Irai Safari Retreat

Ten of us classmates stayed at this resort for three nights during the last week of Jan 2025. Some of us have stayed at this resort before and we are back. The cottages are maintained very nicely. Bed is very comfortable. Staff members all around the property are very helpful and courteous. Deepak , local manager and an experienced Naturalist is managing this property and is doing a wonderful job! Food quality is good but there’s room to improve it! Overall my friends were very happy with their stay and few of them will return!

We stayed two nights here and did two safaris at Tadoba National Park. I would describe this resort more as a homestead not a luxury safari lodge but that is only an observation not a criticism. The staff were all great really helpful and friendly and couldn't do enough for us. The food was very good, tasty and filling like home cooking. Our cottage was huge and nicely decorated with an ensuite shower room which had his and hers sinks. There is a fridge air con a safe and a hairdryer. The lodge is located very close to the entrance to the park which was very convenient. There is also a swimming pool with lovely views towards the lake. There is a naturalist on site who organises nature walks but we sadly didn't have time to do this. There are one or two things that could be better the grounds themselves are nothing to write home about and the outdoor chairs, sun loungers and umbrellas are worn out and need replacing. The pool is in need of some tlc with tiles missing etc. The site needs some more investment to bring it up to standard and should really be 3 stars but I gave it 4 because of the staff. We have done many safaris across the world but this is the first time in India and this lodge suggests there is a little way to go to bring it up to the standards we have had in Africa and other places. Some pointers for people before booking there is only Indian food on the menu which suited us but may not meet everyone's needs. You can no longer take mobile phones into the National Park so bring a camera. You can hire one from the lodge which cost us 800 ruppees per safari drive and then we had to pay 250 ruppees to take it into the park which added the equivalent of just over £20 to our day. Also, there is no alcohol sold as this is a dry area.

It was a wonderful experience . The resort was very clean and nice . The staff was courteous and helpful . And the manager Mr. Deepak was very knowledgeable and helpful and provided details about the safaris . He even accompanied us once and explained about the animals and flora . Would love to revisit .

Irai - you are amazing. From booking the resort to see us off, everything was perfect. The food was delicious, it wasn’t like hotel food, simple food, very tasty. All meals we had, no complains at all. The staff are very courteous and always helping. They go out of the way to oblige and make you comfortable. Deepak is a wonderful person, he is very knowledgeable and extremely passionate about Tigers and true nature lover. He has trained his staff very well. All of them are from villages around. The cottages are big, very well appointed and comfortable. The bathrooms are luxurious and have all the required amenities. The entire resort is spacious and warm. Thank you Deepak and Team Irai for the wonderful time. We will be back soon.

Ambience was excellent, staff was just awesome, hospitable and extremely helpful, food was out of the world, Deepak, the resort manager was exceptionally awesome, F & B staff everyone were amazing and made sure they served the best. Rooms were fabulous. Overall, I’d recommend Irai 100%.

Irai Resort is fantastically located, close to the park. The rooms are spacious (family room for one couple), clean, and comfortable. Toiletries are replenished daily, and the rooms are cleaned every day. The kitchen there is fantastic: amazing and delicious Indian food, with plenty of alternatives for those who think Indian equals spicy. No, we did not get sick of Indian food; on the contrary, we gained 2 kilos in 10 days. The entire staff is incredibly helpful, even though their English isn't the best. With a bit of patience, love, and some hand and foot gestures :-), these guys will do everything for you and understand you very well. The park itself is extraordinarily beautiful, even the buffer zones; the jungle at its finest. The safari rules have become much stricter in Tadoba National Park, but it's all for the better: we saw 19 different tigers (25 sightings), including cubs, 4 leopards, sloth bear, wild dogs several times, and plenty of sambar, spotted deer, gaur, nilgai, barking deer, etc., on 20 drives. This is a safari that can easily be compared to African safaris. We had an incredibly enthusiastic guide and driver with excellent knowledge, but most importantly, unbelievable eyes! Anil and Amul have our utmost respect! This entire trip was fantastic: our minds were empty, and our hearts were full. We will be back! PS Keep in mind that the lodge is located in a "dry district," meaning the lodge does not serve alcohol. However, you are more than welcome to bring your own alcohol and even consume it in the restaurant or on the patio, but preferably "discreetly": we poured the alcohol into their water bottles.