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Rajan Jolly, our operations manager for India, has come up with two exciting tailormade itinerary suggestions based at top lodges. The second of these is an 11--day wildlife holiday based at Samode Safari Lodge, Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh.
Tiger
Bandhavgarh National Park:
Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve is situated amid the airy Vidhya Hills of Madhya Pradesh. Although a relatively small reserve when first established in 1968, it was enlarged 20 years later to include adjacent tracts of Sal forest and this extension has proved very beneficial for the Tiger population. Formerly the hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa, the area contains much evidence of its royal associations, most spectacular being the ruins of a huge hilltop fort which dominates the centre of the reserve.
Visitors to Bandhavgarh National Park and Tiger Reserve will experience a fine selection of wildlife and a very good chance of Tiger encounters. In recent times, Bandhavgarh has acquired a reputation as one of the very best locations for Tiger sightings! It is also home to many other mammals, including Spotted Deer, Jackal, Leopard, Wild Dog and Sloth Bear, as well as a wealth of birdlife, such as kingfishers, sunbirds, storks, tree-pies, bee-eaters and woodpeckers.
Samode Safari Lodge
You will be staying for 6 days at Samode Safari Lodge, which has taken Indian wildlife accommodation to an all-time high! This exceptional lodge, with its wonderfully pretty and secluded location by the new, virtually unused, entrance to Bandhavgarh National Park, is the perfect base for wildlife excursions into Bandhavgarh.
The brainchild of the Samode family, the lodge has been developed with impeccably good taste and expertise. The timber-clad main sitting room and dining room is raised high on stilts and linked by wooden walkways, giving a treehouse-like feel – the room is a real feat of engineering, as well as being very attractive and distinctive. The main lodge looks out over a large swimming pool and gorgeous surrounding grasslands and woodland; it oozes warmth and sophistication.
Dining here is an indulgent treat with a choice of different menus in different venues, either indoors or alfresco. A private bush dinner here is like no other! The lodge comprises 12 incredibly comfortable, state-of-the-art, stylish villas with lavish amounts of personal and private space! Each villa has both open-air and closed bathrooms as well as a private terrace, large bedroom, sitting room, and a sundeck. Every ‘mod con’ is there for those who want them but they are discreetly hidden away for those who don’t. There is a sumptuous spa to ease muscles after jungle excursions, and there is a strong emphasis on sustainable tourism and the environment.
Samode Safari Lodge & eco-tourism:
Samode Safari Lodge is committed to eco-tourism. It has been designed and built with the lightest possible environmental footprint. The aim was to create luxury in the most sustainable manner. Not only have no trees been cut to make way for it, but new planting has also been done.
The adjoining villages of Mardari and Gohori are the inspiration for the architectural language of Samode Safari Lodge. The walls are constructed with the traditional hand-moulded bricks and all building material has been locally procured. The lodge also uses solar energy and does extensive rain-water harvesting to recharge ground water levels.
Rajan’s suggested tailormade itinerary:
You begin this holiday with a direct overnight flight to Delhi and will have full day and night at leisure in the capital. Next day you will take a flight to Jabalpur; from there you will be transferred by road to the luxurious Samode Safari Lodge situated on the edge of the Bandhavgarh National Park.
During your time in Bandhavgarh, you will explore the reserve fully by means of early morning and evening exclusive jeep drives with naturalist guides. By being in the reserve at the beginning and end of each day, when both mammals and birds are most active, you will maximise your chance of exciting sightings. Even if Tigers prove difficult to see, you can be assured to see a host of other mammals and birds.
To make an enquiry, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Rajan on 01962 733051.