India’s First Tiger Circuit Is Complete

For adventurous clients looking for a truly exotic trip, Taj Safaris' fourth jungle lodge, Banjaar Tola, is now open, marking the completion of India's first tiger circuit. Taj Safaris is a joint venture between andBEYOND and Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces.

Banjaar Tola is a collection of two camps (each with nine tented suites) situated on the edge of the Banjaar River overlooking Kanha National Park. The luxury resort offers spacious guest areas, swimming pool, comprehensive library and plenty of places for alfresco dining. Each suite has a contemporary feel with a canvas roof and walls, pressed bamboo floors and glass doors leading out onto a veranda overlooking the river.

jungle

A suite veranda at Banjaar Tola on the edge of the Banjaar River

Daily safari excursions include interpretive morning and evening drives in the jungle with expert andBEYOND-trained naturalists and tiger viewing by elephant. Kanha is one of India's largest national parks, covering 750 square miles, located in the Maikal Hills of the Satpura Hill range in the southeastern part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. In 1973, when Project Tiger was launched to save the tiger, Kanha was one of nine reserves selected for the project. It is prime tiger-viewing country and is the project's star success story.

Nature lovers will be amazed by the more than 20 animal species regularly spotted, including the three-striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig and black buck. Striped hyena, leopard, mouse deer and porcupine also reside here, as do the chinkara and ant-eating pangolin. Kanha features 70 different trees and is a birdwatcher's paradise with over 200 recorded bird species.

Guests visiting Banjaar Tola fly from Delhi to Jabalpur, followed by a five-hour chauffeured journey by road to the lodge. Or, they can fly from Mumbai to Nagpur, followed by a five-hour chauffeured drive.

The tiger circuit consists of Mahua Kothi (Bandhavgarh National Park), Baghvan (Pench National Park), Pashan Garh (Panna National Park) and Banjaar Tola (Kanha National Park).