Vanghat, the internationally acclaimed eco-lodge, is located on a secluded bank of the Western Ramganga River, inside the Kalagarh division of the Corbett Tiger Reserve. It is one of the most remote wildlife lodges in Northern India. Accessible only by a 2km cross-country walk and raft across river waters, Vanghat lodge is a wilderness paradise unlike anything else to be found around Jim Corbett National Park. Only during the hot months of the year (March to May) is it accessible by jeep, too. Vanghat takes you deep into the forest for an experience of living right where nature is untouched and thriving. You will explore every trail of the forest community on foot. Every season offers a different landscape and various birds and wild animals to encounter. If nights around the campfire, forest living, and complete immersion in the wild is your vacation ideal, Vanghat should be your choice.
Its a great opportunity to escape the routine city life and stay close with nature for a few days. Tucked away in nearly the middle of the jungle, this place is accessible only after a short trek and a mini-ride in a raft to cross the river. You would cross the busy Corbett resorts area and then reach here, its away from any humdrums and crowds. They have been taking adequate precautions for maintaining distance and sanitising. The location is beautiful close to the Ramganga river on 3 sides, surrounded by forests and full of trees, birds and butterflies all around the rooms. The decor and build of cottages are such that they just blend into the jungle and you start feeling one with the wilderness. Despite being in remote location, they provide all comforts needed and over and above that for reasonable requests. Food is fresh, great variety, simple local dishes cooked flavourfully. There is no a/c but then it is much cooler than the city, even in early October we felt cool in just a fan even at noon. The river flows close by and one can have fun in water as deep in as safe to do so and the weather allows. They can provide life jackets as well. We had a great time going on birding walks with Sumantha, the founder himself. He is a pleasure to interact with and personally ensures the guests comforts. There is no tv, no phone network or wifi yet (though he mentioned they are working to get something) but I preferred it that way. Ideal routine is to soak in the ambience, carry a book, sleep early, wake up early to enjoy the serene mornings and lounge around the campus and the riverside, again go for evening treks, wait around the watchtower to watch the waterhole and just enjoy nature’s company. We had a great great time and were really sad to leave, cant wait to go back there for more!
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Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The resort is a one of its kind located in the midst of the jungle just behind Jim Corbett natural park. The resort is located on the banks of Ramganga river surrounded by mountains. Its a perfect natural setting in the midst of jungle bounded by only a solar fencing separating the resort from the jungle. Kudos to the management which conceptualized the resort. The people in the resort are also very knowledge about the flora and fauna around the resort. The resort itself has lots of fruiting trees visited by an amazing range of birds and insects. The food is really good and the resort offers a wide variety of indegenious food items and preparations. The only drawback is that the approach road becomes 5 kms trek instead of 2.5 kms during rainy season since the waters of Ramganga are turbulent and cannot be crossed by the raft operated by the resort. This has to be ither communicated clearly to the guest at the time of booking or, for greater safely, should be closed down during rainy season. The trek becomes very trecherous during the rains with slippery pathways and chances of landslides. Traveling with kids is definltely very risky. Apart from this, the resort has no negatives at all. Completely in peace with its natural surroundings. The best part is your mobile network won't work.
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Date of stay: August 2019
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Room Tip:Â Please bring your binaculars, insect repellants and SLR cameras to enjoy the experience to the...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from ManojJee123, Manager at Vanghat Lodge
Responded 6 Apr 2020
Dear Guest, Thank you for visiting the Vanghat Lodge. I am delighted to know that you had a wonderful experience at the Lodge. Positive feedback from our guests is always a strong motivation to all of us to continuously provide a high level of services to our guests. Thank you once again and I look forward to welcoming you back at Vanghat Lodge in the near future. Kind regards,
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vanghat is experiencing humans living in seamless coherence with wildlife ,jungle ,river and the sky. The beautiful environment has been painstakingly preserved . No light pollution means the insects and birds flock to the area. We were surrounded by nothing but the pleasent cacophony of nature. The approach is a one and a half hour trek through the sal forest by the side of the Ramganga. As soon as we reached we met the members of the Rewilded team looking enthusiastically for hornbills in the forest ahead. The river was in full flow post floods so we weren't able to cross to the pristinely preserved forest on the opposite side . We were accompanied by our thirteen year old who was in wonderment as well. Yet ,in the lodge itself we were blessed with a number of bird species . Leopards and tiger roam the forest behind the lodge ,we heard calls on most nights . The marvellous river is a two minute walk and the sound of the water is a constant accompaniment . The lodgings are basic but adequate and kept neat and clean. The food which was mostly locally sourced was very tasty. Our trip was for five nights. I would recommend that at the very minimum . Last but best was meeting Sumantha Ghosh the proprieter. A humbling experience as we heard about his passion to preserve this amazing ecosystem . And his grit and purpose. As Sumantha said " Let us always live in awe at the majesty of Nature". As a family we cannot thank him and the Rewild-ed team enough . The trip has changed the way we look,feel and think of the natural world .
