The Soliga people are the original guardians of the Biligiriranga forests. Long before any of these reserves were notified, they were here — tracking leopards by the way the langurs broke into alarm calls, naming honey by the flowering season that produced it, and reading the forest as the rest of us read newsprint.
The 2011 inflection
In 2011, a quiet legal victory recognised the Soliga's rights to forest produce inside the BRT Tiger Reserve — the first such recognition inside a critical tiger habitat in India. It changed everything. Today, their stewardship is measurable: tiger numbers up, elephant corridors maintained, and a school of young Soliga naturalists trained as official forest interpreters.
Where MyEcoTour comes in
Our Kabini itineraries always include at least one half-day with a Soliga guide — not as a curiosity, but as the most knowledgeable naturalist on the property. We have done this for nine years. A fixed share of every guest's lodge tariff goes into a community fund the Soligas administer themselves. We have no say in how they spend it. That, too, is part of the agreement.
A quiet ask
If you book a Kabini journey through us, please consider extending your stay by one night. Most guests come for the safaris. Stay one more day, and walk the forest at dawn with a Soliga elder. It will change how you read the rest of your trip.
This summer we are funding a second cohort of young Soliga interpreters. If you would like to support it directly, write to us at info@myecotour.com — we route 100% of the contribution.
