Living up in the Pench tree lodge by Pugdundee Safaris

Where the trees become your abode
And the chirpy neighbours constantly tweet their ode. 
Even when the rain drops create a soulful tune
You find yourself safe in this Pench tree lodge cocoon. 

Experience the charm of one of the best resorts in Pench National Park. Pugdundee Safaris Pench Tree Lodge resort delighted me with its sustainability initiatives, unique tree house stay, food and its range of facilities. Take a look at why you need to consider a stay here. 

Pench was a trip planned in the summer of 2020 but as the world went into a shutdown, this experience of mine got pushed away for a while. My grand tour through Pench National Park finally became a reality this year – all thanks to an invite from Pugdundee Safaris. The entire experience turned out to be super special – from the fantastic sightings that I had, the food and most importantly a unique stay in Pench Tree Lodge with birds as my neighbors.

If I said I was charmed by the Waghoba Eco Lodge by Pugdundee Safaris, Pench tree lodge bowled me over. It isn’t just the whole bit about staying up in a tree house that made it so. This Pugdundee Pench resort was a complete package of delicious food, enthralling surroundings, fun activities and gracious hospitality. Top that up with the sustainability and eco-tourism measures that all of Pugdundee Safaris resorts are known for.

In a gist, I have mentioned when looking for resorts in Pench National Park, should consider Pench Tree Lodge by Pugdundee Safaris as a place to stay. Through this blog post, I will share my honest review that will help you understand this Pench resort better. At the end of the post, I will also advise you on how you can book this Pugdundee Safaris Pench Tree Lodge

A quick introduction to Pench National Park

Located in the Seoni and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh,  Pench National Park, or Pench Tiger Reserve, is a renowned wildlife sanctuary that was popularized by Rudyard Kipling’s classic novel “The Jungle Book.”. The 758 sq km park gets its name from the Pench River, which flows through its boundaries.

Famous for its rich biodiversity and scenic beauty, Pench National Park is recognized as one of the premier tiger reserves in India. In addition to tigers, the park is home to other wildlife species such as leopards, sloth bears, Indian bison (gaur), wild dogs, sambar deer, spotted deer, langurs, and various bird species.

Unlike the Tadoba national park, Pench Forest consists of hills, valleys, and a mix of deciduous forests that has so many amazing flora and fauna – all of which you can explore with Pugdundee Safaris and their team of professional naturalists. If you take a Tiger Safari in India – specifically Pench with Pugdundee Safaris, you will find yourself brimming with knowledge when you finally exit the gates of the reserve. Such are the tales that their naturalists will share with you during your tiger safari.

About Pugdundee Safaris Pench

From a humble tented accommodation in Panna, Pugdundee Safaris today, have around seven wildlife lodges in & around popular wildlife sanctuaries like Kanha, Tadoba and Bandhavgarh. They are known for their incredible wildlife safaris, stays and eco-tourism initiatives – many of which have resulted in numerous awards. Pench Tree Lodge is one of those Pudgundee Safaris resorts that has been recognized for its sustainable tourism efforts – one that you will see right from the time you step into their premises.

This Pench tree house resort is spread across 16 hectares of forested area and offers 12 stay options – six of which are tree houses and the others cottages. The luxurious Pench national park resort has five-star reviews on many independent forums  – which is not surprising given my own experience. The next section will give you enough reasons to know why a lot of people, including me have fallen in love with the Pugdundee Safaris Pench resort.

Reasons to stay at Pench Tree Lodge Resort – one of the best resorts in Pench National Park

Perfect location

You will find a lot of Pench hotels located near the Turia gate of Pench Sanctuary. Pugdundee Safaris’ Pench Tree Lodge is located away from this gate but is just 20 minutes away from Karmajhiri gate – quieter access to the Pench Tiger Reserve. It is equally close to the third gate – the Jamtara gate. The nearest Gond village  – Sarrahiri is just a walk away.

