add their own accents. You may dine on the
pool deck, or even in the jungle as a surprise,
and on some evenings, tribal dancers showcase
their traditional moves by the bon ire to the
tune of heady drumbeats. Other than your safari
adventures, you can watch birds and wildlife
from the comfort of your private deck.
Kanha National Park has excellent air, road,
and train connections from most parts of India.
There are daily lights from Delhi and Mumbai
to Jabalpur, the closest airport. Chaufeur-driven cars can be hired
thereon for the rest of the expedition. Every year, the park is open
for visitors from October to June, the best time to visit being winters
mainly because of the insuferable heat during hot months. Come
spring, February proves to be the most enjoyable because this is
when the vegetation is rejuvenated and migratory birds lock here.
The inal part of our journey takes us southwards to Bandipur
National Park. The picturesque habitat lanked by the towering
Western Ghat Mountains is located on the Mysore-Ooty highway,
and together with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu,
Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, and Nagarhole National Park
in the north, it creates India’s biggest biosphere reserve popularly
known as the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. This erstwhile private
hunting ground of the maharajas of Mysore boasts a sizeable population
of tigers alongside gaur (a type of bull), sambhar, chital, golden jackals,
panthers, Malabar squirrel, porcupines, and black-knapped hares.
The dry deciduous forests are also the largest home to the wild
elephant of South Asia. The avian species also include the ornithologists’
favourite, the green pigeon that can be found swooning over the
backwaters of the Kabini river. Established in 1974, the thickets are
dense with vegetation like teak, rosewood, sandalwood, and bamboo
making up a major potion of the variety. Replete with a multitude
of impeccable lora and fauna, Bandipur is considered as one of the
well-managed ecosystems of India.
For the stay, check in at The Serai Bandipur that has half of their
estate reserved for wildlife. And by that, I mean, don’t be surprised
if you ind a deer peering through your window! Choose from
lodgings at the Mountain Courtyard, a log hut, or residences that
ofer all modern comforts, and then head for a drink at Moyar’s
Edge—their wilderness bar where wall to wall windows keep nature
right at your sight. Serai ofers many activities besides safaris suchas archery and even a wildlife library. Their
on-deck restaurant aptly call The Sanctuary brings
a comfortable mix of local and international
lavours. As a special, they do ofer a romantic
getaway for couples lasting two nights three days
which includes a safari to the nearby areas, a
90-minute indulgent spa treatment, and a romantic
specially-arranged dinner by the poolside.
This magniicent wildlife region can be visited best depending
on what you are looking for. If it’s wildlife that you seek, the months
of March-to-May prove to be ideal. Whereas, if you want to experience
the resurgence of lowering and fruiting trees, winter months are
what you must choose. Traversing the park is undemanding—
convenient Bengaluru being the closest airport. In terms of railway
and road, regular trains and buses are available to and fro.
As John Moor rightfully said, “The clearest way into the universe
is through a forest wilderness”.Clockwise from left: An outdoor
dining experience at Banjaar
Tola; the rare and critically
endangered swamp deer or
Barasingha; couple enjoying
a picnic outdoors, The Sanctuary
at The Serai, Bandipur.Indian Ghost trees
or kullu amidst
thickets paint a
hauntingly raw and
beautiful picture.
PHOTOGRAPHS: ANTHONY BOOKER (BARASINGHA) AND SYDA PRODUCTIONS (COUPLE) @SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. IMAGE COURTESY: BANJAAR TOLA, KANHA A
ND THE SERAI, BANDIPUR. ASSISTED BY: SHREYA GUPTA.