MP’s jungle safaris an experience

Hemendra Singh Jadon, Chapter Chairman, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Chapter, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), narrates his experience of a three-day familiarisation trip sponsored by Jehan Numa Hotels and what it means to go on a wildlife safari.

We were recently invited by Jehan Numa Hotels on a three-night familiarisation tour to showcase their two properties in Madhya Pradesh – one is a premium luxury property located close to the Satpura National Park and Tiger Reserve called Reni Pani Jungle Lodge, and the other is Bori Safari Lodge located near the Bori Wildlife Sanctuary near Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. Both properties are following good practices for responsible tourism and have also been certified by TOFTigers.

The group included nine agents, all from Indore. The Bori Safari Lodge has just re-opened after the lockdown and it is about a seven-hour drive from Indore. In the evening, the hotel arranged for a beautiful sun-downer next to Tawa River. Early the next morning, we left for the jungle safari. We sighted a lot of indigenous animals including a tiger, wild boars, sambar deers, crocodiles and the unique giant squirrels which are only found in Bori in India. Bird-watching is also a superb experience here since there is a huge water body close by. Agents must therefore realise that jungle safaris are not just about the Big 5 but more about the native flora and fauna, which is unique to that region. This must be communicated to our clients so that not only do they return with a wholesome experience but also don’t get disheartened if they don’t see a lion or a tiger.

Water activities on Tawa River

We later moved to Reni Pani Jungle Lodge via the Madhai forest, spending the night at this luxury lodge. The next morning we left for Tawa River to indulge in some water sports. It also provided a good opportunity for bird watching. We stayed one night at this lodge and returned to Indore the next morning.

This was the first agent Fam the hotel group had arranged for Bori Safari Lodge. Bori Wildlife Sanctuary is still an unexplored wildlife destination in Madhya Pradesh. The aim was to attract more domestic tourists to this destination by making potential travel agents experience the property first-hand. After the lockdown, clients are more interested in travelling to drivable distances and to experience greenery, nature and wildlife. These two boutique properties are not just ideal for tourists from Madhya Pradesh, but also from other nearby states like Maharashtra. In fact, there was a Bollywood shoot going on in one of the properties, with actors Kangana Ranaut and Arjun Rampal, just before we arrived.