This time last week I was experiencing the Chitwan heat!
We quickly forgot the heat, humidity and our sweaty bodies as we entered the Barahi Jungle Lodge. From being greeted at the welcome hut with icy cool refreshments to registering our names in the main reception, we felt royal! It was indeed, all eyes on us. We were also the only guests during our stay! We had the whole resort and staff to ourselves.
Barahi Jungle Lodge came into operation around September 2013 and since its operation the eco-lodge has entertained guests from all over including former PM Madhav Kumar Nepal and many VVIP dignitaries and business figures. The lodge is owned by the Barahi Group who also run the popular Barahi Hotel and Byanjan Restaurant in Pokhara.
I found the interior designs of the resort and rooms very beautiful. It blended well with the local styles of the Tharu, the thatched roof, usage of dokos to hold rubbish and plenty of wooden furniture in the rooms gave Barahi a unique flare. Apart from the electronics, the only thing plastic thing I found was the water bottle in our rooms. The dining area is quite a place (see photo), it is wonderfully decorated with makai all around. Just outside is the Turtle Deck where you can relax with a drink and look out into the gorgeous swimming pool, Rapti River and the Chitwan National Park. We even saw a rhino right from where we were sat. The location of this place is indeed a winner!
The swimming pool… do I even have to say anything? It’s amazing! I love the fact that you can swim and look out straight into the jungle. There is a bar just by the pool and it will serve all the fancy labels from Ciroc, Black Label, Jack Daniels to Smirnoff vodka. The attentive staff at BJL will be right at your service 24/7.
I was with my sister Jinita, two friends from the UK and Bivit. Bivit and I have been to Chitwan before but it was the first time for the other three. All of us left the lodge extremely satisfied and happy! If there was one thing we could’ve done then it would be to spend an extra day just to chill around the lodge! It’s extremely relaxing! Grab a book, a speaker, a drink and laze by the pool. Or be in your own AC room and watch TV and look out into the Rapti River! Oh What A Life!
PACKAGE: 2 NIGHTS/3 DAYS (Including three meals a day, all activities, accommodation)
Our Activities: Elephant Safari, Power-Point Presentation, Village Tour, Canoe Ride, Jungle Walk, Elephant Briefing (No Elephant Bathing due to rain)
My Highlight: As I mentioned above, the location of BJL is indeed a winner! During our jungle walk we saw a lot of traces of this or that animal. We also came very close to seeing an Asian black bear face-to-face. For a second, I thought a rhino was coming out of nowhere when we heard all that thud and thumping on the ground. Had me thinking “what the hell am I doing here” but then there was that ‘want’ to see more! When we made our way out of the jungle and to that boat, we walked through a dense patch of grassland – taller than us, we had no idea what else would be there. It was only after we got on the boat and reached the other side that we saw a rhino in the grassland – yes, the same grassland where we had walked just a few minutes ago. Intense.
Huge thanks to Bivit Gurung for the photos.
To See More Photos – Click Here
PS. Barahi Jungle Lodge will be opening its VIP villa with pool and spa facilities within the next two months!
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