In Conversation with Venetia: A Journey Through India’s Tiger Conservation Heartland

Journeys with Purpose Managing Director Venetia recently returned from her first trip to India, where she experienced one of the world’s greatest wildlife recovery stories. Over four transformative weeks, she tracked leopards in Rajasthan, journeyed deep into Madhya Pradesh’s tiger reserves and learned from the conservationists and local communities shaping the future of India’s wild spaces.

This instalment of our In Conversation series follows Venetia into the heart of Central India’s tiger country, where ancient landscapes, rural communities and modern conservation science converge.

Interview with Venetia on Tiger Conservation in India

Where did you go, and what was the purpose of the journey?

We went to Madhya Pradesh in Central India to learn about their tiger conservation project, then up to Rajasthan and finally ending in Goa.

I heard about this amazing project where they relocated thousands of villagers from this area of Central India to create a wildlife corridor for the tigers. They wanted to create a safe space where there would be no human-wildlife conflict. The villagers would be in an area that is safe, and the tigers would then be able to increase their numbers. Over the past few decades, this project has tripled the number of tigers in India, which is amazing. So, I spent some time with the people who were the movers and shakers behind that project. We never do a hosted journey somewhere that we haven’t experienced ourselves first.

Fewer people go down to Madhya Pradesh, but the story there is so amazing. What’s so exciting about it is that it’s a backstage conservation journey. It has a charm to it because you can see they have so much passion for this park and the wildlife. Safaris are highly regulated, and they’re showing guests this unspoiled area, and you’re not staying in super luxurious lodges with beautiful shiny Jeeps, and everything is set up for you.

For example, we’d stop by the side of the road and have coffee, satsumas and fried pastries on the bonnet of the car as our picnic. And we had to be really patient because we’re spotting tigers in the middle of the jungle. The guides are so highly trained to spot these camouflaged animals through all the trees, know what tracks to follow and what to listen to. What they do is mind-blowing. One day, we saw two tigers, two sloth bears mating, monkeys, incredible birds, elephants, deer…and that was because the guide knew what he was doing. He picked up on every little movement of the trees, the different pitches of animal calls. It was a special opportunity to have an insight into a landscape that’s still very raw.

We also went to a beautiful leopard camp in Rajasthan, Sujan Jawai. I got to see my first leopard, which was an incredible experience. It’s all rock terrain and massive hills, and the leopards hide in the rocks and come out and bask in the sun. That was very special.

I could characterise the rest of my time in Rajasthan with the food. We ate with a local family, and I’ve never had so much fried food in my life! We also spend a lot of time bargaining in local markets. We went from December to January, so it was actually quite cold while we were there. Although it’s such a big country, we had a comfortable car and driver to take us to each destination. We saw India through these wild roads, and that is an experience in itself. You cannot sleep on those roads! But we got to see the countryside and rural communities and just relax and enjoy the scenery.

What were your first impressions?

I immediately noticed the warmth and vibrancy of the people. That was definitely the case all around. People were super hospitable and welcoming. We also had incredible cooks and food.

We all know India is a vibrant country, but there’s such diversity…Mumbai has amazing birds in the heart of the city, Central India has dense jungle, then there are plantations and amazing farmland, then the rocks and desert of the north – so there is an amazing contrast of landscapes and wildlife. It deserves multiple trips, because there is so much to experience.

What did your itinerary look like?

When you’re exploring such a vast country, your time is so precious to be able to experience it in the best way. Here is my recommendation for a killer first time in India:

• Reni Pani Lodge in Satpura National Park is the only lodge in Central India where you can ride horses. We rode through a canyon with an incredible diversity of wildlife, which was so magical. It was early in the morning, the sun was coming up, we were surrounded by wildflowers, and then we stopped and had brunch by the laker. That was a highlight.
• Jamtara Jungle Lodge in Pench National Park, which is owned by Amit Sankhala, the grandson of ‘The Tiger Man’ Kailash Sankhala, who launched the conservation project in tiger country. It was luxurious but with a personal feel, giving you that elevated safari experience.
• Kana Jungle Lodge is run by an amazing couple called Tarunn and Dimple. It’s a charming spot with that personal touch—you really get a sense of staying with true conservation pioneers. Tarunn is a lifelong naturalist guide and knows the area like the back of his hand, and his wife Dimple, who has been living here with him for close to 30 years, has an incredible knowledge of indigenous medicine. She home-brews delicious teas and remedies, such as ginger tea in the morning and chai in the afternoon, made over an open fire. It felt like we were staying in a home, which was a very cool experience.
• Sujan Jawai is a luxury tented camp that pioneered conservation tourism in the Jawai region. The reserve has brought leopard sightings from 20 in 2013 to over 1,000 in 2023. Guests are given field books to note down their sightings, and their ambition is to expand to more areas of land.
• Chanoud Garh in Rajasthan is a 300-year-old palace that was in disrepair until three siblings, Swati, Mahiraj and Jairaj, restored it. It has so many heirlooms, engravings and paintings, as well as horoscope-covered scrolls that are hundreds of years old. You get a glimpse into the life of a family that became rulers following the Merta War in 1745.