It is this that makes the Pench tiger reserve resort perfect for wilderness enthusiasts who are looking to stay and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. With its minimal mobile reception, it is the place where you can solely focus on the natural world around us – for me it was a complete digital detox. What is more  – the resort is right by the buffer zone that is still frequented by the big cats as well as the smaller inhabitants of Pench national park.

“Just a few months back, we had a tiger cub crossing over a stream to our Hide.” – shares Harish, the manager of Pench Tree Lodge.  “We caught it on the CCTV. Almost every day we have a wild cat visiting us. Civets are just around everywhere – you might find one as tree house neighbor.”

Sustainable tourism efforts

This Pench jungle resort is a testament to Pugdundee’s philosophy of giving back to nature and minimizing carbon footprints. Almost everyone on this Pugdundee Pench resort team shared tidbits on how they are attempting to practice sustainable tourism.

To begin with, the cottages and tree houses in the resort have been built using Sal wood. The design of these Pench stay options involves careful consideration of natural light and air. Within the rooms, I found organic toiletries by Good Karma and Just Herbs. The two brands are my favorites and having used them personally, I do recommend them for their sustainability initiatives. The Good Karma products are made from recyclable material while the Just Herbs cosmetics use a lot of natural organic ingredients.  

The Pench Pugdundee property has its own organic kitchen garden that provides the key ingredients for the in-house restaurant. What is not available is procured from the nearby villages. “This helps us work together with the local communities and also reduce the carbon footprint” – explains Pankaj, the Chef of Pench Tree Lodge, Pugdundee Safaris.

The Pench Tree house and cottages

Having grown up on Enid Blyton books, one of my childhood fantasies was to live in a tree house, with the colorful birds as my neighbor, a squirrel as a playmate and possibly some yummy fruits that I can pluck off the tree as my meals. My Pench national park stay did bring alive some of this fantasy.

While I did not have a squirrel as my roommate, I did get a firefly keeping me company through the night with its rhythmic glow. The Mahua tree on which my tree house was built has just finished its fruiting season, else I might have actually found the last part of my fantasy come tree.

Similar to the Tadoba property of Pugdundee (as shared in my earlier post), this wooden tree house dwelling had a nice big sit-out from where I had a blast capturing the native birds. This was my favorite bit about the tree house as was the comfortable cozy corner with the cushions. The bath and restroom area was quite well spaced out and separated by a small passage from the bedroom.

Again, this place is all about digital detox and hence, there is no TV in the room. I was provided with a Jio Wi-Fi dongle for basic mobile signals – which were just enough for Whatsapp to work.

The rooms are equipped with an electric kettle and a coffee maker. However, there is no room service or food items allowed here. “Regretfully, if you have any of the food articles, we would request you to deposit them here. Owing to the nature of dwelling – on a tree, you do get a lot of insects” – explained Harish as I was checking in.

The cottages are bigger and are perfect for a family with kids. These too, are built in a similar fashion and have the same facilities as the tree house.  They have two levels- each with a double-bed spread.

Delicious and Fresh Food

Every meal at the Pugdundee Safaris Pench resort was a sensory delight. What made them different from usual resort fares was their simplicity. The dishes served were made with basic ingredients but the taste came from the fresh ingredients and spices used.

On all the days that I stayed at the Pench Tree Lodge resort, I had a morning safari. So, my breakfast was on the go – thoughtfully packed by the team. Freshly made muffins, wholesome rolls and sandwiches and scrumptious tea cakes made it to the hamper. The fare was unpacked and laid out on the Jeep tables inside the park where you could grab those quick bites along with a sip of tea, coffee or cool lemon water. If you do decide to stay back, you can opt for breakfast in their dining room or by the pool.

Lunch is a fixed menu that involves dishes from Madhya Pradesh. On day one I found myself enjoying my rotis with Panchmisal (made with five vegetables). Sukto (a mix of raw banana, bitter gourd and spinach) and Paneer Risola. Day two was a treat with their special Panch gaon thaali.

