India, March 17 -- Sambar deer grazing in shafts of morning light as the mist slowly rises, langurs leaping between branches, and grey hornbills roosting high on a mahua tree. I am in Satpura National Park in Madhya Pradesh, a landscape shaped by the towering Satpura ranges, formed over 60 million years ago.

At sunrise and sunset, these dramatic formations glow, while the park's varied soils, from sandy and red earth to nutrient-rich volcanic ground, support an incredible range of biodiversity.

My home away from home is Denwa Backwater Escape by Pugdundee Safaris, a safari lodge with rustic cottages and tree houses set right at the edge of the park. The central lodge houses a cosy library where we gather each evening for talks by natura...