Outpost 12 by Sinali Experiences: A forest-first, all-natural safari lodge at Kanha, India

PRNewswire
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 25: The leisure tourism space is seeing a new breed of entrepreneurs who are boldly reimagining the hospitality model and formats. Creating experiences and brands that are rooted in the land's local culture and yet refreshingly inventive, they unlike their predecessors, are not afraid of breaking the template. In a manner of speaking off the beaten track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4wy9bkXXQg
The story of Outpost 12, a beautiful and intimate safari bio-lodge by the side of the Banjar River in Kanha, India's most respected wildlife habitat is one such notable example.
Madhya Pradesh has cemented its position as India's undisputed 'Tiger State'. Home to 785 tigers - the highest number in the country according to the 2022 census and the Kanha Reserve takes pride of place as one of India's first Tiger Reserves. With an estimated 43 species of mammals, 26 species of reptiles, 1000 species of flowers, 300 species of birds, lush Sal and Bamboo forests, it is home to more than 150 Royal Bengal Tigers and the endangered Barasingha (Swamp Deer). And Outpost 12 has many aces up its sleeve while presenting this fabled region to travellers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Delightfully local and indigenous in flavour.
Helmed by Durgesh Singh, an ace naturalist with decades spent interpreting wildlife, and his childhood buddy, Sunny Saxena who left a career in software engineering, Outpost 12 is as much a tale of adventure as it is about going back to one's roots. Together with their friend and fellow naturalist, Anand Sinha, the trio at Sinali Experiences have transformed a 10-acre riverside landscape into a beautiful, earth-friendly safari bio-lodge. Envisioned to be a natural extension of the wild and woody grasslands at the Tiger reserve of Kanha, it is probably what a seasoned naturalist would gladly call home.

With an undulating landscape, stone-clad cottages surrounded by wilderness, a starbed with a bird's eye view of lush forests, a riverside location that allows for surreal experiences and spaces dedicated to interpreting everything local, be it food, wellness or adventure, Outpost 12 stays pleasantly away from the beaten track.
Offbeat and intimate, this jungle bio-lodge pays an experiential tribute to the Barasingha, which is the official mascot of Kanha Reserve (being the original homeground for this 12-horned Deer species), the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger and the indigenous tribes of Madhya Pradesh, that includes the Baigas and Gonds. At heart, Outpost 12 stays earnest and authentically Kanha.
Unpretentious and exhibiting an endearing quality, the bio-lodge has been designed and built responsibly. Light in footprint, with sensitively designed ranger-cottages, the bio-lodge is powered by solar energy, and lives a circular philosophy through rainwater harvesting, water recycling, use of natural materials including retrieved mine-cast stones and hyperlocal dining experiences many of which depend on foraging the wild.

Conservationists to the core.
Experiences are a strong suit for this Jungle Lodge. Having seasoned naturalists who have honed their skills in reputed jungle reserves across India and Africa, and an almost stubborn insistence of being "un-hotel" helps with conceptualising experiences that are inventive, engaging and come across like a breath of fresh air. Not that you might feel a lack of it when surrounded by the Sal forests all around. The curated experiences at Outpost 12 are guided by two things. They uniquely interpret the hyper local character of Kanha and create an all-natural canvas. The Outpost 12 founders worked with experience designers, cultural conservationists, locavore chefs, and local talents to create a kind of frontier experience that explores the edges of what can be in Kanha.
From the rustic interiors, handcrafted accessories, and materials chosen to the artworks that paint the indigenous life of Kanha, this bio-lodge moors you to the place.
In the words of Durgesh Singh, one of the co-founders, "Outpost 12 is inspired by the animist way of life amongst the original tribes of the region. It pays homage to the conservationist heroes of India, by staying wild at heart and curating experiences that are hyper-locally Kanha."
Guests and experience seekers will love the special Maikal Thali (a culinary tapestry of Kanha's tribal communities), Meat Lapeta, Mahua & Black Rice Cake, Kutki Millet Kheer and even bush meals that give you both - wild flavours and adventure. The fresh meat & seasonal vegetables are sourced from micro-farms around the jungle, while cocktails and home-made ferments stay uniquely inspired by the forest and its flora (a surprise in store would be the Outpost 12's series of cocktails with jungle produce including Mahua). The breakfast menu includes home-styled classics of the region. In summary it's a mouthful.
Tigers, Bhoorsingh and other adventures await.
When you do step out and explore, you get to venture out on curated treks named after conservationists, get to do skywatching, trawl the jungles in the custom-made 4x4 safari vehicle, go on park drives, see a demonstration of the preserved crafts of the region, meet the tribes in their hamlets, experience a wild soak in the spa and in general come away feeling otherworldly. This is what an outlander experience ought to be. Off the grid as it can be. Not that the bio-lodge lacks creature comforts like broadband and in-bed dining. The unobtrusive and yet attentive service of the safari-butlers and the insightful presence of naturalists makes this as much a lesson in a safari experience as it is in getting to know the hospitality of Kanha's wilderness.
Having been in the works for the last 2 years, this beautiful bio-lodge now is ready to take in bookings and guests, who would want to experience the real thing in mighty Kanha, starting January. The resort offers special packages for groups and families.
If this season, you seek to lock eyes with the Royal Bengal Tiger or Bhoorsingh, go on educative bird-treks, forage for wild mushrooms, or wind down with a starlit night-drive, book one of the introductory holiday packages. Outpost 12 offers easy access to travellers through a choice of airports i.e. Nagpur, Jabalpur and Raipur.
For Bookings please call +91 92022 49129, write in to outpost12@sinali.in or visit www.outpost12.in
For Media Enquiries please contact Durgesh Singh at hello@sinali.in or +91 7008907026.
Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4wy9bkXXQg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2626020/Riverside_safari.jpg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2626022/Birds_eye_view.jpg
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2626021/Safari_experience.jpg
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