Jim’s Jungle Retreat in India
The piéce de résistance of our October ’07 trip to INDIA was a stay at Jim’s Jungle Retreat (Village & PO Dhela, Ramnagar - 244715, Nainital, Uttarakhand, India; phone +91 5947 238038 or 238039, fax 5947 251636, www.jimsjungleretreat.com).
Opened in 2006 at the southern edge of Corbett National Park & Tiger Reserve, it’s situated far enough from the public road that you don’t hear foot traffic, horns or any sounds of civilization, only bird calls, elephants trumpeting and (if you are lucky) the roar of a tiger.
The property’s 12 bungalows include four 2-bedroom family bungalows, eight semiattached bungalows and one (enormous) Tiger Suite which is as big as a house. For a more personal experience, you would want to request one of the detached bungalows with a private wraparound verandah. Each bungalow is built of local materials with thatch roofs, local woods and bamboo mat floors. The attractive furniture is rattan.
I had Bungalow No. 1, one of the family bungalows with an extra bedroom for children. It was close to the pool and dining pavilion, both great places to relax in between activities. Our in-room welcome amenities included a large bottled water, fruit basket and cookie plate.
The grounds were planted with native fruit trees and shrubs to attract birds. To be honest, we saw just as many migrating and domestic birds from the dining pavilion as on our early-morning game drives. The food was excellent, and we were treated to hospitable, caring service in an ecofriendly atmosphere.
Our 3-night stay was part of a 14-day tour, “Hill Stations, Himalayas & the Ganges,” from Explore Worldwide, booked through Adventure Center (Emeryville, CA; 800/487-1600, www.adventurecenter.com). Explore’s groups for this tour can run up to 18 people, so they booked all 12 bungalows, giving our group a nice exclusivity.
Our program included all meals, two jeep safaris (in comfortable Maruti Gypsy jeeps with good sight lines and a naturalist in each vehicle), an elephant safari, a nature walk, a village walk, a bonfire each night and a cultural presentation.
Although our stay was included in the overall tour price (land only, $2,150), I e-mailed Executive Director Iman Khan for what it would have cost on my own. Prices vary with bungalow type and season, but the package I had would have been $180 per couple per night.
If a good guide makes the trip, Iman Khan, resort manager/naturalist, makes this a haven. He has a Ph.D. in Tiger Conservation from Sterling University (Scotland), is a well-known conservationist and has been involved with Project Tiger since its inception in the 1970s. The educational program he has created for the retreat is superb, with lectures, videos and slide shows each evening.
He was always on site to answer questions, interact with us and take care of any special requests. For example, he arranged for me to spend the better part of a day with two elephants and their mahouts.
The property has earned a good reputation for responsible tourism and is well respected in the community for its active involvement. All staff come from local villages, and Mr. Khan strives to get locals active in tiger conservation. A minimum of five percent of the profits go back into the surrounding villages.
I would recommend a stay of at least three nights. They also offer longer (up to 10 days) bird-watching, safari and fishing trips where you use properties within the park.
At this point, Jim’s does not take credit cards, so if you want to use a local Delhi agency to book services (and other travels throughout India), there is none better than Swagatam Tours & Travel (203 Swagatam Chamber 23-A, Shivaji Marg, Najafgarh Rd., Moti Nagar, New Delhi 110015 India; phone +91 11 254 4000 or 4009, fax 254 4010 or 4011, www.swagatam.com). I’ve used them for several trips in India, the most recent in September ’07, and they have never let me down. They are easy to work with, are accountable and take credit cards.
ESTHER PERICA
Arlington Heights, IL