Waghoba Eco Lodge - Tadoba National Park — Hotel in Maharashtra

I had planned to visit Tadoba to celebrate my 30th birthday between wilderness alongwith my husband. I am a nature lover and wildlife freak. We had been planning to visit Tadoba since last 10 months. But we're not able to spot any good stays. Finally, came across Pugdundee Safaris, Waghoba Eco Ledge and after reading about the Lodge being eco-friendly, well maintained and also they helped us with booking safaris. We decided to stay at this place for 3 nights from 10- 13 June. Below are the reasons why you should only and only stay at Waghoba Eco Lodge:

Eco Friendly: If you are a wildlife lover you must be environment friendly too so that Nature is not harmed by human actions and therefore this place tops for all this and is the reason you should stay here. No plastic at all being used. They give you steel bottles for everything, the lodges are made from mud bricks locally naked, toilet paper is also recyclable one and endless things of it being eco Friendly. property has pug marks at lot of places which makes it too good and they have a small pond where n number of birds come. You sight different birds and also they have a small place where they have water collected and lot of fungi which has lot of frogs and lotuses and you hear frog sounds which gives the place very natural feel.

Hospitality: They rank number one as far as hospitality is considered. From the time you enter till you check out you are given personal attention. When you check in, or everytime you come from safari you are given a refreshing lemonade and wet wipes at the entrance itself. They ask you about your sighting. They will ask you about your schedule, kind of food you would life to have. Packing food when you check out and they stay at door for both your morning safari and afternoon with all the safari requisites like breakfast, lemon water,, water, raincoats,etc. Everything is taken care by them. Special mention about Shreya and Vishal. Excellent Front office person and Naturalist. They will tell you minute details about Tadoba and Waghoba and are very polite. Ghanshyam Sir is also amazing person and takes care of your preferences and have great knowledge on Nature. They even play Wildlife documentaries in evening which is too great if you like to explore more about tigers. Food: As this remains a top priority for everyone while choosing any stay, you just stay chill about this. Food is just excellent. The chef,prepares extraordinary sumptuous, light and fresh meals. They give personal touch to everything from Starter, Main course to Dessert. Honestly in my entire lifetime I have never visited such a place which serves delicious, light and fresh meals and tasty with locally sourced items. Food is all the reason you must stay here. Location ( Khutwanda gaye): If you are a forest lover and want to stay away from hustle bustle, Waghoba is your go to Ace. They are located 20 mins away from Khutwanda gate( best gate to visit Tadoba as you get to visit all core zones if you enter from Khutwanda and also number of safaris entering from Khutwanda is very very less as compared to Moharli). This is only stay near to this gate and this being secluded it is surrounded with forest and farms.

Rooms; Rooms are just too great. They are individual cottages made of bricks. You really can detox digitally completely. Located between forest, the balcony view is completely forest, all the room requisites like tissue, cotton buds, toilet paper, etc are all eco friendly. You can even do work from home as they have good wifi and nice desk to work on. Everything is made of wood.

Activites: Apart from safari you can chill in pool at property which is super clean rather cleanest pool ever seen, you can go cycling and walking. You can spend time outside property lounge enjoying the amazing view and freh air. Also you can do bird photography at property.

PS: This is a genuine review, must consider visiting Tadoba and staying...

Forests are an addiction and these lovely forests become even more addictive if you experience it the Pugdundee Way - existing in unison not only with nature but also with the local, rural surroundings around it.

We had the opportunity to stay at the Waghoba Nature Lodge, Winner of this year’s Outlook Sustainability awards and the Pench Tree Lodge this time.

Both the lodges boast of standardization in terms of adopting sustainable practices, high levels of customer service, delectable cuisine personally served under the guidance of 2 expert chefs (Chef Pankaj & Chef Ark) with a passion for using local ingredients, and safaris with some of the best naturalists in the region to guide you through in the jungles at the break of dawn and under the star studded sky at night.

