In the village of Dhela, some 20 minutes drive from The Bijrani Gate of Corbett National Park is the resort Jim's Jungle Retreat (JJR). Once our TripAdvisor search narrowed down the abode for the 4 days we (Me, my father, my wife, and my 4-year-old daughter) were planning on spending visiting the famous Corbett National Park, it was only a question of booking and getting there.
Corbett is an excellent place to spend a few days in the lap of nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A six hour almost smooth drive from Delhi, Corbett National Park is amongst one of the most visited national parks of the country. Our resort, Jim's Jungle Retreat, turned out to be one of the friendliest I have stayed in around the world.
After an easy booking
process through their office in New Delhi, we were quite surprised to receive a
call from the resort a day before, detailing the route we had to take to get to
them. Moreover, they offered to stay in touch during our entire drive and
guided us whenever we needed help.
After checking-in and after a small and informative orientation by the resort General Manager, we got a chance to explore the premises which comprised of a swimming pool, a "camp-fire" area, a spa, and simultaneously also experience the quietness of nature.
It didn't take long, in fact just our very first lunch, to realize that the food served truly stood out and was simply divine homemade finger-licking stuff. Never did either one of us ever think that we would be complaining about overeating by the end of the trip, but we all did.
The package at JJR includes
nature and bike rides organize by them during the day. I highly recommend
making the most of these walks for getting to know the local flora and fauna up
close and personal with the help of the learned guides at the property. JJR
abides by and is proud of their motto "Seek the Tiger, Find the
Jungle". Corbett is one of the few places in India where one can see a
tiger in its natural habitat, but unfortunately it seems most people are only
interested in tiger-spotting, thus missing out on the beauty of nature that can
be found in the parks other inhabitants.
We stayed for three nights, with just two guests on the first night, 4 on the second, and a full house on the third. We did feel that on the third day the staff was a bit overwhelmed by the big groups and the same detailed attention we received on the first two days was not there, but that's just me being extremely critical.
The rooms at JJR are all wonderfully styled with antique furniture, but modern amenities. The bathrooms were clean. The family lodge was spacious and so was the tent. The tent can get a bit noisy if it gets windy so if you are a light sleeper, avoid it.
An important tip to keep
in mind is that you should book your Jeep Safari (which takes you deep inside
Corbett National Park) in advance through JJR, preferably at the time of
booking your rooms. Last minute bookings are not possible due to the pass that
has to be acquired from the government, as I found out the hard way. Also, the
Elephant Safari is not really up to the mark since it only takes you in the
buffer zone and not inside the actually park. That is also why it is called an “Elephant
Ride” by the organizers. Although, it might be fun for the little ones as my
daughter did enjoy sitting on the elephant and going into the “jungle”. The
elephant safari is recommended if you are staying at one of the government
guesthouses inside the park.
JJR epitomizes service with a smile. My father, who made full use of the spa, was impressed with the variety of massages and treatments. We always had a packed breakfast for our early departures. There was ample bottled water and unlike some of the most expensive hotels we never felt the need to pay extra for anything (food or drink related) other than alcoholic drinks. Moreover, the driver/chauffeur stay and food was also included in the package and not charged separately.
Jim's Jungle Retreat, since our visit, has replaced their General Manager, but I am told that the new manager is equally friendly and welcoming. Although we didn't see any tigers or even that many animals, it was still 4 days of much needed rest and recreation with JJR being the icing on the cake.
You can read my other articles based on the trip below; The Myth of the Tiger Corbett in Pictures Note: This is an unsolicited review of JJR.