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Date of stay: October 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great experience for people with young children to give them the experience of what living close to nature away from all devices feels like. No phones ringing, no distractions. Clean air , great views and the beautiful Ramganga. Sumantha is a great host and our 6 and 8 year old boys really enjoyed hiking and listening to all the forest stories. The lodge is reasonably comfortable and the staff is very warm and welcoming. It also is a real time experience in conservation and eco-friendly behavior which is really important for the children. Very little children or very old people might struggle with getting there but children older than 5 should do fine.
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Date of stay: November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were indeed lucky to find a booking for three nights at Vanghat during the year end peak season, when my wife and I made a last minute plan to getaway from the usual NCR pollution .
An off beat resort nestled in nature’s lap, tucked away within the buffer zone of Corbett and situated on a hill slope by the Ramganga river, Vanghat was a much needed ventilator for our systems.
A two kilometre walk beyond the open countryside parking area; on narrow and at times steep hill side paths followed by a river crossing via a bamboo raft, the lodge is hidden across the western bank of the Ramganga. There are about nine huts and we were booked in the Forest rest house situated at the very entrance within the property.
December end weather was expectedly very cold but the ever so hospitable resort staff ensured our comfort throughout. We had hot water bottles placed in our beds besides adequate blankets. There are no facilities for heaters and geysers but plenty of hot water was provided in flasks and buckets whenever needed.
Although we had been on many wild life safaris; this was our first birding trip and thoroughly enjoyed our stay thanks to Team Vanghat.
Ramavtar made us feel part of the natural habitat on the guided walking tours; an environmentalist with such an amazing wealth of knowledge across many disciplines, he was central to the experience . Madhuri, a naturalist was yet another gem in the resort who kept us company with her warmth and shepherded us through various activities including making of eco friendly earrings and pendants. Jeswin led the walking safari on our last day besides being with us during meals and coordinating arrangements. Every member of the team; and there were so many, did a splendid job of ensuring a memorable stay
The food was excellent; simple and super tasty, and the evening campfires provided an ideal setting for social interaction among all the guests.
An amazing escape from the city, with almost no internet or telephone connectivity; the die hards of course could walk a few hundred yards outside the resort during the day, to connect with a tower or push the odd what apps message.
If the resort management are able to provide a fire place for all the guests in the absence of capacity in the forest to support heaters, it would be perfect place for the winters.
We would definitely return during less colder periods, and add a caution here to those planning a visit, that the walk from the parking area needs some level of fitness and hence not suitable for old folks.
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Date of stay: December 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Backpacks are easier and convenient for staff to carry while moving from parking area to resort;...
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There is a trek of 30-40 mins from the suspended bridge to the river crossing raft and to the lodge.
The rooms and the place were authentic eco friendly. There is minimal light in the evening so that the wildlife ecosystem is not disturbed. The breakfast/lunch sitting area is great for winters and gives a great open air dining system. The barking deers and porcupine frequent the lodge near the dining area and it gives a true sense of the living near to the wildlife rather than some resorts by the river.
Now coming to the river. The water in winter is pristine and crystal clear. You could see kingfishers hovering over the river to catch a fish and fish owls nested on the trees above.
The treks carried out in the forests are a great experience and you can experience the calm in the forest. There is a short trek to the waterfall and it is just beautiful. The breakfast on trek is also great experience and the cleanliness of the forest in the top priority.
It was overall a great experience and the staff does strive their best to make their guests comfortable.
Posting a pic for the dinner layout for Christmas
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Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Words simply cannot encapsulate the experience that Vanghat is, for a two day visit is only enough to scratch the surface of this teeming wildlife refuge. However, it’s safe to say that even a glimpse was enough to make us fall in love with this place.
Having travelled here during the monsoons, the hike to the Vanghat is through a 4 km trail as opposed to a 2km trail that guests normally undertake between the months of October and May. Undulating at parts, the route is through a forest where one can not only hear the symphony bird calls echo through the valley, but also spot some of the most enchanting species of the area. As we walked further, we even uncovered some of the telltale signs of the many inhabitants such as Tigers,Leopards, Porcupines and Elephants. By now, this was already shaping up to be a fitting prelude to our stay, though, I would only advice one to come here during the monsoon if they’re physically active as the temporary approach can be challenging for those who aren’t engaged in a moderately active fitness routine.
