Jim Corbett National Park is one of India’s most famous tiger and wildlife reserves. The park is dotted with resorts, lodges, camps and retreats – all vying for tourist crowds from abroad and holiday crowds from Delhi. While many of these lodges are luxury, only some can be considered true eco-resorts.
With that in mind, here are four of our favourite socially responsible and eco-friendly resorts in Corbett.
A gorgeous luxury property, Aahana Resort is very conscious of its impact on the surrounding environment, and actively engages with the local communities. They employ heavily from the local population and are well-known for their work in conservation. Aahana even has one of the biggest sewage treatment plants in the country. A perfect mixture of responsible luxury awaits.
Where: Vill- Sawaldeh PO Semalkhaliya, Jim Corbett National Park, Ramnagar, Nainital, Uttarakhand
Contact: 0124 4908604, +91 7088600021, +91 7088600024 or write to reservation@aahanaresort.com
Find out more here.
Jim’s Jungle Retreat is a stunning property, spread out like an intimate luxury village. They are committed to responsible tourism and there is much they consider themselves responsible for. Environmentally they have a wastewater treatment area, use solar energy geysers to provide hot water, and have a tree planting programme they call the Mahavan Project. Social responsibility is another thing Jim’s Jungle Retreat takes seriously, with active involvement with locals, sourcing products locally, giving regular village sanitation exercises and working with the Forest Department on anti-poaching.
Where: Village & PO Dhela, Ramnagar, Distt Nainital Uttarakhand
Contact: 011 43516376, +91 9899989508, +91 9711789828 or write to info@jimsjungleretreat.com
Find out more here.
While not exactly a full-fledged eco-resort, the lodge and resort at Patlidun are the perfect examples of new-world luxury meeting old-world tradition. The resort is big on interaction with, and support of, the local Kumaon population. The food and the buildings are both done in traditional Kumaon style, with locals hired to build. There is a museum that houses artefacts of the region, on-site. There is even an organic farm, where traditional techniques of the indigenous community are used, that provides food to Patlidun.
Where: Jim Corbett National Park, Mohan, Distt. Nainital, Uttarakhand
Contact: +91 9999338886, or write to contact@patlidun.com
Find out more here.
The offbeat, and relatively small, property of Vanghat attempts to merge into the surrounding natural habitat. With no fencing and outdoor lighting {other than candles and campfires} Vanghat blends perfectly with the natural wildlife corridor it inhabits. They use biodegradable products wherever possible, and use as much local produce as they can.
Where: Marchula, Dist. Almora, Uttarakhand
Contact: +91 97192473939, +91 9761166777, or write to info@vanghat.com
Find out more here.
