Kipling Camp’s Tara the elephant having fun with kids on the banks of the river. © Kipling Camp's

Kipling Camp

Kanha Tiger Reserve

Madhya Pradesh

Kipling Camp was established by a well-known family of conservationists in the 1980’s with a strong wildlife and community focus. Today, tiger conservationist Belinda Wright and her mother continue to run this family-owned lodge in the traditional style with its houseguest ambience and commitment to the community that helped lay the foundation for the success of Kanha over the years. Once an open farmland, it is now a sun-speckled forest where chattering birds, spotted deer and even tigers do not fear to tread, using the Camp’s waterhole as part of their domain. Dining is mostly al fresco in an open dining area where many well-known personalities and field researchers have regaled wildlife tales. It’s also home to Tara, the elephant made famous by her sojourns across India with the late Mark Shand.

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The day begins with a morning safari in the Kanha National Park’s core area in open 4WD vehicles. Guests are given a wholesome picnic breakfast. Lunch is usually served outdoors back at the Camp. In the afternoon, guests can go for another jungle drive or go bird watching, take a guided nature walk in the forests, retreat to a hammock with a book or – most popular of all – bathe Tara the elephant in the river. In the evening, it is time to relax in the Shamiana around a campfire with drinks and dinner, and listen to jungle calls. Other activities can include a visit to neighbouring villages, massages, volleyball, a candlelit outdoor dinner, and a tribal dance under the stars. Visits can be arranged to explore three little-known 17th century forts, and a hill-top village with tribal artists.
Six cottages with 15 rooms are scattered among the trees, all with en-suite bathrooms and rain showers. Three of the rooms are air-conditioned. There is also a private cottage with a sitting room and patio overlooking the wildlife waterhole. Heaters and hot water bottles are provided in the winter and coolers or air-conditioners in the summer.
The lodge serves continental and Indian cuisine. Picnic breakfasts are served in the national park during the morning safari. Lunch and dinner are served back at the Camp under the mahua tree, on the Bamboo House patio, or under the stars.
Open from early October to early May, after which the Camp closes for the summer and monsoon season.
Nearest airport - Jabalpur (160 km)
Nearest railhead - Jabalpur (160 km), Nagpur (260 km)
Nearest park gate - Khatia Gate (3 km)
Children of all ages are particularly welcome - it is a wonderful place for them to learn about nature and have their first wildlife experience. They are taken on nature walks, to see results from the wildlife camera traps and to meet and learn about Tara the elephant.

From £132 From price based on lowest category room per night. Enquire direct to get full range of pricing and to book.
In-house lodge naturalist
Bikes
Spa
Wheelchair access
Wifi access

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Kanha Tiger Reserve

Stopping your vehicle beside one of the large golden grass meadows with the sunbeams angled by the tall sal forest behind you; a morning mist and the unseen crack of horns from a pair of barasingha stags clashing and you might well be reminded of Mowgli’s forests made famous by Rudyard Kipling. These lowland forests are a mixture of great sal hardwood trees, once heavily felled for railways sleepers and other mixed species of forest. It is interspersed with grassy meadows - the habitat Read more>>