Saga Holidays offers trips for the environmentally conscious and has recently expanded its volunteer tourism sector in Nepal. Simon Finlay reports
16 May 2008
They call it tourism with a conscience – taking a holiday that does not mean lounging by a swimming pool but contributing to a greater good.
With green issues at the forefront of the public’s awareness, cynics might accuse the holiday industry of exploiting an environmental trend with an eye on the bottom line.
But the Tiger Mountain portfolio of lodges and camps across is a private business concern, for sure, but it has been banging the conservation drum for 40 years and more. Moreover, the diversity of its aims is mind-boggling.
From wildlife conservation projects in the jungles of the Chitwan National Park to the sustainable ethnic schemes in the nearby Tharu villages to an ongoing community involvement project in the mountains which look out to the Himalayas .
The Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge is a short plane ride away from the capital, Kathmandu, as the journey is not advisable by road – although one will see a very different side of Nepal that way.
It lies in the heart of Chitwan, the country’s national park, which spreads over a vast area and borders India .
It is rightly famous for its elephant safaris in search of the Royal Bengal tiger, an experience which can be exhilarating, fast-paced and often ultimately fruitless. But there is a dazzling array of wildlife besides the tiger with deer, jackals, monkeys and rhinos never far away.
Birdwatchers would be well-advised to bring a local, English language local bird guide book and a pair of decent binoculars with you as very minute of these safaris can throw up something new.
Although an elephant safari might seem gimmicky – and it is – it is best way to locate the tigers, which are truly wild here and very secretive. The naturalists which accompany each beast are incredibly knowledgeable and can spot the signs of a tiger’s presence without the guests knowing it.
A scattering of wild deer might indicate the tiger is on the prowl or that it has made a fresh kill.
A series of hand gestures, whistles and calls shares the information with other guides and mahouts – the ‘drivers’ – heralds a flurry of activity and the herd closes in on the area where the tiger is thought to be. It is often too late but the excitement and anticipation certainly sets the heart racing.
The lodge offers tree house and bungalow accommodation which is comfortable and unique while the gol ghar – a circular dining area - is the place for guests to meet and mingle in the main building.
Depending on the package, guests may well travel the few short miles downstream by wooden boat along fast water to Tiger Mountain Tharu Lodge where an ox-drawn cart finishes the journey.
There is an overwhelming sense of calm about this place and reflected by the serenity of its manager Aimee Junker.
The lodge lies on the edge of various ethnic villages where the customs and practices have changed little for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, and visitors are free to roam among them without the villagers as much as batting an eyelid.
It is an altogether quieter, simpler life after chaotic Kathmandu .
The village children seem happier than their city cousins and while their parents are poor by Western standards they have been allowed to live their lives on their own terms. Even so, there is a division between those who have land and those who do not, and poverty is ever-present.
Tharu Lodge provide significant employment anden courages the villagers to accept their responsibility as guardians of the rich natural resources in the lush farmland around them.
The lodge itself has a policy of using solar power, burning locally grown firewood and compressed rice husk logs while driving ox carts for transport where a car or pick-up is not strictly necessary.
In addition, the lodge provides a clinic for the villages’ medical needs and a primary school which is free to all.
Guests eat from a choice of Nepalese and European food and much of the food is generated from its own farm.
Perched a thousand feet above the Pohkhara valley lies Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, a sparkling jewel in a glittering crown.
The lodge enjoys breathtaking views of the Himalayas and on a clear day the peaks of Machhapuchhare, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu are there in all their enormous, snow-covered grandeur.
Guests stay in 19 mini lodges which are beautifully appointed and each with a stunning vista of the mountains.
The Pokhara lodge encourages sustainable tourism and has won several awards, not least the Conde Nast Traveler (corr) magazine Ecortourism Award.
Its managing director Marcus Cotton likes to source local produce for the guests’ meals and fresh herbs and vegetables are also grown on site.
The atmosphere is purposely relaxed and Mr Cotton’s easy-going style reflects this, with guests enjoying an evening meal followed by a chat around the fire.
Half an hour away is the town of Pokhara which is well worth a visit as there are many shops selling traditional goods such as shawls and scarves which, while aimed at the burgeoning tourist market, are generally of good quality and very reasonably priced. Be prepared to haggle as you might just secure a decent discount.
All three lodges offer a wide variety of activities such as rafting, walking, birdwatching and fishing. Some of these are seasonal, so it might be worth checking before you decide to go. None of the Tiger Mountain lodges has a television in the rooms which encourages visitors to spend the daylight hours enjoying their varied attractions.
Guests travelling with Saga generally overnight at the 125 room Hotel Malla, a luxury four star hotel in the centre of Kathmandu. Its opulent décor and good food makes for a stark contrast to the grinding poverty and pollution in the capital’s streets outside.
The rooms are clean, spacious and comfortable and those which overlook the well-tended gardens are generally best.
Apart from its central location and proximity to the airport, it also is next door to the Thamel district where a warren of clogged lanes and backstreets are home to a dizzy array of shops, clubs, restaurants and market stalls.
For a small fee, there are daily flights to see Mount Everest on Buddha Air’s fleet of small jets. Details can be accessed on www.buddhaair.com
Getting There:
Saga Holidays offer a 12 day safari package, In Search of the Royal Bengal Tiger, flying by Gulf Air from London Heathrow to Kathmandu via Bahrain on a scheduled service, although upgrades are available.
The operator provides door-to-door chauffeur car service for customers living within a 75 mile distance from the airport.
The trip – depending on seasonal variations – includes stays at the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge, the Tiger Mountain Tharu Lodge and the Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge as well sight-seeing in Kathmandu .
Saga holidays are exclusively for people aged 50 and over, although a companion of 40 or over is permitted.
Prices start at £1,699. Two nights are spent aboard the aircraft.
Show Images