This time when I decided break away from my hectic lifestyle, I was quite clear that it had to be a place in a jungle with wild animals for neighbours, dense forest for a landscape and an evening walkabout to a nearby village. Chitvan Resort, near Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh, packed and served all this in one go.
Chitvan, as the name suggests, is a hard-to-locate and harder-to-reach place in a village (Samnapur) that you won't find on any map. It is a different world altogether. Once a Naxal-infested area, this place has left the worst behind to offer a wide array of exotic luxurious dwellings for a price.
Bare minimum
With four duplex designed to give the look of three king-size residential huts, the resort offers a comfortable modern stay in its 12 cottages. The bare minimum number might surprise you at first, but that's what wildlife destination is all about.
“We never thought of adding more cottages as people visit this place to soak in the beauty of the wild rather than staying in their rooms and watching TV. And since, in India, there aren't too many wildlife lovers, we get a select crowd and that helps us serve those who love the adventures of jungle in a way that works to the benefit of both,” says Ashvini, resort manager. “The resort is based on the five elements of Nature. The reception (Air) is quite breezy and gives a pleasant feel at any time. The restaurant (Fire), near the pool offers traditional and continental delicacies made from vegetables grown in our resort. The cottages are based on Jal, Prithvi and Aakash and adorned with natural and traditional elements.”
Convinced, I decided to get a good night's sleep so as to wake early for the jungle safari. The safari started early (at around 5.30 a.m.) and my breakfast was packed as it was a six-hour trip. The first safari in Kanha National Park starts at 6.00 a.m. I was well in time and entered the park with my guide. If you are looking for a destination where life proliferates, Kanha offers you a visual feast.
Spot the tiger
This dense and beautiful forest is home to 89 tigers. Dishearteningly difficult to spot in the thick foliage, tigers are Kanha's star attraction. I was lucky to see fresh pugmarks right on the safari track.
It was quite a thrilling experience to realise that the king had just walked by or was lurking nearby to judge the cacophony of sounds. And if you've got kids for company, you struggle to cope with their excitement.
The easy-to-spot are the spotted deer, leopard, bear, jackal, barasinga, wild pigs and monkeys apart from migratory birds.
Once you are done with the safari, Samnapur has something more to offer. Ashvini arranged a bullock cart ride for me to experience village life. Living on bare minimum, the villagers have been absorbed by resorts that offer them employment and steady income. I was surprised that Chitvan offers special prizes to the kids who go to school and pass with good marks.
Sigh! Now I am back at my concrete tree top.
Where it is
Chitvan Resort
Village Samnapur, Post Mukki,
Kanha National Park, Tehsil Baihar,
District Balaghat,
Madhya Pradesh 481111
E-mail: info@chitvan.com
Website: http://www.chitvan.com
