Tiger in Tadoba

It is fun spending a few days in a jungle resort and being part of Nature. However, school boy Nikhil Ramakrishnan found that there was still scope for reducing littering and improving washroom conditions.

During my three year stay in India, I have visited many places around the country with my parents and siblings or sometimes as part of the trips arranged by the school. Some tourist locations have been excellently maintained while others have failed to meet the standards. Last month, I had journeyed to the Royal Tiger Resort in Tadoba, a 170 kilometer drive from Nagpur. As we neared the resort, it began to grow dark, making our approximated three hour drive over four hours long. Nonetheless when we reached, the management team of the resort greeted us with warm, welcoming smiles.

The Royal Tiger Resort consists of 10 beautifully designed rooms made to make the lodgers feel as though it were their own. The more deluxe rooms provide cable TV and king size beds. All rooms have 24 hour hot water and air conditioning. As there were 15 of us, we occupied two entire cottages. The rooms were well cleaned and kept ready for our arrival. The bathroom, however, was probably the only aspect of the cottage which I felt needed some improvement. Also what I found interesting was that the water is heated by solar panels, which are perched on top of the roofs of the cottages.

All things considered, the Royal Tiger Reserve was remarkably clean and hygienic. It was also eco-friendly because it grew its own vegetables in a miniature garden outside the dining hall. The vegetables were used in preparing three delicious vegetarian meals per day. What I noticed as my mother and I went inside the kitchen to talk to the cook was that it was very simple and basic, but I guess this was okay as the meals being prepared were also simple and not fancy.

The resort catered to the needs of people of all ages. Being a thirteen year old boy, I needed to play and be outdoors when we weren’t on a safari. So, my cousins and I asked the resort manager for some outdoor games and sports to occupy ourselves with. He provided us with many games which were enjoyed by everyone. Outside one cottage, there was a small playground for smaller children, comprising of swings and slides. Outside the cottages was a large lawn which was surrounded by a small moat. The moat was a drainage system to ensure that the place would not get flooded.

Outside the resort was the Tadoba Tiger Reserve. The road leading up to the forest was not maintained well. Plastic bags and bottles lay strewn around. Numerous chips and biscuit wrappers were thrown on the ground. Not only was the litter polluting the environment, it was also a health hazard to the goats, chickens and other livestock that belonged to the villagers who lived nearby. Our guide was excellent and was able to spot cleverly camouflaged animals that others would have never caught a glimpse of. Many kilometers down the road was the only rest stop before we entered the main jungle. There were two bathrooms and both were not hygienic enough. Given that it was the only bathroom and rest area in the jungle it could have been maintained better. I hope that these areas will improve soon.

Overall I had a wonderful time at the resort, being away from the city, experiencing nature as well as spending time with my family members.