Bhoramdeo Jungle Retreat

Nestled in the Maikal Hills in the farmhouse-style home of friendly owner Satyendra ‘Sunny’ Upadhyay, BJR is surrounded by thick jungle dotted with tribal villages. Sunny is from nearby Kawardha and has been expertly guiding visitors around this area for nearly 20 years.

Accommodation at BJR is spread across three cottages, built in the style of local village houses with thatched roofs, rough-hewn walls and exposed wooden beams. Rooms are fan-cooled and have en suite bathrooms with running water. The cottages have spacious verandas at the front, lit at night by atmospheric diya oil lamps.

Sunny grows most of the fruit and vegetables used in the kitchen on site, and are used to rustle up delicious traditional Chhattisgarhi cuisine in an open-sided dining pavilion. Chhattisgarh is known as the ‘rice bowl of India’ and has a rich culinary tradition, with the dahl-based dish iddhar a particular local speciality. The friendly staff come from nearby village, as part of Sunny’s commitment to helping local communities as best he can. At night, oil lamps light the paths towards a sunken campfire area, where you and your fellow guests can sit with Sunny and swap stories of your adventures over a beer or glass of mahua – local liquor distilled from fruit.

A stay at BJR is all about immersion in the jungle environment and meeting the people who live nearby; there’s not a gym or a pool, and facilities are pretty thin on the ground, although essential mod cons like electricity, running water and Wi-Fi can be found here. Pets are welcome at the hotel.

The lodge is located very close to the Bhoramdeo Temple, a complex of Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva which date from between the 7^th and 11^th centuries – the intricately carved pillars and buildings are incredibly well-preserved and rival those of any temples in India. Visits to local villages will allow you to meet Baida and Gond people and join in with making pottery and handicrafts or cooking a local dish. Sunny is committed to the preservation of these local people and their ways of life, which is one of BJR’s guiding principles. Guided treks will take you through rich jungle, stopping off for refreshments at jungle villages on the way, and Sunny will point out the rich local birdlife, which includes the paradise flycatcher, scarlet minivet, collared scops owl and golden oriel among many other species. Land animal life spotted in the area includes wolves, nilgai, dholes, hyenas and even the occasional tiger.