Overlooking the unearthly backwaters of the Denwa River, Denwa Backwater Escapes is a perfect getaway to escape the rush of city life and soothe down the jarred nerves. It is built over 10 acres of semi-forested area of the buffer zone of the Satpura National Park and provides the perfect springboard to start the exploration of the forests, with just the right amount of luxury.
Denwa Backwater Escape is located nearly 150 KM from Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh. Itarsi (80 KM) and Piparia (40 KM) are other important railway stations nearby.
The cottages ..
Accommodation
The lodge has 8 deluxe cottages and 2 treehouses. All accommodations are air conditioned and equipped with modern amenities and comforts like a King size bed, hot and cold shower, coffee makes etc. The ambience is pretty tastefully done and the massive writing desk, furniture and lighting give it a distinct feel of luxury. Each cottage has an observation deck overlooking the Denwa river and one can also go upstairs to the terrace to get a 360 degree view of nature’s bounties around.
This was the cottage where we stayed
Facilities
The lodge is quipped with a swimming pool, a library well–stocked with wildlife books and observation points with binoculars for birders. The place has its own electrical backup, thus providing uninterrupted power supply. Lack of mobile network and internet can be an issue, but it ends up adding more charm to the rustic nature of this stay.
The beautiful library with a good stock on books on nature and wildlife
Plans
Three different plans are available for the guests, based on their preferences.
Jungle Plan
Stay inclusive of breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. All day complimentary tea and coffee service. One shared morning and afternoon park activity (Jeep Safari, Boat Safari, Elephant Safari and Walking inside the park)
American Plan
Stay inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner. All day complimentary tea and coffee service.
Indian Package
Stay inclusive of breakfast, lunch and dinner. All day complimentary tea and coffee service. One shared morning or afternoon activity.
Perfect for a relaxed morning with a cup of hot coffee and mother nature to give you company
Activities
Some of the activities offered/ assisted by the lodge are as follows:
- Nature Walk
- Boat Safari
- Night Safari
- Elephant Safari
- Jungle Jeep Safari
- Village Safari
- Bush Dinner
- Culinary Workshop
- Picnic at the farm
The tree house observation deck
Food
The lodge has a strategically placed restaurant overlooking the backwaters and a well stocked kitchen with a highly trained staff which is adept in conjuring up delicious Indian and Continental cuisine. The meals are usually three course and consist of starters and soup, Main Course and Desserts.
The kitchen where we spent a lot of our time idling, gossiping and having fun
Our Review of Denwa Backwater Escapes
Three aspects stood out during our visit of the lodge – the thoughtful way in which the comfort and experience of the guests were considered while designing the place, astonishing hospitality of the staff and delicious food.
As mentioned before, the cottages are very tastefully done with all the modern amenities that can be made available in this isolation. They have a very pleasing feel about them and make for perfect relaxation, be it star-gazing at the terrace or sit in the comfortable leather lounges in the balcony, doing nothing. The twin tree-houses are a different fare altogether. Built upon high logs of timber, these cottages have the perfect blend of luxury and rustic feel and take one away to the days of the Colonial jungle lodges. They have a sprawling wooden observation deck, which on a winter morning, gives a great view of the Denwa backwaters and the misty mountains of Satpura beyond it. We were mighty impressed with the overall feel of it.
Well this is what we call a “King Sized Bed”
The treehouse, takes you away to a different era … when Gora Sahibs used to come and stay at game lodges
We we taken by surprise by the hospitality of the staff of the lodge. From the senior managers to the junior staff members (who are hired locally and then trained) are extremely courteous and friendly. These always smiling and helpful men are the greatest asset of this place and the efforts Pugdundee Safaris have made in grooming them shows in their flawless behaviour.
Ever smiling and simple men like him make Denwa Backwater Escapes the amazing place it is
So far, food at Jungle Lodges had been a regular fare for us, not something great to talk home about. However, the kind of meals this lodge dishes out from its kitchen came as a big surprise. It serves delicious Indian and Continental cuisine and has a very beautiful ambiance. Only down -side was that we tended to overeat, not something which I seemed to mind though !
At the Bush Dinner
If you are staying in the lodge on a full-moonlight, having a Bush Dinner is highly recommended. The dinner is served under the moonlight, aided by lamps on an earthen platform just next to the waters of the Denwa. If you do not mind playing a little extra for it, it could be an experience that you will cherish for long.
A view of the Denwa from the kitchen
It is significant the way they have taken environmental and social sustainability very seriously and making conscious effort to give back more to the forests and its people than they are taking from it. We were told that most of the wood used for construction was either used or waste wood, and other construction material was mostly locally procured. There is no littering and it is refreshing to see no plastic around. In fact, they have been considerate enough to provide purified RO water instead of mineral water bottles for the guests. The establishment helps to generate income for the local people and most of the junior staff are from the surrounding villages.
Chinmay – our naturalist friend at Denwa who impressed us so much that we are coming up with a post about him
A word about the Naturalists, the lodge assigns a naturalist to each group of guests and it is the responsibility of their naturalists to escort the guests during their trips around and inside the jungle. Highly qualified in the secrets of the wild, a walk with these remarkable young men is enough to generate an interest in nature and its ways. Thanks to our buddy there, now we can identify more than a dozen varieties of birds and insects when we see them.
Pug-Dundee 😛
Check more photographs from Denwa Backwater Escapes here
Contact Information
Address: Denwa Backwater Escapes, Satpura, Madhya Pradesh
Phone: 124-4222657/8/9, 9810024719
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: We stayed in the Denwa Backwater Escapes as part of an invite from Pugdundee Safari to come and experience their lodge. However, all opinions are entirely our own and the lodge management has not tried to influence us in any way.