Into the Wild with Anita & Mandip Bori & Satpura Parks

Tucked amidst the lush and rustic locale of Dhapada village, Bori Safari Lodge is a charming resort in Madhya Pradesh in 7 ½ acres farmland. Bori is the new emerging tiger landscape in Madhya Pradesh and is home to tigers, sloth bears, leopards, wild dogs, giant squirrels and a variety of other Central Indian species of birds and animals

You will enjoy village tours, learn about the local’s way of life and go on anthropological excursions at Dhapada. 

Located along the River Tawa, Bori Wildlife Sanctuary is one of India’s oldest wildlife sanctuaries with large mammals like Sambar, gaur, Nilgai, chital and predators like tiger, leopard and wild dogs. 

The highlights of this trip include: 

• An experience to enjoy a personally led tour by Mandip and Anita. 
• Exploring the Bori Wild life sanctuary through jeep safaris, biking and village community visits.    
• Exploring Satpura National Park in a canoe and jeep & a Walking Safari inside the National Park.
• Tracking wildlife including tiger, leopard, wild boar, bear, fox, porcupine, the Indian giant squirrel, a variety of antelope, and much more.
• Staying at the  Jehan Numa Retreat of Bhopal for 2 nights
• Staying at the newly opened Bori Safari Lodge for 23 nights.
• Staying at the aesthetic Reni Pani Lodge for 32 nights.
• Culinary demonstration of Royal Bhopal recipes of the family at the Retreat and at Satpura.
• A visit to the tribal museum in Bhopal.
• A visit to Bhimbhetka caves. 
• A Give Back component of Rs 750 per head matched by Ibex Expeditions towards the Give Back to Nature programme of the World-Wide Fund for Nature, (WWF) India.

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 ITINERARY

23 November -Arrival Bhopal

Depart from Delhi via Indigo flight 6E 5018 departing at 1255 hours and arriving at Bhopal at 1420 hours. Met on arrival and transferred to the Jehan Numa Retreat. Located on the outskirts of Bhopal, 9 kms away, the Jehan Numa Retreat is a quiet getaway, in 12.5 acres sharing a boundary with Van Vihar Urban National Park. We will leave for the Tribal Museum and a drive around Bhopal by 1630 hours. Your meals are included from dinner tonight as your flights may arrive at different timings. Tonight’s dinner will be at 1930 hours. 

Jehan Numa Retreat has a special dining experience Under the Jamun Tree with dishes from the erstwhile Bhopal family. Camouflaged by simplicity in a tree lined estate, the Retreat is of subtle elegance borrowing ideas of tribal and rural art on mud coloured walls with Indian dyes and stone. The focus is on organic and the tranquil silence only has bird song. 

Meals: Dinner included. 

This afternoon, we will visit the Tribal Museum portraying the rich heritage of Bhopal and telling stories of their lives through models and art installations. The gallery has life sized models and stories of worship and sacrifice are portrayed through impressive art installations. 

24 November Bhopal – Bori Wildlife Sanctuary

We will have breakfast at 0800 hours and depart at 0900 hours and arrive at Bhimbhetka caves, a world heritage site by 1030, leaving by 1130 and arrive at Bori by 1300 hours in time for lunch. (This alteration has been necessitated due to one crucial bridge being repaired. The journey will be extended by an hour and a half on the 29^th from Satpura to Bhopal.)

This afternoon is relaxed until 1600 hours when we leave for a night patrol (safari) in the Jhalai buffer zone by jeep and return by 2000 hours in time for dinner. Lying in a forest of teak and sal in craggy cliffs 46 kms south of Bhopal are more than 700 rock shelters. Around 500 of them contain some of the world’s oldest prehistoric paintings. Thanks to their natural red and white pigments, the colours are remarkably well preserved and, in certain caves, paintings of different eras adorn the same rock surface.

A gamut of figures and scenes dance across the rocks: gaurs (Indian bison), rhinoceroses, bears and tigers share space with scenes of hunting, initiation ceremonies, childbirth, communal dancing, drinking, religious rites and burials.The Bori Wildlife sanctuary is one of the emerging tiger landscapes in Madhya Pradesh and is home to tigers, sloth bears, leopards, wild dogs, giant squirrels and a variety of other Central Indian species of birds and animals.

