Call of the Wild

Tipai has an osmotic relationship with nature, and at times the guest can be forgiven for wondering whether they are indoors or outdoors. The dense thickets and little water bodies partially hidden by ochre green wild grass look like they have been there forever. When the team, however, scouted the location, it had only about 2,000 teak trees, which incidentally do not attract birds. “We were already part of the jungle, so the ideal thing was to extend it to the property,” she says. Parag, a permaculturist, was brought in to take stock of the situation. Over five years, more than 300 species of shrubs and trees were planted in and around the resort, which today attract a plethora of birds and deer. The scenery changes with seasons, as the palaash trees bloom in summers while the rains paint the area lush green and winters bring lighter shades. The celebration of the forest, the land and its people make Tipai a thriving biodiversity getaway.