In Mowgli’s footsteps: A summer safari in Tadoba, Pench

 After a long drink at the water's edge, the tigress eased herself into the cooling water, sinking deeper until only her striped head remained visible above the surface. Around her, the teak forest shimmered in the afternoon heat, and the alarm calls gradually fell silent. Oblivious to the jeeps packed with visitors pointing their zoom lenses in her direction, she soaked unhurriedly, perfectly at ease in her kingdom.

I was at the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, one of Maharashtra’s oldest national parks, three hours from Nagpur, during some of the hottest days of the year. Braving the scorching temperatures came with a reward: wildlife sightings were prolific, and we witnessed these magnificent creatures at their most relaxed and intimate.

Our lodge is within a 30-minute drive of the tiger reserve’s core gate at Khutwanda and takes its name from this guardian spirit, whose stone shrines can still be found across the region. Our first early morning safari drive, whizzing past cotton and mustard fields, started off on the right note, when a lumbering sloth bear ambled across the road in front of us, and disappeared into the forest. Our young naturalist, Shaheen Shaik, was a font of knowledge, sharing fascinating insights into the forest and its inhabitants, as we explored the buffer zone's mixed deciduous woodland, where towering teak and sal trees lined dusty tracks.

Water bodies, grassy meadows and low hills punctuated the landscape. Mahua trees, whose flowers are used to make local liquor, stood alongside tendu trees, whose leaves are used for bidi making. Dense bamboo thickets overrun with creepers completed the quintessential central Indian forest scene. Flocks of sambar and chital deer grazed in thickets, stocky Indian gaur stood tall in sunlit patches, and langur monkeys clambered on branches and swung like trapeze artists. Shaheen explained that large flocks of Chital meant a healthy population of tigers, as they form the main prey of the tigers.

Soon, an alarm call from a langur who are called the ‘eyes of the forest’ alerted us to the presence of a big cat. Sure enough, we spotted our first tiger, a majestic sub-adult, his muscles rippling beneath his coat, as he strode through the tall grass before crossing the road in front of us, every step measured and purposeful. For a moment, no one spoke, captivated by the privilege of watching this apex predator in the wild.

The birdlife was equally rewarding. We spotted colourful Indian rollers, Indian pittas, known for their distinctive two-note whistles and nicknamed Navrang for their rainbow-like plumage, along with peacocks and woodpeckers. Herbivores such as gaur, barking deer and wild boar moved cautiously through the forest, ever alert to danger. One of the most thrilling moments came when we watched a crested serpent eagle swoop down on a banded kukri snake before carrying it to a tree, where it deftly devoured its prey among the branches.

From Tadoba, we drove through villages and farmlands into neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and onwards to Pench Tiger Reserve, which covers 1,180 square kilometres, encompassing a buffer zone of 768 square kilometres. The reserve takes its name from the Pench River, which flows through it and supports an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. Besides tigers, Pench is home to sloth bears, Indian gaur, wild dogs, langurs and more than 300 species of birds.

Having grown up with Mowgli, Baloo and The Bare Necessities, arriving in Pench felt like stepping into the magical forest of Rudyard Kipling’s imagination. Naturalist Mokshada Mahajan called Pench National Park, the ‘tale of two states’ spread between the states of Maharastra and MP with 70 per cent of the park in MP. What makes Pench unique is its role as a vital wildlife corridor, forming part of the Pench-Tadoba-Kanha forest belt.

Spread across forty acres of rewilded land, Pench Tree Lodge has six tree houses perched on mahua trees, and rustic cottages looking into the wilderness, about 20 minutes from the quieter Karmajhiri Gate of Pench Tiger Reserve.

I spent quiet afternoons sketching and birdwatching from the Kipling Hide, an underground bunker-like bird hide overlooking a water body, that doubled as a reflection pond. Between safaris, it offered a chance to slow down and appreciate the smaller wonders of the forest.

Our safari drives with lodge manager, and guide Omkar, took us through a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, teak and bamboo forests, and open grasslands. Along the way, we admired the luminous white ghost tree, or kulu, with its pale trunk; the scaly saja, also known as the crocodile bark tree; and the mahua tree, prized for its edible flowers, which are fermented to make a local liquor.

Pench is home to more than 40 species of mammals, from leopards and wolves to sloth bears. We came across tiger claw marks etched into tree trunks and patches of bark scraped away by porcupines. Birdlife added flashes of colour to the forest: the brilliant turquoise of the Indian roller and the vivid crimson heads of the plum-headed parakeet. Although we heard of recent leopard sightings, we searched the craggy rock outcrops where the elusive cats often hide, but our efforts proved fruitless.

Come evening, solar lanterns lit pathways and, in the darkness, we saw the magical flicker of fireflies. Over snacks in the lodge lounge, we relived the day's sightings and exchanged stories from the safaris. Conversation inevitably turned to Pench's legendary tigress, Collarwali, who died in 2022 after giving birth to an extraordinary 29 cubs during her lifetime. "She was deeply loved by wildlife enthusiasts," said naturalist Mokshada.

From watching birds through an underground hide to savouring safari breakfasts laid out on the bonnet of our jeep, this holiday was about much more than wildlife sightings. The recent ban on mobile phones inside the parks added an unexpected gift: a quieter, more mindful, and deeply tranquil experience, allowing nature to take centre stage.