October 27, 2008

ASIA | INDIA

The New Fab Four

By Judy D'Mello

India’s ultimate glamping circuit.

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A new report by the Indian government says its fabled Royal Bengal tiger is at the cusp of extinction. Which means spotting one in the wild requires more patience and luck than ever before. But don’t despair. You can now quadruple your chances in Madhya Pradesh, India’s so-called Tiger State, which boasts the world’s highest density of these amber-eyed felines amid lush hills that were once the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book.

Eco-safari specialist, CC Africa, and Indian partners, Taj Hotels, will soon unveil two new luxury camps under the Taj Safaris brand: Pashan Garh (November 1) and Banjaar Tola (December 1). These, together with their two existing properties are being touted as India’s first ever multi-camp “Tiger Circuit” to be offered by one company. Rounding out the fab-four circuit are Mahua Kothi (India’s first ever Relais & Chateaux member, exterior pictured) in Bandavgarh National Park and Baghvan (interiors pictured) in Pench National Park. For now, hopping between the camps requires a four- to five-hour drive, but private air transfers are in the works.

While glimpsing Asia’s most beloved cat is never guaranteed, plush lodging is. Perched atop a small hill in Panna National Park, Pashan Garh (meaning “stone house” in Hindi) consists of 12 dry-packed stone cottages built with locally mined stone. Think huge slabs of irregular slate, dramatic roofs and romantic private salas that echo the erotic stonework of nearby 10th century temple, Khajuraho. Outside, the reserve is home not only to tigers but leopards, wolfs, sloth bears, wild boars and mugger crocodiles.

Number four on the Tiger Circuit is Banjaar Tola, the new glamping star of the group, formed by two camps, each with nine tented suites on the fringes of Kanha National Park (the big daddy of Indian tiger parks). Safaris leave Banjaar twice daily in comfortably outfitted 4×4 jeeps. Or, you can hop on a specially trained tiger-tracking elephant — a slower and smellier ride for sure, but the best way to do some off-road sighting. Back at camp you can expect two swimming pools, bamboo floors (heated in the winter), canvas walls and roof, and glass doors leading out to a floating verandah.