Meals: Breakfast at Jehan Numa Retreat. Lunch and dinner at Bori Safari Lodge.

25 November -Bori Wildlife Sanctuary

Morning wake up is 0430 hours and departure by 0530 hours by jeep to reach the gate and do the safari and return by 12-1215 hours. This will be in the Churna area and we will carry packed breakfast. We will travel from the buffer into the core area and search for tiger, leopard, general wildlife and birdlife. 

We return to relax and have lunch and after that, do a birding and wilderness walk by 1530 hours with a trained Naturalist in a reserve forest close to Bori Safari Lodge The walk will be approximately 1 ½ hours.

This is a largely untrodden safari lodge adjacent to a sanctuary where sightings are for serious wildlife enthusiasts. Being adjacent to the wildlife sanctuary, the property has a keen eye on conservation and preserving the natural heritage of the area by not building too much on it. The staff is from the surrounding villages and food is sourced from villages in the area. The Sanctuary is one of the most exciting wildlife habitats and guests have a unique opportunity to see all major carnivores.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner at Bori Safari Lodge.

26 November Bori Wildlife Sanctuary – Satpura National Park

We will leave at 0700 hours and we carry packed breakfast and go into the core area towards Churna again and complete at the rest house by 1130 hours.

Relax and have lunch between 1230 – 1400 hours and at 1430 hours, we go towards the core area of the Satpura tiger reserve and after the jeep safari at the park, we exit the park by 1730 hours and check into the Reni Pani lodge and dinner by 1930 – 2000 hours. 

Meals: Breakfast packed, Lunch packed at the Churna forest house and dinner at Reni Pani Lodge.

27 November – Satpura National park

In the morning by 0700 hours, we go for a motorboat/canoe safari and return to the lodge by 0930 hours. The motorboat is for 1-1 ½ hours. After lunch, at 1415 hours, we depart for an afternoon game drive returning by 1845 hours to the lodge. On the game drive we search for leopard, sloth bear, classic central Indian wildlife and birds.

Satpura National Park covers 1500 sq. km of a unique Central Plateau Highland ecosystem, with rugged terrain, valleys, rivulets, waterfalls and narrow gorges. The park is rich in biodiversity and is the abode of numerous species of flora and fauna. The area’s stunning topography coupled with the abundance of wildlife it contains caters to a variety of interests and a combination of ways to explore them.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner at Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. 

28 November – Satpura National Park

Today, we will do one jeep safari departing by 0530 hours, looking for Tigers, Sloth bears, and birdlife. In the after we go for a walking safari in the core area of the reserve.

The state forest department guides along with the naturalists deliver a truly exhilarating experience filled with insightful knowledge on the flora and fauna that is indigenous to the Satpura Tiger Reserve.

Satpura is the only national park in India to permit walking safaris. Walking deep into the jungle of the biosphere will allow you to truly experience the park’s beautiful scenery, flora and fauna. The feeling of being in the jungle with no separation between wildlife and oneself is truly exhilarating and is an experience any wildlife enthusiast would cherish. Birdwatchers and butterfly enthusiasts enjoy viewing the ample bird and butterfly life.

Your expert guide will introduce you to the local plant and bird life along the way. Although this is not the best way of spotting wildlife, simply due to the fact that you cover less ground, this is a fantastic opportunity to get close to nature and appreciate the small things the park has to offer.

Today we will arrange a special cooking demonstration along with our dinner at 1930 hours.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and dinner at Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. 

29 November – Satpura National Park – Bhopal 

This morning return to the park by 0530 hours for another game drive and resume the romance with wilderness & its many denizens. Return to the lodge by 1200 hours. For those departing to catch the Bhopal flight, they would need to leave immediately with a packed lunch and could return to the lodge from the park in an earlier jeep by 1000 hours. 

For the rest, we will depart by 1300 hours for Bhopal to reach Bhopal by 1900 hours (because of the recent detour due to a bridge repair closure).

Meals: Breakfast at Reni Pani Jungle Lodge. Packed lunch. Dinner at Jehan Numa Retreat.

30 November – Bhopal departure

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for onward flights by noon. The suggested flight to Delhi is via Indigo 6E 5058 departing at 1450 hours and arriving at 1610 hours.

Meals: Breakfast at Jehan Numa Retreat.