India Safari Accommodation | Natural Habitat Adventures

Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi

Location
New Delhi, India

One of the most distinguished addresses in the national capital, the 5-star Taj Mahal Hotel is a city landmark, located in the exclusive residential area of Lutyens’ Delhi close to the seat of government and foreign embassies. The hotel’s elegant interiors reflect the heritage of Mughal Delhi, with intricate motifs, golden inlay work, marble fountains, original art and a veritable showcase of historic artifacts. Exuding refined ambience, the hotel's 294 spacious guestrooms enjoy views over the city or pool and gardens through panoramic windows. Each room is appointed with every amenity befitting a property of this caliber. The health and fitness center features steam baths, sauna, Jacuzzi and traditional Indian Ayurvedic massage and Sirodhara treatments. A suite of restaurants offers a wide range of cuisines and beverages, and classic afternoon tea is served each day in the Machan and Emperor Lounge.

Kings Lodge

Location
Bandhavgarh National Park, India

Set within sal-forested hills on a 32-acre natural wooded estate, Kings Lodge is just minutes from the Tala gate of of Bandhavgarh National Park, one of India's premier tiger reserves. Surrounded by wild terrain, this rustic yet deluxe ecolodge enjoys an exceptional location near some of India's most diverse and abundant wildlife. The lodge exhibits a concern for conservation in every aspect of its design and operations. Utilizing stone, tile, stucco and recycled wood, it was built using local labor to blend with its environment, incorporating a rural vernacular style of architecture and ecologically friendly construction methods, including eco-sensitive waste disposal systems.

Accommodations are in 10 cottage rooms and eight stilt cottages, built in harmony with nature. All have air conditioning, 24-hour electricity, modern en suite bathrooms, crisp cotton linens and bright textile accents, dark wood furniture including a writing table and chair, and a large private veranda with views of the forest. Wi-Fi is available in the public areas. The dining room is a warm and inviting setting, with fresh farm-to-table cuisine served around a huge live-edge wooden table. Both Indian and continental dishes feature locally sourced fare, with many of the vegetables and herb from the organic kitchen garden and other nearby farms. A stone fireplace adds ambience and takes the chill off during the cool season. An outdoor barbecue and bush dinner area provide opportunities for dining outside. In between morning and late-afternoon game drives, enjoy the swimming pool and sundeck, indulge in an Ayurvedic massage at the spa, borrow a book from the small natural history library, wander through the butterfly farm where more than 40 species flit among the flowers, or climb up into the watchtower to survey the surrounding landscape and look for birds.

Singinawa Jungle Lodge

Location
Kanha National Park, India

Singinawa Jungle Lodge offers all the comforts of a world-class resort within the wild environs of India's tiger heartland. The lodge name reflects its practice of the Sherpa philosophy of singinawa—protection of the sacred forest—while working closely with local communities on conservation. Set on a private forested 100-acre tract of reclaimed jungle adjoining Kanha Tiger Reserve, the luxury lodge is a model for ecologically sustainable tourism. Accommodations are in 12 stone cottages and two family bungalows, all with private verandas for your own secluded view on nature. The cottages have large bedrooms with hand-carved dark wood furnishings and traditional fabrics, beds with memory foam mattresses and fine quality linens, a fireplace, en suite bathrooms with double basins and rain showers, mini bar, tea- and coffee-making facilities, and air conditioning.

Dining is a highlight at Singinawa, with sumptuous meals served both indoors and in a variety of romantic outdoor settings. The focus is on locally produced ingredients for gourmet Indian and continental dishes. An organic farm across the road from the lodge provides homegrown wheat and rice, and sustainably raised cattle, chickens and goats are nearby. The lounge and well-stocked natural history library invite relaxing and further learning. A large free-form swimming pool offers refreshment, while the Meadow Spa serves up a variety of relaxing treatments from well-trained local practitioners. Also located on the estate is the Kanha Museum of Life and Art, a 1,000-square-foot museum showcasing the work of local Gond and Baiga Indigenous artists.

The lodge is surrounded by wild terrain including sal stretches, grasslands and waterholes, all of which serve as a rendezvous for the wild denizens of Kanha forest. Keep an eye out for large herds of chital, wild pigs, northern plains langurs, Indian muntjacs and jungle cats. An occasional visit by a leopard or a tiger is also not unheard of. Birdwatching is also fantastic, as the wooded habitat around Singinawa attracts more than a hundred different recorded species.

