Ashwin Geet Dsa · File:Kaveri by Dubare Forest.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kaveri_by_Dubare_Forest.jpg
Dubare Elephant Camp
A forest camp on the bank of the Kaveri in Kodagu where elephants are brought down to the river in the morning — what visitors may do there is set by the forest department and changes.
A forest camp on the Kaveri
Dubare is a forest camp on the banks of the Kaveri in Kodagu, and five of the seven Kodagu itineraries stop here — always in the morning, and always on the way out of the district rather than as a return trip. The elephants are brought down to the water early, which is the hour worth being there for. What a visitor is actually permitted to do at the camp is controlled by the forest department and has changed more than once, so this page describes the place rather than promising an activity.
Explore Dubare Elephant Camp on the map
City locations, drawn from our published destination data. Attractions, hotels and restaurants are not mapped yet.
What happens there
A working camp on a river, not a show with a timetable.
The river
- The camp sits on the Kaveri’s bank, reached from the near side
- The crossing to the camp is generally made by boat when the river allows
- The Kaveri here is wide and shallow, running through forest
The elephants
- Animals are brought down to the water in the morning
- The camp is a forest department operation rather than a private attraction
- Numbers present on any given day vary
The forest
- Riverine forest on both banks, quiet early
- Birdlife along the water is often the unexpected part of the stop
Getting there
On the eastern side of Kodagu, on the road out toward Kushalnagar and Mysuru.
From Madikeri
- East out of the plantations toward the Kaveri
- Every itinerary that includes it does so on the departure morning, not as a day trip
The crossing
- The camp is on the far bank and is normally reached by boat
- The crossing depends on the river; in high water it may not run
When to go
Early, and with the river level in mind.
Time of day
- Morning is when the animals are at the water — this is the whole reason for the timing
- By the middle of the day the camp is much quieter in every sense
Season
- In and just after the monsoon the Kaveri runs high, which can affect the crossing
- The drier months are the more reliable ones for reaching the camp
Worth knowing
The honest version, which is also the useful one.
What is and is not promised
- Elephant interaction at Dubare is controlled by the forest department and what is permitted changes
- Nothing here should be booked on the assumption of a particular activity
- Your specialist confirms the current arrangement rather than promising one
On the morning
- Go early; the camp is built around the animals’ routine, not a visitor timetable
- Allow for the boat crossing in the timing, and for it not running if the river is high
Conduct
- These are working animals in a department camp — follow the staff’s instructions exactly
- Keep the distance you are asked to keep, including for photographs
Close by
What sits on the same road out of the district.
Frequently asked
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