Shergarh

With years of experience as a naturalist, Jehan, and his wife Katie set up this camp on the quieter side of the park. When they took over the land in 2000 it was mainly several acres of degraded agricultural land as well as a monoculture plantation of eucalyptus. Over the years the eucalyptus has been removed and used in various building projects at the lodge and replaced with indigenous trees. Today, their young thriving woodland attracts a plethora of wildlife.

The eight purpose-made tents are simple but comfortably furnished. They all have a front-facing private veranda, a tented bedroom area with air conditioning and heater, and large netted windows that connect one with the natural surroundings. Each tent is attached to a permanent shower room with twin basins, separate toilet, and ample area for luggage. All tents are fully equipped with electricity and plenty of charging points. The two family tents include a double bed and two single beds. The single beds are made up as sofas when the tent is used by a single guest or couple and not by a family with children. The family tents don’t overlook the body of water on the property but are larger than the other six.

A large wooden Bauhinia deck, cantilevered over the central body of water has become a popular breakfast and sundowner spot. Its east/west orientation allows one to enjoy the early morning shafts of light filter through the trees and over the stream bed, while the evening scene offers the sun setting over the body of water, arched footbridge, and surrounding paddy fields.

Jehan and Katie specialise in personally looking after their guests, and the atmosphere here is very relaxed and informal. Shergarh is committed to sustainable practices, and everything is done with the lowest environmental impact possible with minimal inventory and infrastructure. Most of the team here is composed of locals in key roles, 50% of them being women from their local village. They actively support a couple of initiatives, which provides skills and a sustainable means of employment for women. They’ll be happy to arrange a visit to these initiatives if you’re interested.

Working with nature is important here, so for a complete rural experience, guided walks through the buffer zone, bicycle rides through the surrounding villages, and visits to the local markets are all encouraged. Please note that this property has pet dogs on the premises, do let us know if this is a problem for you. The lodge does not hold an alcohol license, please speak with your specialist for more information.

OUR RATING: Medium