Banjaar Tola Taj Safari Lodge MI Evaluation - Platinum

Taj Safaris’ third jungle safari lodge is situated along the banks of the Banjaar River, directly overlooking the heart of Kanha National Park.

The luxurious, yet lightweight, ensuite tents have been designed in a contemporary style, with pressed bamboo wall panels, gorgeous bamboo floors and locally crafted furniture hewn from the timber of exotic Indian trees.

The textiles have been designed in tones of delicate saffron and acid-washed green, with rich block-printed Madhya Pradesh cottons and silks. The atmosphere is light, ethereal and organic. 

The lodge boasts two elegant camps of nine suites, each with its own intimate tented sitting area. Banjaar Tola has its own unique identity, celebrating the Bastar and Dogra art that hails from nearby Chattisgarh.

ACCOMMODATION 

Banjaar Tola consists of two elegant camps - each containing nine tented suites. The lightweight tents have been designed in a contemporary, chic camping style using locally sourced sustainable materials. Each tented suite features bamboo floors, a canvas roof and walls, and glass doors leading out onto a spacious deck overlooking beautiful views of the river. Interiors showcase the rich block-printed cottons and silk handwork that is native to Madhya Pradesh. Woven textiles in shades of bleached saffron, forest greens and earthy cinnamon surround guests in the colours and textures of the region. 

Conservation efforts at Banjaar Tola start from the ground up; each suite is set on raised structures, supporting the tent at only seven points on the ground, allowing natural growth and drainage under all the buildings. Instead of conventional electrical units, the tents are designed with double layers of canvas with insulation materials and air gaps to keep them cool. In winter, hot water for the bathroom is piped under the insulated bamboo floor. The eco-friendly air conditioning system uses a reversible cycle to efficiently deliver both cooling and heating. Taj Hotels has reinvented the safari tradition with an earth-friendly experience that’s also unforgettably luxurious.

DINING 

Dining in Banjaar Tola is as wonderful and exotic as the safari itself. No menu is ever the same and great care has been taken by the chef and the staff to celebrate the unique flavours and styles of the region. 

As guests arrive, they are seated in the sitting lounge and served the signature welcome drink and snacks while the Chef introduces himself and enquires as to the dietary preferences or tastes of each guest. 

Choose to lunch on a private deck overlooking the river with discreet butler service. Or gather as a group on the beautiful lounge deck where special menus are displayed on the blackboard. 

At dinnertime, enjoy a wok style dinner by the poolside, an “Angithi” dinner in the dining room, where guest assists in cooking their meals, or a riverside dinner on Chowkis, which are specially-created decks. Private dining by the tents is always an option as well. 

Jungle Banquets are lavish affairs with bullock carts loaded with kitchen treats. Guests will be given shawls to wear and the area will be heated by sigris (traditional coal heaters). Hyderabadi cuisine is featured, with the food cooked in the traditional degs and haandis and sealed with Atta (whole wheat flour dough). Each guest will be presented with their own sealed haandi that will be opened with a flourish, releasing the aroma of the spices. At the end of the meal, the Chef pedals in a dessert cart filled with signature Banjaar Tola sweets served with South Indian coffee. 

For the adventurous couple, a special Bush Dinner is available. This intimate dinner would take place in a secluded jungle spot of your choosing. We’ll leave you with a wireless set for communication, so that our butler only has to appear when needed. 

breakfast is served in hot boxes during the morning game drive or as a picnic on the verandah for guests who forego the morning safari.

LEISURE

Our naturalist and perhaps the odd macaqau greets you on arrival. Then the excitement begins - after proper refreshment of course. After suitable orientation, you depart on an afternoon drive in a rugged 4X4 through Kahna’s timeless landscape, traversing lush green meadows and skirting large bamboo stretches while keeping an eye out for tigers and barasinghas, a type of deer found exclusively in northern India. 

Travel in comfort in a specially designed Tata open 4x4 safari vehicle, spot tigers from the safety of an elephant’s back, indulge in twice-daily safaris in the reserve, tick off Kahna’s ten Star Birds (a book listing the area’s top ten birds that bird-watchers can check off) or just absorb the sights and sounds of local villages. 

Inside the lodge, guests can linger over coffee and a book in the intimate lodge café. Or one can browse leisurely through the Safari Shop, and then take a dip in the refreshing swimming pool. Each tented guest area features a small library and interpretive space. For meals, guests can enjoy their food on the dining decks with stunning views. 

When you aren’t taking in the local flora and fauna, enjoy a day at the pool, afternoon tea by the river and a library at your disposal. 

Sleep in. If you can bear to miss the morning game drive, we’ll bring you a picnic breakfast to enjoy on the verandah. Let one of our majestic trees shade you while you spend the day reading beside the river. From arranging for a massage to soaking up the sun, guests will find plenty to do when they are not swaying gently through the Park on elephant-back or photographing a precious family of storks. The lodge offers a Safari shop as well as a library for guests to enjoy. The guest areas are the perfect place to unwind after a long afternoon safari, compare tales and watching the monkeys frolic in the trees. 

Spa Services
Our spa treatments based on millennia-old Indian healing and massage techniques, using all-natural ingredients.