Anantvan Resort Bandhavgarh

Anant Van fulfils a cherished dream. The latest avatar of Churhat Kothi, it's a wildlife camp with a difference: a small farm at the edge of Bandhavgarh where we have begun a reforestation program, to sustain the delicate ecological balance of our park. Anant Van allows us to bring local communities in Bandhavgarh into the life of the wildlife reserve, since we recognize people's participation as essential to our forest's survival and success. We plan to regenerate 21 acres of overgrazed and barren farmland close to the tiger reserve, in close partnership with the villagers who live here.

The recognition of this fundamental interdependence has led to the Anant Van project, which we established in early 2006. The camp already demonstrates that ecologically viable materials can make for a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing experience. Anant Van is a home stay of two welcoming cottages made from earthen bricks, and two tented cottages with spacious attached bathrooms.

While the cottages are even more comfortable than our tents at Churhat Kothi, the focus at Anant Van is different. Rather than making another luxury camp, we want Anant Van to provide a holistic and spiritually rejuvenating experience. Instead of being clients consuming a tourist experience, our guests will be actively involved in the Anant Van effort.

Living in our new farm, you'll find that your cottage overlooks a vegetable garden at the same time as offering an undisturbed view of the surrounding natural forest. We have radically re-imagined the wildlife camp experience. Rather than scattering facilities to fulfill a static idea of luxury and exclusivity, Anant Van brings different sources of energy together. You'll find signs of the love and commitment that's gone into this project everywhere - whether it's in the images that local villagers have etched into the walls or in the carefully chosen saplings that regenerate the indigenous forest around us.

Cottage / Tent follows the traditional style of village homes in central India, with a deep verandah, a bedroom and an attached bath. The walls are made from a mix of hand-quarried stone and mud bricks baked in our own kiln, and finished with a beautiful, ecologically friendly plaster made of mud. Supervised by our in-house carpenter, local carpenters have built wooden frames for our roofs, to support hand-made tiles that are in keeping with the local architectural idiom.