Vineith Mahadev2019
Vineith grew up in Mysore, a city nestled in India’s Western Ghats—one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. His early years were shaped by regular visits to the city’s lakes, parks, sanctuaries and wetlands, where he developed a deep interest in birds and the natural world. Mysore’s rich cultural heritage also influenced Vineith; he found early inspiration in poetry, drawing creative connections between literature and nature. He participated in music and theater groups throughout his youth.
He studied computer science engineering in Bangalore and briefly explored a career in the corporate sector. However, his fascination with reptiles—sparked by encounters with snake handlers and biologists in the Western Ghats—pulled him back to the field. He began his career in conservation as a tracker for the King Cobra radio telemetry project, which eventually led him to guiding in national parks across South India.
For nearly two decades, Vineith has worked at top eco-lodges throughout India. Today, he focuses on capacity building through partnerships with NGOs, forest departments and educational institutions. He also develops eco-lodges, leads camp design and consults on community-led tourism initiatives.
Vineith has backpacked across Africa and tropical South Asia, travel experiences that have sharpened his storytelling skills. On safari, he enjoys watching guests connect with the natural world through the powerful wildlife stories he shares.
What Our Guests Say
Vineeth is extraordinary. He is not only a knowledgeable Expedition Leader, but he is also a group psychologist, a dietician, a healer, a photo expert and, as a bonus, an excellent writer. He helped me figure out aspects of my new camera and gave me shooting tips. Beyond his care for me personally, he did an expert job dealing with the quirks and needs of the group and arranging daily logistics on the tiger safaris with guides. He was, in all, the ideal guide!
Vineith is simply among the best! His passion, patience and problem-solving abilities make him the equal of past Nat Hab Expedition Leaders we've had, which is a high bar. Like them, he has a deep knowledge of the animals, the parks, the culture and customs and much more. We made a game of trying to stump him—it was nearly impossible to do! He made the trip.
Vineith was super knowledgeable, efficient, interesting and fun-loving. The logistics of this trip were more complex than other safaris I've been on, but he coolly and calmly got us through all of them despite having two people in our group who were mobility challenged. In addition to all of the above, he is an expert wildlife tracker! Our vehicles were always in the right place at the right time to have tigers, rhinos, a leopard, wild dogs and more cross right in front of us or walk alongside us. It was like he had a superpower!