Taj City Center New Town Kolkata

Location
New Town, Kolkata, India

Enjoy a restful layover at the luxurious Taj Kolkata, conveniently located near the airport, where you will return the following morning to fly to Jorhat, the tea capital of India. Kolkata’s satellite city, New Town, is situated north of the Bay of Bengal and east of the Hooghly River and sets a national precedent for coexisting with nature. As one of only four other cities in the country to be awarded the ‘Platinum-Rated Green City Certificate’ by the Indian Green Building Council, New Town is a revitalizing retreat within the urban jungle. Take in the story of the city through the hotel’s local artwork, handwoven fabrics and warm wooden features. Old-world architecture is complemented by modern comforts, including award-winning restaurants and an infinity pool that cascades over the bustling center. Guests seeking rejuvenation can recline under an umbrella of palm trees or indulge in a traditional aromatherapy massage at the JIVA Spa.

Time permitting, explore one of the largest open spaces in the area is just under two miles from the hotel. Covering 500 acres, Eco Park is a self-sustaining ecosystem that serves as a “living classroom” for the surrounding community. Stroll down the Lake Front Promenade, watch pollinators hatch from their cocoons in the butterfly garden, and take in the scents of Bengali native plantlife in the fruit, herb and tea gardens. The park’s wetland habitat harbors the Pakhi Bitan sanctuary, the perfect setting to practice birdwatching before continuing our adventure to Kaziranga National Park.

Diphlu River Lodge

Location
Kaziranga National Park, India

Diphlu River Lodge has been recognized by numerous outlets, from Vogue to Architectural Digest, as one of India's top safari lodges. Offering immediate access to Kaziranga National Park directly across the river, the lodge is the perfect base for exploring this UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceros, along with Asiatic water buffalo, eastern swamp deer, capped langur, hoolock gibbon, leopard, sloth bear, Ganges dolphin, otter, wild boar, gaur, sambar, hog deer, barking deer and a healthy density of Bengal tigers.

Twelve cottages on raised stilts blend seamlessly into the jungle setting, built of local materials including bamboo and thatched roofs, and facing either the river or paddy. High ceilings, plenty of glass and a covered private veranda with cane furniture lend an airy feel, bring the outdoors in. A ceiling fan keeps the space cool, though air conditioning is also provided. Each cottage has one king or two double beds, a sitting area with wicker settees and a writing desk, an en suite bathroom with a glassed-in shower that has a private view on the outdoors, a safe, mini bar, small fridge and an electric kettle with a selection of tea and coffee.

The common area is centered on the Machan, which means "jungle platform." This large covered area, connected to the cottages by bambook walkways, is appointed with local handicrafts and artifacts and comprises a lounge with cushioned sofas, library, TV room and dining area. It opens directly onto two expansive verandas that extend the polished wood floors and high thatched ceilings. Choose a drink from the well-stocked bar as you pull up a wood and rattan lounge chair on the larger veranda to look for wildlife on the opposite shore of the river before you. The smaller veranda overlooks serene farmland and is an appealing spot for an al fresco breakfast. Other outdoor sitting platforms are located around the pond and riverside, quiet spots for contemplating nature over a cup of local Assam tea. The Lahe Spa offers a range of relaxing and rejuvenating body treatments.

Diphlu Lodge is strongly committed to conservation and community. A total of 5% of the cost of every room booked goes to the ABN Foundation to support education, environmental protection and rural community development. The foundation has also partnered with WWF to train local people as naturalist guides. The lodge grows its own organic rice and vegetables on the premises. Organic waste is composted for use in agriculture, and a gray water recycling program reuses water for irrigation. Bulk and compostable materials are used instead of single-use plastic.

Trident Gurgaon

Location
Gurgaon, India

Voted "Asia's Leading Hotel" multiple times at the World Travel Awards, the Trident Gurgaon is located in the central business district of Gurgaon, part of the New Delhi national capital region, just 30 minutes from the international airport. Designed by Thai architect Lek Bunag, the low-rise hotel is set amid seven acres of landscaped gardens, courtyards, walkways, reflection pools and fountains, creating a resort-like ambience. The hotel's 136 rooms are defined by warm, understated contemporary decor and enjoy serene views of the gardens and manicured lawns or the reflecting pools. Three restaurants feature Indian, Japanese and Continental cuisine, and an elegant bar offers drinks in a sophisticated setting. A separate pool bar serves beverages and casual fare alongside the magnificent outdoor swimming pool, while a spa and fitness center complete the hotel’s recreation facilities.