A Family Stay at Aiyur Forest Reserve

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The Plan (or Lack of One)

This trip wasn’t really planned in detail. It was just me, my wife, and our 4-year-old son looking for a quiet break from Bangalore. We had heard about the Aiyur Forest Rest House before, but never managed to find a working website or phone number. Every number we tried was either “switched off” or “disconnected.”

Finally, we decided to just drive down, see the place, and take it as it came. If we got accommodation, great. If not, the backup plan was to drive through the forest, check out the surroundings, and be back in Bangalore by night.

We started from Bangalore at 8:00 a.m. and reached the rest house around 10:00 a.m.

First Impressions

The guest house was completely empty when we arrived—probably because it was the day of festivals. A board outside had the same phone number we had already tried (and failed). After a bit of waiting around, a few locals and workers turned up. They were very friendly and quickly connected us to the forest guard in charge.

He told us there was one room available and also mentioned an online booking system (which, despite our earlier searches on Google and everywhere else, we had never come across). He asked the workers to get our room ready.

The facility itself was quite big, with cycling tracks, open spaces, and even a kids’ play area.

The Glass House

Our accommodation was called the “Glass House”—a small room with an attached bathroom. The cost was ₹1100 per person ( bit on the higher side). 

The upkeep, however, was just about okay—not spotless, but not unlivable either. (If you’ve stayed at a government rest house before, you probably know what to expect.)

A Drive to the Lake

Since there was no official canteen and lunch was difficult to arrange because of the festival, we decided to take a drive. Just 3 km away was Samiyekkere Lake, a small, quiet lake with hardly any tourist presence.





We thought of having a small picnic there, but a local gently told us that elephants often visit this lake to drink water. The way he said it was warm and friendly, but clear enough—we packed up and left quickly!



Lunch Hunt & Return

By then we were hungry, so we drove about 7 km outside the reserve and found lunch. We came back by 4:00 p.m., by which time the Pooja celebrations were in full swing. We finally met the forest guard in person, who turned out to be extremely welcoming.

Evening at the Rest House

In the evening, we wandered around the rest house grounds. Our son enjoyed the cycling tracks and play area, though the place could do with better maintenance.

Dinner was arranged by the local cook—a very simple meal of rice and rasam. Nothing fancy, but warm and tasty enough after a day outdoors.

And then came the surprise: right after dinner, a wild elephant walked up close to the entrance gate. We stayed indoors, but it was still quite something to see an elephant that near at night.

Takeaways

The stay at Aiyur wasn’t luxurious, but it was memorable. A few things stood out for us:

  • Booking: There is actually an online booking portal ( https://tnfdsutrula.com/ ) 

  • Food: No fixed canteen—best to carry some backup snacks, or depend on the local cook.

  • Nature: Elephant activity is common, so it’s best not to wander too far, especially near water bodies.

  • Expectations: Go in with an open mind. It’s not polished, but the charm lies in being in the middle of a quiet forest.

Final Thoughts

Looking back, what made the trip special wasn’t perfect rooms or facilities. It was the simplicity of the place, the warmth of the locals, the aura of the untouched,  "uncommercialised" nature

For us, it turned out to be a refreshing break—unplanned, a little rough around the edges, but completely worth it.

Location: CV94+685 Aiyur Forest Rest House, Gullatty Rd, Hanumanthapuram, Tamil Nadu 635107, India

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