As interest in noctourism and after-dark travel experiences grows, travellers are increasingly looking beyond conventional wildlife encounters to discover the natural world after sunset. At Tipai by Wildlife Luxuries, a 15-key boutique luxury retreat founded by Keyur Joshi, co-founder of MakeMyTrip, guided night walks offer guests an opportunity to explore the forest’s nocturnal ecosystem through observation, sound and discovery.
Accompanied by an expert naturalist, guests venture into the darkness with UV torches to spot scorpions glowing electric blue beneath ultraviolet light, often hidden under rocks and within forest-floor crevices. The experience then shifts from sight to sound, as guests listen for the distinctive, bouncing call of the Indian nightjar, a nocturnal bird that can often be heard before it is seen.
The search for owls adds another dimension to the walk. Their presence may be revealed through their distinctive calls, pellets and other signs of activity, offering clues to species that are difficult to spot in the dark. The experience places emphasis on patience, attentive listening and understanding the subtle signs of wildlife activity. Offering a different perspective on the conventional safari, the night walks encourage guests to slow down and notice the details that often go overlooked during the day. The forest floor may reveal traces of creatures that emerge only after sunset.
For families, nature enthusiasts and curious travellers, the experience also provides an engaging introduction to nocturnal ecology, revealing how species adapt to life after dark and how a forest’s rhythms change through the night.
Located on the edge of Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Tipai is built around a philosophy of regenerative hospitality and extreme localisation. Constructed primarily using rammed earth and local materials, the retreat blends contemporary design with deep environmental sensitivity, offering travellers an immersive experience rooted in nature, community and place. At the heart of the stay is its food programme, guided by chef Amninder Sandhu.
By bringing these lesser-seen encounters into focus, Tipai offers travellers a more layered way to experience the wilderness—one where the forest is not simply a destination to explore by day, but a world of its own waiting to be discovered after dark.
