Jamtara Wilderness Camp

A luxury jungle camp near Pench, Madhya Pradesh

Imagine sleeping on a four-poster bed on an open-air ‘machaan’ built on stilts in a farm close to the jungles of Pench. You can experience this and more at Jamtara Wilderness Camp, a small luxury wildlife camp.

Located close to the village of Jamtara, not far from the Pench National Park, is this camp comprising just 10 luxury tents set amidst Arjuna trees and an ancient Banyan. The forests surround the tents—very few other places can offer an experience that is this close to nature.

Launched by Amit Sankhala, son of Late Pradeep Sankhala who established the Tiger Resort in 1987 that runs the Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge and the Kanha Jungle Lodge, the Jamtara Wilderness Camp is not surprisingly focused on ensuring minimum interference to the natural environment of the jungle.

This is one of the reasons why there are just 10 tents in the property. Each tent is luxurious. What makes it extra special is that guests can roll up the front panels, almost blending the outdoors with the indoors. There is also the option to sleep outside on the tent’s patio. Mosquito netting will keep the bugs away, while quilts and hot water bottles will keep the cold away!

For an even more close to nature experience, the Camp has tied up with local farmers so guests get an experience of sleeping on ‘machaans’. Farmers sleep out in the fields to protect their crops and the ‘machaans’ are used by the farmer for this purpose. The Camp has built ‘machaans’ on stilts in farms with four poster beds atop it so guests can view night wildlife or just enjoy the star studded skies. A guard is always close at hand and the Camp ensures the farmer on whose field the guest sleeps, gets most of the income from this experience.

Going on wildlife safaris, visiting the nearby village, enjoying outdoor meals and picnics in the jungle, the evening bonfire near the banyan—these are some of the many experiences to be enjoyed here. Their naturalist-led safaris always receive rave reviews.

Price: Rs. 37,800 per night (single occupancy) and Rs 45,675 per night (double occupancy); includes accommodation, meals, non-alcoholic drinks, scheduled safaris, walks in buffer zone and village, park fees, services of naturalist among other offerings.

Read more: http://www.jamtarawilderness.com/

Slow Travel

The Jamtara Wilderness Camp is part of the local community. It instituted a training programme and has ensured most of the staff is local. It has also become a part of the village schools, celebrations and problems. The end goal is for the villagers to understand the importance of the very wildlife that is around them. At this point, they spend countless nights trying to save their crops from herbivores while staying vigilant of predators. The hopeis that some of thgis area can be re-wilded by creating a commune, in turn, forming a corridor for wildlife. The idea is not to take away lands, but empower them even more by protecting this very wildlife.