Just a few kilometres to the West of Kushalnagar on the Mysore-Madikeri road and about 95 km from Mysore lies Nisargadhama, an unusual forest sanctuary. Supposedly a natural island formed by the river Cauvery splitting, it is managed by the forest departments and has a set of bamboo cottages resting high on the water on stilts and makes for a lovely stay. The island is spread over just 64 acres and is accessed through a rope bridge. It has been fashioned like an ecological park with parks, tiny enclosures for some animals including deer and activities like boating and elephant rides. A small restaurant run by the department also serves simple, basic fare. It is a very popular day trip and weekend destination and tends to get very crowded during weekends.