And yet both the lodges are as different as chalk and cheese and have a distinct character to themselves….

The tree house at Pench brings alive your childhood dreams of sleeping on trees in the thick of jungles while being surrounded with the sounds of the barking wild dogs, alarm calls by the sambar deer & monkeys . The sway of the tree house makes u feel like you are living Mowgli’s life for a few minutes, the aroma of the fruits from the Mahua tree that fills up the lodge leaves you satisfied and so at peace that you begin to wonder why do we even live in cities! The village set up recreated right next to the kitchen garden to serve local delicacies, the aroma and slight warmth from the tandoor and the fire flakes going up in the air and recreating the magic of the Flame of the Forest is nothing short of magical…

Compare that to the Wagobha Eco Lodge - keeping the essence of the Pudgundee experience intact as Pench, it boasts of a beautiful ramp connecting the library to the dining area which gives you an opportunity to indulge in breathtaking views of the long stretches of grasslands where the staff has often spotted a leopard or at times a tiger as well outside of the core zone of the jungles. “The Hide” (bird observatory) is a place you can spend hours just sitting and observing the behavioral patterns of different birds as they make a dash for their catch. Last but not the least, the staff at both the resorts deserve a special mention. Their attention to detail, focus on making guests comfortable in all genuineness reminds me of the warmth with which my granddad would welcome guests at home. Many of the staff are locals from nearby villages and might not be very fluent in English, but their passion and warmth will sway you. The beaming smile and cheer of the young girl Shreya who helps chef Ark in baking cookies day in and day out for the guests is unforgettable.

Thank you team Pugdundee for a wonderful jungle experience laced with love from your inclusive staff, great food cooked with the freshest ingredients and the stories about Lara and hers cubs, Maya and Rudra – the tigers dominating Tadoba Region. You guys make jungle trips exotic and comfortable without compromising on the thrill associated with trying to sight the wild cats!! Looking forward to being...

Wow. I can not say enough about Waghoba Eco Lodge. First off, the exceptional hospitality from all of the staff, from those who welcomed us, to the staff who kept our room spotless, to the wonderful dining staff. To a person, every staff member is kind, courteous, and fantastic at their job. They anticipated our needs, and made our stay a true pleasure.

Second, the safaris were fantastic. Our naturalist guide, Mrunmay Desai, was incredibly knowledgeable. He knew every tiger by sight, worked with the national park staff to track the tigers, and balanced providing a great experience for us, but also respect for the wildlife and made sure we didn't disturb them (which was incredibly important to us, and not something we witnessed in vehicles from other lodges!). He also knew every species of the - many - birds we saw, and understood that we weren't there just for the tigers, but wanted to see the other wildlife as well! He also went above and beyond, making calls to the national parks to find a permit for us to fit in an extra safari, where we saw a sloth bear and two cubs.

The only downside of how wonderful the safaris were, was that we didn't get nearly enough time to enjoy the grounds of the lodge itself! Our last morning we woke up to birdsong, doves on our veranda, and drank homemade chai outside the lounge while watching swallows swoop over the pond and the sunrise over the hills of the forest. The details of the lodge are wonderful, from the beautiful place settings to the stylish decor and the way the lodge is set up to give lovely views - there are even tiger print etching in the tile walkways.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the food! It was not just the best Indian food I've had in the country (and other countries around the world), but some of the best meals I've ever had, full stop. I went from the lodge to Delhi and ate at one of the highest end restaurants there, and I found the tastes of the chefs menu to be lacking compared to the thali lunch we had at the lodge. The ingredients were all local, some I believe grown on the grounds, and thoughtfully prepared. From the packed safari breakfasts, to the lunches, dinners, and snacks in between, we were always satisfied and never hungry.

All in all, there is no reason to stay anywhere else when visiting Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. The lodge punches above its weight in terms of luxury, hospitality, food, and naturalist knowledge. I highly,...