Tucked away in forest along the banks of the Ramganga, the lodge itself presents a landscape of Corbett that is untouched, undisturbed and pristine. In fact, the ethos behind lodge is to maintain the space with minimal intervention so that it allows mother nature to do what she does best and embrace all its thriving inhabitants. Here, the birds feel right at home, many of them taking up residence and nesting during this period. There were Pittas, Fantail and Paradise Flycatchers, Magpie Robins, Woodpeckers, Thrushes, Bee Eaters, Babblers, Bulbuls, Treepies, Doves, Owls, Fish Eagles and Kingfishers galore. At times, even some of the mammals such as Barking deers, Spotted Deers, Sambar Deers and Langurs made their presence felt, as we explored the forest on foot.
While the wildlife certainly was a major draw during our time here, it was the people of Vanghat that make it the warm, inviting abode that it is today. From Manoj who served us with the utmost care to the relishing food prepared by Harish, the Tawny Fish Owl that was spotted by our expert guide Santosh and last but certainly not the least, Sumantha, who brought life into the many stories of this enthralling landscape.
Though, this may have been the ‘lean’ period when compared to the rest of the season, Vanghat certainly gave us far more than what we could’ve anticipated. I would highly recommend it to all those who wish to seek an unparalleled wilderness experience on foot, one which very few places in India have to offer.
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Date of stay: July 2022Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been visiting Vanghat for the last 5 years and every time I am there, it is "Celestine prophecy" coming alive each time. Even though the forest is a constantly moving and evolving ecosystem, there is something new for me, every time.
The levels of expertise and skill that the naturalists possess is brilliant. Not only are they teaching you but also quizzing you to ensure that the learning goes deep.
The rooms are comfortable and the big windows allow you to study the fauna sometimes, from your bed.
The food is extra special. The pahadi khaana that Vanghat offers is non spicy (super important to me), organic and cooked using local ingredients.
Over all, you will find yourself in the lap of the forest when you are here at Vanghat. And BTW, you will stop taking the jeep safaris when you come to Vanghat. What a forest walk can give you, a jeep safari wouldn't be able to do so.
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Date of stay: February 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vanghat is a truly unique wilderness experience. Let’s start with the entry. You leave you vehicle at a safe parking place and trek through picturesque hill scenery of Uttarakhand and then comes the real deal - a raft awaits you on the banks of Ramganga - the river of Corbett - you cross the river on this to reach Vanghat. This experience transports you to remoteness and leave the city and the mad rush behind you. The huts at Vanghat are super comfortable. The staff is knowledgable about the flora and fauna of the area. We explored this Corbett landscape by short walks into the wilderness. We encountered various birds. Saw ghooral on the steep slopes. You could do walks to explore the area or you could just at sit quietly at the Ramganga for hours at end. Whatever you do the staff is always with you. There is also watchtower on the property which overlooks a neat little waterhole. I spent couple of hours on it and was rewarded by sightings of barking deer, wild boar and about 14 different bird species. As dusk approached and I got down to my hut. I heard the barking deer calling from near the the watchtower. I was told a tigress with cubs visits this waterhole. Some lucky visitors have seen them. Campfire with all visitors sharing their experiences under the starry night was enjoyable. And the dinner was an experience of delicious local cuisine well laid out in a semi open dining hall on a beautiful long table. I spent three nights at Vanghat. Can't wait to go back again.
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Date of stay: February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vanghat is extremely conscious about doing no harm to the environment while giving their guests a memorable experience of the forest. The pristine landscape in the property allowed us to witness more than 60 species of birds, several species of butterflies and magnificent trees. I am truly impressed by their efforts to maintain the property in such a manner which allows animals like otters barking dears and porcupines to move about feeely near the river at the property. We we lucky to have Mr Ram, the naturalist at Vanghat accompany us on on our walks and share his expansive knowledge about the flora and fauna of the region. The food was homely and delicious, probably the only thing that was out of place in the midst of the jungle! I would definitely recommend the stay at Vanghat for a guaranteed unique experience!
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Yes it’s a dog friendly property but need to be extra cautious about pet as it is very close to wilderness. But I didn’t meant you cannot take your dog out
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There are more places to choose from in the Jim Corbett National Park area.
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Vanghat Riverine Woods
LOCATION
IndiaUttarakhandNainital DistrictJim Corbett National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
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