What did you learn about the conservation work or the people leading it?

Project Tiger is a remarkable success story. In the 1970s, visionary conservationist Kailash Sankhala recognised that India’s national animal, the tiger, was vanishing due to nationwide hunting. He became a campaigner and alerted the Indian government to this, eventually working with the Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, to launch the Project Tiger strategy.

This was pioneering—they secured inviolate spaces for tigers to roam freely without threat. The Voluntary Village Relocation Programme was a critical part of this because many core areas of India’s tiger reserves were (and still are) home to human communities. Families were given the choice to relocate, either through direct financial packages or government-supported resettlement. This resulted in less human-wildlife conflict, and the communities were empowered with greater access to development. This is so much more than a simple story of conservation. It’s a complex, evolving conversation about community, wildlife and coexistence.

I had the privilege of seeing where the villages once were and where nature is now rebounding. Tigers can run free, and since the strategy was launched, their numbers in India have more than doubled. Despite huge adversity, this man committed his whole life to this project, and now his grandson owns Jamtara. Watch the documentary ‘Tigerland’ if you’re interested in learning more—it was featured at the Sundance Festival.

Or better yet, if you want to see it for yourself, we can connect you with the ecologists and biologists who created these national parks and tiger and elephant breeding programmes. We’re now in a great position to see these projects.se

Was there a moment that felt especially powerful, moving, or transformative for you or someone else?

We arrived at Pench National Park on a very misty New Year’s Day morning. The light was just coming up, we could barely see, and we were wrapped up with hot water bottles. As we drove into the park, we hadn’t seen another soul—it was complete silence. But then we heard this growl…I felt it through my whole body! And there was a male tiger right next to the Jeep. We could only just make him out because it was so foggy, but he stood up and started walking in front of us as if he was leading the way. He kept growling, and that noise is like nothing else. This was super rare to be in that close proximity, within five metres. Even the guide was surprised that this happened. This was within the first half hour of our first day!

Which place, project, or person here would you recommend to someone passionate about conservation?

Spending time at Kanha Jungle Lodge with Tarunn and his wife, Dimple, learn firsthand about the relocation project and recovery of tiger numbers. It’s amazing to visit the former settlements where nature is now rebounding. I’d also recommend spending time with the guide Adam, who is responsible for mapping out the reserve around Sujan Jawai. He spent half a year living in the area before there was any building or infrastructure tracking the leopards for hours and hours. There were only a handful in the first year, but he was able to learn their behaviour patterns and where they spent time. Then he co-created Sujan Jawai to give guests that feeling of being immersed in this landscape without conflicting with the wildlife.

Who do you think this kind of journey is best suited to, and why?

I would recommend this journey to intrepid, curious travellers who seek to engage with the natural world on a deeper level and see one of the greatest big cats in the world.

Closing Thoughts on Venetia’s Conservation Trip in India

Venetia’s journey offers a rare glimpse into a side of India that many travellers overlook: the conservation projects restoring balance between communities and the spectacular wildlife that coexists with them. Beyond the well-trodden Rajasthan loop, those passionate about conservation should look to the dense forests of Madhya Pradesh, Central India’s conservation heartland, where Project Tiger first took root. Here, dedicated ecologists and local communities have worked together to protect India’s national animal, shaping a story of resilience and renewal that continues today.

Given the country’s vastness and complexity, travelling with experts who can connect you to the right places, people and perspectives makes all the difference. Whether you’re a seasoned conservationist or want to see the country more meaningfully, a deeper India awaits.

Interested in Exploring India’s Wild Places?

Journeys With Purpose offers private, conservation-focused journeys to India, with tailor-made itineraries built around your passions. We also plan hosted journeys—subscribe to our newsletter for updates and inspiration for your next trip.

Costa Rica is one of the few countries I’ve returned to repeatedly over the last twenty or so years. Each visit has reinforced why this small Central American nation continues to hold a special place in my heart. As a conservationist, I’ve long admired its bold environmental policies, its ability to restore vast areas of degraded land, and the extraordinary biodiversity that thrives here. But what draws me back just as strongly is the feeling that Costa Rica gives you: the quiet assurance that another world is possible, one where people and nature can coexist with purpose and respect.

I had the chance to experience Costa Rica in a new way, traveling with three generations of my family. My husband, my sister and her family, and our aging parents all came together for what we knew would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. My sister chose Costa Rica not only because of its beauty, but also because it felt manageable for a multigenerational vacation. It’s safe, accessible, and well set up for travelers of all ages. We also understood it would be expensive, but for the chance to travel together as a full family, the investment was worth it.

