Bori Safari Lodge

The Bori Safari Lodge is designed keeping in mind the modern comforts for a contemporary traveller, and being in sync with the natural surrounds. Very different from other lodges of the same group or esewhere in the Indian forests, Bori Safari Lodge is an intriguing mix of art and desgin that celebrates the space it is on.

Even at first glance you can see the elemental quality of the design – the spaces, open to large expanses of farm and nature, sky overhead, a water body and the sense of light everywhere. The eight rooms are in four clusters of two room cottages elevated to accomodate the monsoons which is known to cause flooding of this region. The luxury is in the simplicity and the gentle colours, and interesting pieces of art that surrounds you in eveny room, and that nature is just outside the large high doors that can be stacked to the side, which you have an uninturupted view straight into the farms and wake up to dawn chorus from your bed.

Each suite is a generous space with infinite detail. The aesthetics are simple and elegant, and if it is raining….. it is a heavenly moment to sit in your room and sip your coffee. Enjoy the serene ambience of the farmlands from the deck of your private dwelling!

The public areas of the lodge also allow a seamless sync with the outdoors at all times. Plenty of open spaces, large windows in the dining area and an uncluttered feel is what makes Bori Safari Lodge special. As you ascend the steps into the lodge to a welcome for the first time or everytime you return from your safaris – a cold or hot towel and a minty tea is offered. Almost immediately you are in the large courtyard where a healthy Palash tree is being urged to take centre stage. This courtyard that in good weather promises to be a beautiful outdoor dining is the defining space of the lodge and sets the tone for everything around it, as well as links the key Jehanuma details. The Tea Cart to one side is an invitation to ‘Chai’ whenever you want. The lounge and bar to one side which is also where the Naturalist or Lodge Manager will update, regale and share with you their knowledge of the forests of Satpura. The dining is simple and open almost contrasting to what comes to your table. Different cuisines served as multiple courses, fresh ingredients sourced from their own kitchen gardens and grown around. Decks and courtyards and large open windows spell ‘outdoors, under-the-sky’ again and again.

On the other side of the Courtyard are the bridge-like trails that take you to your cottages, as you walk through thriving farms and dottted with young trees that will soon add to a healthy canopy of indegenous trees, an invitation for birds, civets, shrews and other creatures of the wild.

Destination

Near Dhapada village in Madhya Pradesh, Bori Safari Lodge offers a quiet and varied safari expereicnce staying almost exclusively close to the forests of Satpura. On the edge of the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary, cocooned within a 7.5-acre farmland estate, the lodge offers a nature bound experience desgined for the contemporary traveller yet seeking the adventures of the forests.

Four clusters of two bedrooms each, are spread on a thriving farmland which is also a a hearty look-out from the decks of the rooms, private and elevated. A unique design ensures that Bori Safari Lodge stands apart from what you have seen as lodges any where else in the country the lodge spells art, design and comfort.

The proximity to the wildlife sanctuary and exclusivity of being the only Lodge on this side of the Satpura Tiger Reserve is a great USP. Among the emerging tiger landscapes of Madhya Pradesh, undiscovered by many tourists, Satpura is possibly the only park that allows for myraid wildlife and nature immersions. You will be among like-minded travellers who like a low-key wildlife experiences. The forest is home to sloth bears, leopards, wild dogs, giant squirrels and a variety of other Central Indian species of birds and animals.

Enjoy wildlife tours, 4×4 game drives, walks and hikes, buffer zone night drives in the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary enthusiatic naturalist guides who enrich the experience and bring the forest alive with thier knowledge. Enjoy village tours, interact with locals, choose excursions to Dhapada and other villages which have anthropological references.

The pool with its deck is inviting enough to stop you from making the journey to your room while Library and Spa promise more distractions. The broad, curved leaves of the Banana plants are every where and if you are artist your fingers itch to sketch or paint the sky, the grass and the Banana plants.

Accommodation

Each of the eight rooms at Bori Safari Lodge is 525 sq. ft. and can comfortably accommodate a family of two adults and two children, the adjascent room is perfect if it is a family with older children. The suite is a generous space with infinite detail, from multiple plug-points ( its absence quite an irritant for photographers ), a king sized bed with reading lights, and ante-room with a wardrobe and luggage space, twin vanities and leading to indiviudal shower space and toilet. The tea and coffee station offers the option of freshly brewed coffee and a jar of home-made cookies.

Dining

The in-house restaurant is the chic dining hall which also moves into the courtyard when the weather allows it. The lodge offers pre-plated menus with a great variety of fresh greens, salads, local delicacies and a smattering of asain and continental cuisines. All ingredients used are sourced from local farmers and markets and made to suit different palates by the very talented chef. It also allows the lodge to contribute economically to the local communities. The outdoor dinner experience is unique to Bori as the naturalists have designed it to make it an interesting wilderness experience.

Experiences

The in-house spa offers massages which are great to revive you after a long day on safaris. Enjoy time swimming in the pool with nature all around, or just relax on the deck This is the perfect spot to cool off in the summers, when nature trails are best to spot wildlife. Spend time in the wonderfully curated library with books on wildlife, birds and general interest as well.

Activities include a game drive in a 4X4 jeep with a seasoned naturalist, who read the forest through tracks and signs. Buffer rides around the main wildlife sanctuary can be done any time of the day. It turns out to be more rewarding sometimes in terms of spotting animals.

Nature walks and birding orientation around the property is organised with the help of naturalists and experts.

Perfect for
wildlifers who’d like to step away from the usual safari routine and truly see the forest without the line of Safari vehicles.

Operational status
Open from October to June. Closed during the monsoon season.

Why we love this place

Bori is the perfect safari location for those who love the full wildlife experience. You have the opportunity to explore this region in relative seclusion, as walks, bike rides, boat safaris, night safaris, buffer zone explorations etc. The lodge is connected well by train and flights and also creates full wildlife itineraries including Pench, Satpura and Kanha. One can also access Bori and Madhai zones as a full day drive through the park giving you the unique opportunity to be in the forests for an entire day.

About your host

The famous Jehan Numa group of Hotels in Madhya Pradesh owns this Reteat in the forests of Satpura. Their wildlife offerings as Jehanuma Retreat Bhopal, camping with Satpura Under Canvas, Reni Pani Lodge and Bori Safari Lodge are clubbbed under Jehanuma Wilderness. The wildlife expereinces are managed by Aly Rashid with his team of young and very effecient managers and naturalist. Aly is an experienced naturalist and to take one safari with him into the forests is to learning from his years of his travels into the jungle and the Satpura landscape. He also leads some interesting wildlife trips around the world including the Singalila for Red Panda and to Ladakh for the Snow Leopard.

Responsible/Sustainable Tourism

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. Most of the staff comes from the surrounding villages; Bori Lodge ensures that the community can partake in the hospitality sector. They also source vegetables and fruits from the villages around.

Our Recommendation

This new lodge by the Jehanuma Wilderness Group close to the unexplored Bori wildlife sanctuary, part of the larger Satpura Tiger Reserve allows great safari opportunities for serious wildlife enthusiasts. You can assured that you will be delightfully away from the popular forest trails of the better accessed national parks. Also clubbed with Reni Pani Lodge at the Madhai gate and a couple of days of camping in the buffer area, it makes for a fantastic safari program of of Satpura Tiger Reserve.