Nestled in the vicinity of the breathtaking Bandhavgarh National Park is the first of the Taj Safaris Lodges. The name Mahua Kothi draws inspiration from one of India’s most beautiful trees, the Madhuca Indica, or as it is commonly known, the Mahua or butter tree. Its luscious off-white flowers take centre-stage in many Indian festive rituals, and here, at Mahua Kothi, it is at the centre of many a unique and delightful experience. The lodge sprawls over the 40 acre grounds, around the renowned erstwhile tented camp, Churhat Kothi, the accommodation and facilities of the lodge blend charmingly into the quaint and rustic surroundings.

Mahua Kothi is the first of five Lodges that, in true Taj style, break new ground in the Indian tourism industry. Offering a never-before-experienced Indian wildlife circuit, replete with both adventure and – unlike any safari experience in the country so far – impeccable service and lush luxury.

Mahua Kothi promises an experience that is unconventional, focused on guests’ individual needs and emotions, knowledgeable, sophisticated and innovative.
Food and Wine

Dining in Mahua Kothi is an exciting and unexpected Safari in itself, with several deliciously surprising twists and turns.

  • Fresh local ingredients, homemade accompaniments, fruits and veggies grown in backyards, ancestral cooking and dining customs, and quaint village ambiences create never-before dining wonderlands that give you as much of a rush as the game drives to follow.


  • If you want to begin your game drive with the first rays of the sun, you can take along a steaming packed breakfast to enjoy deep in the woods or have a quick bite in the Lounge.


  • If you’d prefer a more leisurely first meal, make your way to the colourful vegetable garden in the backyard for the charming Baghiya breakfast – a sumptuous meal laid out on a bullock cart.


  • At lunchtime, picnic under the Mahua tree or by the nearby watering hole.


  • In the evening, enjoy cocktails made from the sap of the mahua tree, and dine under the stars, out on the terrace, with live spit-roasting, generations-old khud cooking, thali dinners and folk dances.


  • Revel in a cosy private dining experience in your private courtyard or on the terrace.