At This New Safari Destination in Central India, You Can Track Royal Bengal Tigers in Style
There is a tree in the central jungles of India referred to as the Flame of the Forest. It's named as such for its fiery orange petals that set the region ablaze in the early weeks of spring.
I arrive at Bandhavgarh National Park right as these glowing blooms are performing their final act, appearing instead as dimly lit torches flickering across the landscape. My disappointment at just missing the zenith of this color riot is quickly replaced by a strongly sweet aroma that floods my nose while passing through Oberoi Vindhyavilas Wildlife Resort's imposing entrance. 'It's the Mahua tree's flower,' Vikas Sawhney, the general manager, says with a grin while presenting a delicate glass filled with homemade lemonade. As I'll learn over the coming days, nature is always putting on a show in India, no matter the time of year.
Photo: Courtesy of the Oberoi Group
This is the second wildlife resort for Oberoi, the luxury hospitality brand with outposts scattered across some of the most covetable and far-flung destinations on the planet. Their doors swung open in March, just a month before my arrival, and already reservations are booking out for the 19 luxury tents and two pool villas that stretch across 21 acres of fountain grass and kachnar trees. The reason for such a swift response? Well, that would be Bandhavgarh's star resident: the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Reaching this exquisite part of the country entails a visa application, series of flights, and long drives; logistical details that I enlist the masterminds at Abercrombie & Kent to oversee. Tapping into their roster of on-the-ground experts, A&K threads together an itinerary that seamlessly transports me from jet bridge to Oberoi's waterfront property in Mumbai, where I acclimate to the new continent for a couple of nights. A morning of touring local spice markets and architectural landmarks is followed by a sunset cocktail back at the hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea. A leisurely dinner at the property's Ziya restaurant at the helm of Michelin-starred Chef Vineet Bhatia, then I'm back in my room by 9 p.m. in anticipation for the next day's early morning departure.
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