130interesting style, authorities set out
mahouts at the break of the day
and once a tiger is spotted, word
is spread and the visitors are taken
for a ride.
For the stay, head to Samode
Safari Lodge that is appointed with
12 well-appointed villas relecting
the indigenous architecture of the
region. The rustic retreat provides
a great picnic service where you
can dine with your loved one under
a canopy of trees, while the menu
and dining venue here in general itself changes everyday and for every
meal. Besides spending your days here swimming, indulging in spa
treatments, and enjoying seclusion, opt for a 4x4 vehicle safari arranged
by Samode complete with highly experienced guides. Aptly, the sign at
the park exit states a message from the tiger, “Haven’t seen me? Don’t
be disappointed. I saw you!”
Though the area doesn’t have an airport facility for mainstream lights,
the cities of Jabalpur and Khajuraho are the closest. The place is also easily
accessible by road or rail, and one of India’s inest luxury trains, the
Maharaja Express covers this destination in its 10-day voyage. For an
ideal trip, the best time to visit the park remains from October to June.
Then Madhya Pradesh’ most cherised treasure, the Kanha Tiger
Reserve has inspired many a legend and tale—the least of them being
Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. And burrowed in the Maikal range
of Satpuras, this alluvium rich valley was historically a part of the
Gondwanas with the forest inhibited by two indigenous tribes of
central India. The Gonds and the Baigas. The large but lush grassy
clearings are a result of old, abandoned cultivation which have now
metamorphosed into one of the inest wildlife preserves of the world.
The sal and bamboo forests, lourishing meadows and ravines, and
ever-tropical climate make it a most sought after safari destination. Its
undulating terrain accounts for a signiicant part of the country’s
wilderness along with roughly 1,000 species of lowering plants. The
striking Indian Ghost tree or kullu can be seen amidst the dense growth
painting a hauntingly raw and beautiful picture. And while a sight of
the critically endangered and magniicent deer Barasingha—titled as
the jewel of the park and the state animal—frolicking in its natural
habitat can be of thrilling consequence, everything about Kanha is a
new experience to treat your senses.
To stay, we recommend Taj Safaris’ Banjaar Tola. Located at the edge
of the Banjaar River, the property has two camps of nine suites each.
Inspired by the region, bamboo plays central in the décor creating an
organic ambience while Madhya Pradesh’s rich block-printed textilesThe
ESCAPE
Clockwise from left:
A couple enjoying breakfast in the woods
at Banjaar Tola; lodgings at Samode
Safari Lodge; facilities at Samode; river
and forest at Kanha.PHOTOGRAPH: ECOPRINT @ SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (RIVER). IMAGE COURTESY: SAMODE SAFARI LODGE, BANDHAVGARH AND BANJAAR TOLA, KANHA.