Tipai Nagpur: Where Nature, Organic Culinary Delights, And Mindful Luxury Converge

Tipai Wildlife Luxuries is a hidden gem on the edge of Maharashtra’s Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, where nature and luxury intertwine. Spread across 150 kilometers of stunning landscapes and rich flora and fauna, this eco-resort invites guests to experience the raw beauty of Maharashtra’s wilderness. Founded by Keyur Joshi, co-founder of MakeMyTrip, with two principles at heart, sustainability and localisation, the property was built with natural and climate-responsive materials. Tipai supports local communities and offers a true farm-to-table dining experience. Local communities contribute to its daily running, and organic farming is a norm that the in-house restaurants adopt at this resort. Tipai offers a one-of-a-kind slow-living experience to its guests with delicious farm-to-table meals while cherishing the natural set-up. 

With the changing seasons in the country, the landscape at Tipai changes too, giving the tourists a new experience every few months. 

Keyur Joshi’s idea of giving back to the society, the locals, and the natural habitat is beautifully executed in the form of this resort.”I wanted to create an experience that embodies the joys of the jungle beyond wildlife sightings, that is built to conserve natural resources, and that transforms the local communities who have for generations protected these lands, shares Joshi.  Tipai, with its climate-responsive architecture, sustainable practices, and local culinary experience, is the place to cherish a luxurious weekend getaway. “And most of all, an experience that sees each guest as an individual with distinct tastes and different reasons for each holiday,” he concludes. 

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Getting There

Located in the serene parts of the Yavatmal district in Maharashtra, Tipai is a 2.5-hour drive from Nagpur International Airport. With daily direct flights from all the major cities in India, travel via flight is the easiest and most convenient way to reach the resort. Road trip enthusiasts can also reach the property by road in 12 hours from Mumbai or Pune and 8.5 hours from Nashik.

The Architecture Is A Blend Of Natural Materials, Practical Designs And Modernity

There are in total nineteen villas at Tipai, fifteen Forest Villas, and four Pool Villas built sustainably by incorporating the rammed earth technique and using natural materials like stone masonry, bamboo, cane, wood, and terracotta. These structures look like they belong to the land and fit perfectly with the surroundings. The resort’s layout is designed to respect the natural topography, with each structure, villa, and restaurant carefully spaced to blend seamlessly with the landscape. 

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Ariane Thakore Ginwala, the principal designer of Tipai, held the philosophy of localisation at the core while designing the property at Tipai. The techniques incorporated to create the structure, the materials used, and the hands who helped to build the resort were all as local as possible. “We weren’t building a resort; we were sustaining a community,” says Ginwala. And true to this,  every detail of the design elements, the furniture, and the furnishings used at Tipai have been thoughtfully sourced locally as much as possible.

Ginwala and the lead landscape designer, Parag Mody, focused on reforestation. Sustainable methods like rainwater harvesting, solar energy power generation, growing organic vegetables, self-cleaning chemical-free bio-pools, and use of natural materials and coolants for the villas as measures to reduce their carbon footprints at the property.

“The vision was to create a space that cares for the Earth, respects the people who live off the land, cares for the animals, and finds harmony in between all these forces through intelligent designs,” shares Parag.

With this ideology in mind, the ‘Tipai Forest Villas’ and the ‘Tipai Pool Residences’ are built with climate-responsive conical-shaped roofs and thick walls to facilitate the scorching hot weather of the region. The textiles and materials for the furnishings used at the property are also locally sourced and created using local craftsmanship. Details on the furniture pieces and the decor, furnishings, and toiletries in the villas and the restaurants are a conscious effort towards localisation.

Farm-To-Table Culinary Experiences At The Gourmet Restaurants

The culinary experiences at Tipai need a special mention, with an array of options to cherish from three in-house restaurants and one bar. The cuisine at Tipai varies from traditional courses of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh at the dinner-only restaurant Palaash to continental dishes served at the all-day cafe Perch. Meanwhile, Wadi is an al-fresco diner amidst an organic kitchen garden overlooking the exotic property serving Mediterranean, Japanese, and Pan Asian and a dining experience here is indeed food for the soul. At Mohro, the bar within Talabwaali restaurant, guests can enjoy signature cocktails crafted by mixologist Tim Etherington-Judge, garnished with seasonal fruits and berries for a local touch.

At Palaash, the culinary highlight of Tipai, local women from the nearby villages skillfully cook organically grown fresh produce under the capable supervision and guidance of Chef Amninder Sandhu to make scrumptious meals for the guests. Chef Amninder is rated amongst India’s top chefs and has also appeared on Netflix’s The Final Table, surprising everyone with her innovative cooking techniques and vibrant concoctions. 

At the restaurant, guests experience an authentic farm-to-fork experience with the Chef’s signature gas-free cooking alongside age-old techniques using indigenous ingredients. The Chef’s beliefs are thoroughly incorporated: “At the heart of the three restaurants at Tipai is a deep desire to empower local women; not just through employment, but by helping them see the beauty and power of the everyday cooking they do. I want to change the way they see their craft,” shares Sandhu.

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Rejuvenation For The Mind And Body At Aasthe

‘Aasthe,’ the spa at Tipai, is an invitation to slow down. The spa is set in two villas and overlooks the dense forest on one side and the rain-fed watering hole on the other. It is the perfect set-up for soothing the senses. ‘Aasthe’ has collaborated with ‘Tattva,’ a leading chain of spa operators in the country, to provide guests with curated treatments like an intense ‘Akhara Maalish,’ a rejuvenating champi, or a gentle mani-pedi and a therapeutic foot reflexology session. They use Ayurvedic techniques and traditions along with signature Vishram and Vimukti oil blends to rejuvenate the body and the senses alike.

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Apart from the culinary delights, slow living at the luxurious villas, and wellness treatments at Aasthe, the safari in the wilderness is a deeply satisfying experience at Tipai. Morning and afternoon safaris can be arranged from the property for guests in well-equipped vehicles,  accompanied by well-trained professionals imparting their knowledge of the forest and its inhabitants. While the regal Royal Bengal Tiger is the ultimate dream, the fauna of the Wildlife Sanctuary, including the 180 species of birds, sloth bears, nilgai, reptiles, and butterflies, is also an exotic experience and would be the perfect conclusion to the weekend getaway. 

Final Thoughts

Tipai Wildlife Luxuries offers a holistic escape, blending sustainability with luxury. Guests enjoy elegant Pool Residences and Luxury Villas, organic dining, innovative cocktails, rejuvenating spa treatments, and thrilling safaris. The resort’s design, architecture, and organic farming reflect eco-friendly practices and local values. At Tipai, every sense is nurtured, making it the ideal weekend escape.

DP Loves 

#1 Natural textures like stone walls and wooden furniture create a harmonious atmosphere, blending the indoors with the outdoors

#2 The farm-to-fork culinary experience at Chef Amninder Sandhu’s all-women-led Palaash integrates traditional recipes, fresh farm produce and traditional cooking techniques.

#3 A quick dip in the chemical-free bio-pools is a refreshing end to a day of exploring the wilderness.

#4 Embark on a wildlife safari and witness the majesty of regal tigers, deer and birds in their untouched natural habitat.

#5 An al fresco dining experience at Wadi set amidst the kitchen garden growing organic produce is food for the soul.