About Us
The Bandipur Cottage was built in 1989. We were the first to arrive in this valley of tigers and indigenous tribes. There were no signs of human life but for a little Jenu Kuruba hamlet in the distance. No roads, no bricks, no borewells. It was true wilderness and one had to be truly wild in the soul to arrive and settle here in the 80’s.
Nawabzada Saad Bin Jung, our visionary director, and his wife Sangeeta, built the Cottage brick by brick, at the base of the mighty Nilgiri Mountains. Today, Saad Jung has over 35 years of conservation experience in promoting and managing eco-tourism and wildlife lodges and camps. He is a recognised voice of conservation in India and his love for Bandipur is as strong as it once was many decades ago.
Saad and Sangeeta’s son, Shaaz Jung, a renowned photographer, now spends his time here guiding guests on safari and teaching photography.
History
We were in the heart of Veerappan’s territory and Bandipur, for as magical as it was in the 90’s, was not an easy place to be. Elephants in our garden, leopards hunting our livestock, Veerappan in the area, no connectivity, no electricity, no food supply for miles, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. But the jungle runs deep in our veins. The Jung family has history that goes back many centuries with wildlife. Coming from the royal linage of Bhopal, Pataudi and the Paigah’s of Hyderabad, the Jung’s once owned forests of the erstwhile State of Bhopal, along with large tracts of forests under the Paigah’s of Hyderabad.
Saad’s exposure to these forests led him to Bandipur in 1989, where Saad and Sangeeta raised two children. Shaaz and Zoha’s early exposure to the Bandipur wilderness is what sparked their journey into the wild. Shaaz is now a renowned photographer for National Geographic, cinematographer and the Ambassador for Nikon, Manfrotto, OnePlus and some of the most reputed companies in the world. Zoha now runs an equine rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kabini and specialises in making prosthetic legs for animals.
The pictures above speak for themselves. We really did start from the very beginning and the journey has been memorable to say the least. Thirty years later, here we are and the Cottage is now yours to stay in.
The Bison
The Bandipur Cottage is affiliated with The Bison in Kabini. The Bison, a boutique African styled lodge founded by Saad Jung and run by the family.
Similar to the Cottage, the land was acquired in the early 90’s and the resort was established in 2006. The Cottage and The Bison are two hours away from each other. The Cottage gives you a beautiful safari experience in the hills of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and the Bison in the jungles of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. Together, they give you the full experience of the South Indian jungles.
Click here to know more about the Bison.
About Us
The Bandipur Cottage was built in 1989. We were the first to arrive in this valley of tigers and indigenous tribes. There were no signs of human life but for a little Jenu Kuruba hamlet in the distance. No roads, no bricks, no borewells. It was true wilderness and one had to be truly wild in the soul to arrive and settle here in the 80’s.
Nawabzada Saad Bin Jung, our visionary director, and his wife Sangeeta, built the Cottage brick by brick, at the base of the mighty Nilgiri Mountains. Today, Saad Jung has over 35 years of conservation experience in promoting and managing eco-tourism and wildlife lodges and camps. He is a recognised voice of conservation in India and his love for Bandipur is as strong as it once was many decades ago.
Saad and Sangeeta’s son, Shaaz Jung, a renowned photographer, now spends his time here guiding guests on safari and teaching photography.
History
We were in the heart of Veerappan’s territory and Bandipur, for as magical as it was in the 90’s, was not an easy place to be. Elephants in our garden, leopards hunting our livestock, Veerappan in the area, no connectivity, no electricity, no food supply for miles, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. But the jungle runs deep in our veins. The Jung family has history that goes back many centuries with wildlife. Coming from the royal linage of Bhopal, Pataudi and the Paigah’s of Hyderabad, the Jung’s once owned forests of the erstwhile State of Bhopal, along with large tracts of forests under the Paigah’s of Hyderabad.
Saad’s exposure to these forests led him to Bandipur in 1989, where Saad and Sangeeta raised two children. Shaaz and Zoha’s early exposure to the Bandipur wilderness is what sparked their journey into the wild. Shaaz is now a renowned photographer for National Geographic, cinematographer and the Ambassador for Nikon, Manfrotto, OnePlus and some of the most reputed companies in the world. Zoha now runs an equine rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kabini and specialises in making prosthetic legs for animals.
The pictures above speak for themselves. We really did start from the very beginning and the journey has been memorable to say the least. Thirty years later, here we are and the Cottage is now yours to stay in.
The Bison
The Bandipur Cottage is affiliated with The Bison in Kabini. The Bison, a boutique African styled lodge founded by Saad Jung and run by the family.
Similar to the Cottage, the land was acquired in the early 90’s and the resort was established in 2006. The Cottage and The Bison are two hours away from each other. The Cottage gives you a beautiful safari experience in the hills of Bandipur Tiger Reserve and the Bison in the jungles of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve. Together, they give you the full experience of the South Indian jungles.
Click here to know more about the Bison.