DEEP FOREST

FOR UNCOMPROMISING LUXURY IN THE WORLD’S BEST TIGER RESERVE, VISIT MAHUA KOTHI IN INDIA’S FAMOUS BANDHAVGARH NATIONAL PARK BY RACHELLE MACKINTOSH

India’s cities are known for their traffic, their roads pulsing with everything from family-carrying scooters to roaming cattle, fumy hand-painted trucks and shiny peoplemovers. It’s intense, yet somehow it all just seems to work. But on the 165km drive from Jabalpur Airport to Bandhavgarh, these chaotic city scenes soon give way to wheat plantations, mud-hut villages, wide rivers and, eventually, dense forests. By the time I arrive at the Mahua Kothi resort in the Bandhavgarh wilderness, it feels like another world. And it is – this part of India, including the 1536sq-km Bandhavgarh National Park and the surrounding forests of Madhya Pradesh, inspired Rudyard Kipling to write The Jungle Book, and today it’s a haven for wildlife lovers hoping to eye their first tiger.

Here, Mahua Kothi sits discreetly on 18ha of forest, its understated luxury offering every possible comfort without compromising the “wild” atmosphere of its surrounds. The main guest area, which includes a rustically decorated dining room and a rooftop terrace, sits on the edge of sprawling grasslands – the perfect place to watch langurs, macaques, wild boars and colourful birds over a meal.

Actually, the food at Mahua Kothi is a pretty big deal. The chefs incorporate fresh produce from their own organic garden to showcase the area’s rich local Baghelkhandi flavours. Keep an eye out for the lamb raan and Kalongi Baingan, especially – and “svaadisht” will quickly become your new favourite word (that’s Hindi for “delicious”).

The accommodation is just as memorable. Mahua Kothi’s 12 standalone mud cottages are modelled on traditional Central Indian architecture and come with private courtyards (where you can kick back on a day bed between safaris, or get an Ayurvedic treatment from the lodge’s masseuse). Rich, earth-toned textiles, deep bathtubs, rain showers, luxe lounge areas and king-sized beds take comfort to the next level – and there’s even a butler to ensure you’ll never want for anything.

Mahua Kothi’s personalised service continues right through to your safari inside Bandhavgarh National Park, as one of their expert naturalists escorts you on each forest excursion. For my first safari, my naturalist, Karun Verma – a super-knowledgeable and funny charmer with 13 years’ experience – and I head into the park just before 7am. All the animals and birds are at their most hyper first thing in the morning, and we immediately see herds of chitals (spotted deer), langurs, macaques, hornbills, peacocks, sambar deer and even jackals – it’s a scene just as lively as an Indian city, and equally as intriguing.

Before long, a gut-wrenching roar breaks through the bird chatter – tiger! With pinpoint accuracy Verma follows the call and, before I’ve unbagged my camera, we are parked beside a meadow, watching a tigress march through the tall grass, calling to her cubs. It’s a surreal scene, made even more so when Verma identifies her as Solo – a famous tigress now appearing in the latest David Attenborough documentary, Dynasties. Mind. Blown.

During my three-night stay at Mahua Kothi I spend each day in the forest with Verma, where we see six different tigers doing their thing – it’s a humbling experience, especially when you think there are fewer than 3500 of these amazing big cats left in the wild, worldwide. Pair that with Mahua Kothi’s unforgettable service, and you’re already planning your next visit before you’ve even left (FYI I’ve booked for next February). •