Bori Safari Lodge, Madhya Pradesh, India

Where is Bori Safari Lodge Located?

Bori Safari Lodge is located about three hours’ drive from Bhopal and about five hours from Nagpur. Both the cities are well connected with major cities across India including Mumbai, New Delhi, and Indore via daily direct flights as well as express trains. For those interested in a longer safari-focused holiday, Bori can be combined with many other famous tiger reserves including Tadoba, Pench, Kanha and Satpura.
The combination of Bori and Satpura offers one of the finest wildlife experiences in India and what makes it particularly interesting is that the guests are transferred between the parks on a full-day long drive or by boat if the water level in the reservoir is sufficient. For those interested in combining wildlife and culture, Madhya Pradesh is one of the most untouched regions in the country with stunning landscapes, a rich history and wonderfully authentic culture.

What sort of accommodation is available at Bori Safari Lodge?

Bori Safari Lodge is spread across a 7.5-acre farmland estate near a quaint village. With eight well-appointed rooms, it offers a fabulously intimate environment that is ideal for an exclusive takeover by a group of friends or a large family. Each room features en-suite facilities, air-conditioning and a private viewing deck overlooking green fields.
The lodge’s beautiful and harmonious architecture combines locally sourced natural materials and building techniques with contemporary design and style. The heart of the lodge is its central courtyard, which overlooks an infinity plunge pool and houses a spa, indoor and outdoor dining, and a library. The owners of Jehan Numa Wilderness come from Bhopal’s erstwhile princely family and their legendary royal legacy is continued in their fine properties through refined cuisine, regal hospitality, and rich local knowledge. Most of the food at Bori Safari Lodge is prepared using ingredients grown within the lodge grounds. Besides regional cuisine, dishes from other parts of India as well as Continental Cuisine are also offered to cater to a varied pallet.

What activities are available at Bori Safari Lodge?

Besides 4x4 game drives in the wildlife sanctuary, Bori Safari Lodge is an ideal base for a fascinating range of activities including walking safaris, night drives, bird watching excursions and anthropological walks. Since the lodge is located next to a village, several community-based experiences are also available promoting sustainable and responsible tourism.

One of the initiatives that is being considered is to encourage a few local villagers to allow lodge guests to sleep on specially built “star beds” in their farms, which would be wonderfully local and transformational giving an insight into local cuisine and livelihood experiences.
Community based camping experiences combined with 4x4 jeep safaris in the buffer zone are also being considered, which will offer a far more immersive and authentic local experience that would also create an alternative source of income for the locals. If Bori is combined with Satpura National Park, private mobile camping can be arranged in Satpura, offering access to stunning walking trails through the forest and amazing bird watching.

Does Bori Safari Lodge cater for families with young children?

Children of all ages are welcomed at Bori Safari Lodge. However, considering the active nature of safari activities, it might not be suitable for very young babies. It is an ideal destination for families with older kids who can be more active and are able to participate in early morning game drives, which provide the best chances of animal sightings in the forest.

When is the best time to visit Bori Safari Lodge?

October to April is the best time to visit Bori Wildlife Sanctuary. The park is closed during monsoon season between early July and the end of September. Although the forest is lush and stunningly beautiful just after monsoon during the months of October and November, thick foliage makes spotting animals a bit challenging. Late-January until mid-March is the most popular season when the weather is pleasant with cool mornings and evenings, and warm afternoons.
The forest begins to dry out from April onwards as the summer start to set in and this increases the visibility through the forest. Furthermore, animals are drawn towards the watering holes, which also increases the chances of spotting them. If extreme heat (daytime temperatures ranging between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius) is not off-putting, early summer is also a very good time to visit the park.

How does Bori Safari Lodge protect and nurture the local community and environment?

Very much like its sister property Reni Pani Jungle Lodge in Satpura National Park, sustainability and nature conservation are at the heart of Bori Safari Lodge. It is designed using low-impact materials to blend in with its natural surroundings and is managed using the most eco-friendly features including solar power and organic farming.
Single-use plastic is completely avoided at the lodge and most of the staff members are recruited and trained locally. Jehan Numa Wilderness group are renowned for their community support initiatives ranging from supporting village schools, providing naturalist and guide training, helping the forest department with wildlife conservation and also generating local employment and tourism-based revenue sources.