Central India
Central India is one of our favourite regions! It is huge and in its remote and relatively inaccessible fastness, it hides a wealth of treasure, both natural and man-made that are sparsely visited by tourists primarily due to the lack of publicity – and it shows! One can walk about completely undisturbed. Untrammelled by the remorselessly frenetic pace of 21st century development, these places retain a wonderfully quiet ‘off the beaten track’ atmosphere, providing an intimate sense of personal discovery that is a treasure in itself. Much of the region is still very rural and several of the villages have haats or markets which are interesting to visit. Madhya Pradesh has the maximum number of tigers and tiger reserves. Our favourites tend to be Kanha, Pench and Satpura. For the wildlife enthusiast, one can combine several of the reserves which each offer their own fascinating experiences, varying vegetation and wildlife – from tigers to leopards, sloth bears and dhole (wild dog). Not only does central India offer superb unspoilt countryside, but it also has Muslim and Hindu architectural treasures like Orchha, Khajuraho and Mandu. Experience fascinating tribal cultures of the Gond people. Perhaps end off at a beautiful palace such as Ahilya Fort, considered to be one of the world’s top 100 hotels, where the owner is passionate about cooking and has a superb vegetable and herb garden. The cuisine is superb! This region is also home to some of India’s finest handloom fabric traditions. Then we have the fascinating region of Bastar and Kanker with extraordinary beauty and the renowned and magnificent Chitrakoot waterfalls. This is India as very few people will experience it. We urge you to see this area before the crowds discover it!
