monotony of layered tea plantations broken by towering silver oaks. The clouds played hide and seek and gave way to their close relative, the mystical fog – some said it was creepy, but I said it was magic!
Pleasant surprise for Hopping Miles readers:
We have always thought about our readers and introduced them to the best places to stay during their holidays. But this time we have prepared something else for you 🙂
Due to the amazing response and love we received after posting this on our website, guys from Wild Planet offered our readers a good discount. Hooray! Amazing, isn’t it? Send us an email at (email protected) To obtain special code 🙂
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We were guests of kind people in Wild Planet. Our opinions are true and honest with us, and we recommend only the best to our readers. So rest assured that you will have a great holiday here!
