Located on the picturesque shores of Lake Maasal, The Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge at Tadoba is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and an establishment that believes in sustainable and responsible tourism. Adjacent to the popular Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, this charming property has been a huge source of employment for locals.
“Out of our 130 employees, 80 come from local villages, which has significantly improved their quality of life for their families. Not only do they now have stable jobs close to home, but they also get to stay with their families, eliminating the need for long-distance travel,” says owner Sudeep Mehta. This has strengthened the community and provided better work-life balance for employees.
Additionally, the inclusion of 15 young women among the staff has contributed to empowering women in the village by offering them meaningful employment opportunities. Taking the inclusion of locals quite seriously, all of the lodge’s kitchen staff (except the sous chef) come from the local village, who specialise in preparing indigenous dishes like singada baaji (a curry made from water chestnut) and kadu ki baaji (prepared from a locally grown wildflower).
“We pride ourselves on using locally sourced ingredients like millets and rice and fish caught fresh from the river that is only 2 km away. Local farmers bring their fresh produce, and we make it a point to purchase from them, supporting the community and ensuring our guests enjoy authentic, locally grown food,” says Mehta.
Apart from being responsible, the property also practises sustainable habits like waste segregation, rainwater harvesting, cco-friendly transportation, composting organic waste; and the hotel is a plastic-free zone.
Anish Andheria, conservationist and tiger biologist, says, “The Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge has been creating a wholesome experience for people not just because of good in-house naturalists and nature-friendly landscaping on their property but also because they provide livelihood to locals on a large scale. Their use of EV safari vehicles speaks volumes of their commitment towards sustainability. Hope this is adopted by others in the sector.”
