ACCOMMODATION

One of our cabins

Dining room at the Ecocamp

Nameri Ecocamp. We stayed here two nights. The cabins were basic but perfectly adequate with electric light and sockets, twin beds, small table, bathroom with shower, sink and WC. Hot water was brought to you in very large buckets by the pleasant staff. Our cabins were in an elephant proof enclosure a couple of hundred metres from the covered outdoor dining area and bar. The food was plentiful and the best we had on the entire trip (the food was excellent throughout the trip). Surrounded by pleasant countryside, the camp is just a short drive to the river, where you catch a rowing boat to take you across to the wildlife park proper. Entering the park is by prior arrangement, an armed guard being necessary to protect you from elephant, tiger and leopard. We had no need for the guides services! Would we stay here again? Like a shot!

The view from the entrance terrace.

Our bedroom at Hotel Pemaling

Hotel Pemaling, Dirang. We stayed here for three nights, only seeing the place in daylight on our departure morning! The staff were attentive and welcoming and the food was good and plentiful. The hotel always seemed colder than outside but we did have heaters in the room. Meals were taken in the dining room wearing fleeces and woolly hats! The bedrooms were basic but perfectly adequate and even had TV. The ensuite WC and wet room had hot water from a wall mounted heater into large buckets for a spalsh it all over wash! The electricity supply was erratic but meals in candlelight are much more exciting than by electric bulb! Would we stay here again? Yes.

Lama camp in the background

Our first meal on arrival at Eaglenest.

Eaglenest camp. Just Lama and Sunderview camps were in use at the time of our visit. This was due to elephant activity at the lower camps. Accommodation was in large permanent tents, each with two beds and plenty of space for luggage etc. Hot water bottles were provided each night. The toilets were a mixture of Continental 'stand-up' and standard 'sit down' , flush was by bucket. Each cubicle was well screened and approx 20 to 25 metres from the tents. There were adjacent washing cubicles and hot water was brought to you by bucket. Food was tasty and plentiful. We had our own dining tent or hut. Some nights we sat around the warm camp fire with the camp staff, while on others we sat around a woodburner with our field guides and a beer (bring your own) At this altitude it was frosty most mornings at our pre-dawn brew but it soon warmed up with the the sun. Would we stay here again? Yes-but remember this is fully serviced camping, not a western hotel.

Jupuri ghar cabins left

Jupuri dining room

 Jupuri Ghar Kaziranga. It's hard to find any fault at all, with this place. Kaziranga is at lower altitude than Eaglenest or Dirang, and so was pleasantly warm. We each had a roomy cabin with electric, veranda, surrounded by pleasant gardens, tea plantations and small wooded hills (all filled with birds). The plumbing and showers were fine and the food again tasty and plentiful. Jeeps come by prior arrangement to take you to the various areas of the nearby Kaziranga National Park. The park itself was brilliant and we could have easily spent more time here. Even on the final morning, we were still getting new birds for the trip as we got in the car for the drive back to Guwahati and our flight. Would we stay again? Love to!

The Singh Palace

Hotel Singh Palace, Karol bargh, Delhi. This was a stopover for one night on our arrival day in Delhi. It was about ninety minutes drive to Sultanpur Jeel and about 45 minutes drive to the domestic airport. The hotel is in a quietish side street off a busy downtown area. Watch you don't get knocked down if you venture on the streets! There are a variety of basic shops and restaurants within a few hundred metres but we chose to eat at the hotel. Our room was perfectly adequate and had a power shower with plenty of hot water! Would we stay here again? Yes.