We started our journey in San José, where my husband and I stayed in a homestay with a Costa Rican grandmother. She greeted us with warmth, fed us incredible meals, and gave us our first taste, quite literally, of the hospitality this country is known for. From there, we headed to Quepos on the Pacific coast, where my sister had rented an Airbnb home. It was the perfect setup with a space for all of us to gather, cook, relax, and look out over a small deck that faced what appeared to be pure jungle. The view was mesmerizing. We later learned that only a few decades ago, the entire landscape had been logged and used for farmland or extraction. But thanks to Costa Rica’s climate and commitment to restoration, nature had returned with full force. You’d never know it had once been stripped bare.

Every morning, we gathered on that deck before sunrise with coffee in hand to watch the forest awaken. Birds darted through the trees: tanagers, flycatchers, motmots, flickering colors between the leaves. For a family of nature lovers, those quiet hours became some of the most meaningful and memorable moments of the entire trip.

Quepos gave us easy access to both the coast and the rainforest. We hiked in the nearby parks, explored waterfalls, we stumbled on eco-tours of chocolate-making, coffee farming, and sustainable agriculture. The excursions were varied and accessible. Canopy walks, guided nature trails, and small boat rides. Costa Rica’s dynamic geography from the mountains, coasts, volcanoes, and rainforests means you don’t have to travel far to experience completely different ecosystems.

Although my husband and I skipped diving this time to stay together as a family, we did take a longer boat ride to a more remote patch of primary forest. I believe we were on the edge of the Osa Peninsula or near Corcovado National Park, which is known as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth. The experience reminded me again how rare it is to be able to witness truly untouched rainforest.

Every meal we ate was exceptional. With such a strong agricultural foundation, the food was consistently fresh, flavorful, and locally grown. Pineapple, avocado, coffee, papaya, rice, and beans, all vibrant and prepared with pride. Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainable agriculture shows in the taste of what ends up on your plate.

Beyond the beauty and comfort, what continues to impress me most is Costa Rica’s national commitment to conservation. Despite being only about 51,000 square kilometers in size, Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, about 5% of the world’s biodiversity, thanks to its location at the intersection of North and South America. The diversity includes iconic species like the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), jaguars (Panthera onca), and endangered sea turtles like the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which nests on the Caribbean coast in places like Tortuguero National Park.

Costa Rica has not only preserved what it has, it has reversed damage from generations of less sustainable development. In the 1980s, deforestation was rampant, with forest cover reduced to about 21%. But thanks to a range of government policies, including the 1997 launch of the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, forest cover has increased to over 50% as of the 2010s, and as of 2022 forests covered approximately 60.1% of the country’s land area, according to the World Bank. The PES program rewards landowners for keeping forests intact, recognizing the economic value of ecosystem services such as carbon capture, water filtration, and biodiversity protection. Much of this work is administered through MINAE (the Ministry of Environment and Energy), and its subsidiary agencies like SINAC, FONAFIFO, and CONAGEBIO.

The country has also turned its attention toward marine conservation, with over 30% of its territorial waters now designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). These include coral reefs, mangroves, and marine corridors vital for species like sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Organizations like the MarViva Foundation have been instrumental in managing these MPAs, particularly around the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Folks from Costa Rica, also called Ticos, have the reputation of being affectionately warm, proud, and deeply connected to the land. You quickly learn the phrase “Pura Vida” is more than a slogan. It’s a mindset, an expression of gratitude, resilience, and appreciation for life’s simple gifts. It’s said as a greeting, a farewell, a thank-you, and always with a smile.

Traveling here, you’ll find that Costa Rica is not only logistically easy, but emotionally and intellectually enriching. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a multigenerational family like us, there’s something for everyone. The country is incredibly welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and it’s one of the safest places in Central America to visit.

If you’re planning a trip, the best advice is to decide what kind of experience you’re looking for. Do you want to immerse yourself in the jungle? Lounge on the beach? Explore volcanoes? Stay in a city and do day trips? Or do a bit of everything? There’s no single way to “do” Costa Rica. You can rent a car or rely on shuttle services. Stay in a city hotel, a remote eco-lodge, or a beachside Airbnb. It’s all possible.

Here are a few key regions to consider:

• Central Valley (San José and surroundings): Cultural sites, museums, and access to volcanoes and cloud forests.

• Pacific Coast (including Quepos and Manuel Antonio): National parks, beaches, and adventure tourism.

• Caribbean Coast (like Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero): Afro-Caribbean culture, nesting turtles, and rich biodiversity.

• Northern Plains (Arenal and La Fortuna): Hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes.

• Southern Zone (Osa Peninsula and Corcovado): Pristine rainforest, rare species, and incredible biodiversity.

VisitCostaRica.com is the official tourism website and a helpful starting point for researching regions, accommodations, and activities.

For us, this trip was a chance to reconnect, not just with each other, but with the natural world. Costa Rica has a way of doing that. When you’re surrounded by howler monkeys at dawn, or listening to rain fall onto leaves the size of couch cushions, or catching a glimpse of a toucan in flight, you remember what it feels like to be part of something ancient and alive.

And in a world where conservation so often feels like a losing battle, Costa Rica shows what can be achieved when a nation decides to prioritize nature, not just in words, but through action.