“The Under 50 miles thaali involves using the crops that are grown by the villages within 50 miles of the Pench Pugdundee Resort,’” explains Chef Pankaj. “We do not use any market products for making these dishes.” Yet another example of the sustainability measures that the Pugdundee Resorts take.

Dal Tivda (made with the local yellow dal), Laal Bhaji, corn tikki along with Jowar-Bajra rotis made the main course while the simple gud sheera (jaggery) gave it a sweet end.

Dinners are usually a-la-carte and one can choose from Indian, oriental or continental dishes. However, keep an eye out for one of the special dinners called the Farm Dinner. This is when they set up tables under the clear night skies with a cart as a bar and an outdoor kitchen complete with clay pots, tandoors and live barbeque. The entire experience gives a rustic feel – as if you are having a meal in one of the local Gond villages. And if you are in the season when the Mahua flowers, then you got to try their Dobri Mahua Kheer.

Wildlife safaris, nature and village walks

I remember asking one question to the Pugdundee team – What makes you different from the other wildlife resorts? “  Their answer – “It is our team of naturalists.”  And I completely agree after my experience with Pugdundee.

Throughout the trip, we were guided by Deepa who not only gave interesting gossip about the tigers and leopards of Pench tiger reserve but was more than happy to explain the lesser-known creatures. It was fascinating to learn about the mud-peddling behavior of butterflies, the pack-hunting rituals of the Dhols, the parasitic behavior of the stragglers and the various shades of the ghost tree. I can only say that I returned way wiser from the Pench safaris than when I went in.

Besides the wildlife safaris, you can opt for nature walks and village walks at the Pench tree lodge. I honestly, swapped that for more time at the Kipling Hide – the one place besides the tree house that bowled me over.

Leisure facilities

Let’s first talk about the Hide. Sure, Waghoba Eco Lodge also, has one but what made this one unique was that it was an underground bunker with hidden windows from where you can spy on the birds unseen. What is more, is that you can capture them with a normal 55-250 lens at eye level. And the bonus part, the Hide is set near a water hole that attracts so many birds including rare ones like the Paradise Flycatcher. You can imagine why I loved it.

Besides the Hide, this Pugdundee Pench property has a lovely lounge and a library. You can choose to spend your evenings catching up with a book or just for a dip in the pool.

Great staff and hospitality

From the property manager to their attendants, everyone exudes warmth and care. Be it the extra helpings politely served by the restaurant team or the insistence of the attendant to guide me to my tree house in the torch light – I could see that they really wanted me to feel at home.  Sure they are in the hospitality business but the difference here was the attitude. And that in my opinion is what makes this Pugdundee Tree Lodge one of the best resort in Pench National Park.

Tips for the Pugdundee Pench tree house booking

It isn’t just me giving you these reasons to consider this as one of your stays in Pench. You will find a lot of positive Pench tree lodge reviews on independent forums like Tripadvisor. If you are convinced, then here is how you can book a stay in one of the best Pench resorts.

While Pugdundee has several partners, you can opt to directly book your stay in Pench National Park through the Pugdundee website. This Pench resort booking is an all-meals plan that includes lunch, breakfast, dinner and tea or coffee. Just remember, this is only the stay. If you wish to take up the additional activities or safaris, you will need to book the same separately.

Safaris can also be booked directly through the Pench National Park website. However, you will not have access to the Pugdundee naturalists if you book your experience directly. The rates for these as well as the Pench resort price are available on their website. Booking early is definitely recommended as they only have 6 tree houses and 6 cottages.

I guess, that is it from me. You can check out my detailed travel guide on Pench Safaris and how to book it. I am sure you will find it a handy guide to visiting Pench national park.

Common FAQs for Pugdundee Safaris Pench Tree Lodge

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P.S – I was invited to stay at the Pench Tree Lodge by Pugdundee Safaris. However, all the opinions and reviews expressed in this blog post are truly and honestly my own!

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