My Visit To Golden Tusk Resort In Jim Corbett National Park

About Jim Corbett National Park

Jim Corbett National Park is located in Nainital district of state of Uttarakhand in India. The said park is often referred to as Corbett Tiger reserve. The Park is located in the foothills of Himalayas and is renowned for its pristine natural beauty and abundant wildlife including Royal Bengal Tigers, Leopards, Elephants, Deer, reptiles, different species of birds just to name a few.

Golden Tusk Resort pool side view

Jim Corbett National Park is spread over 520 square kilometers of area and is divided into several zones such as Bijrani Safari Zone, Jhirna Safari Zone, Dhela Safari Zone, Dhikala Zone, Durga Devi Zone and Sitabani Buffer Zone. 

How To Reach Jim Corbett National Park:

The nearest town being Ramnagar, which is well connected by road as well as by rail. The Park is approximately at a distance of around 250-260 km from Delhi and around 65-70 km from Nainital. As such visiting the Park is not a cumbersome task. 

About my visit:

It was in the month of October 2015, I planned for the first time to visit Jim Corbett National Park. It was to be a family visit, so I decided to book a decent Resort for stay in the Park. After checking online several resorts, my friend and I finally zeroed down to The Golden Tusk Resort. The Resort (4 star resort) seemed to be good as such the booking was done. It was an all inclusive package i.e. consisting of stay and food charges.

We decided to visit the Resort in my own car. The Journey begins at around 8AM and after having a short refreshment in a highway food corner (ढाबा ) we headed towards Ramnagar. Since we had never visited the Resort earlier, we took the help of Google Maps to reach our destination.

We reached Ramnagar at around 1PM and then the jungle area began. I would like to caution you all that the moment you start entering the jungle/forest area drive very carefully and not at high speed as the animals keep on crossing the roads, moreover the mobile signals are almost lost so better download the maps if you are following the google maps to reach your destination.

As you venture deeper into the jungle. the scenario drastically changes. There are very few people on the road and you are amidst dense forest areas with big-big trees on either side of the road. 

The environment was fresh and full of oxygen. As I drop the window glass of the car, I could easily hear the loud noise of Cricket insect ( झींगुर की आवाज़). It was a tremendous feeling as you suddenly realize that you are in a deep jungle full of big cats like Tigers and Leopards. The feel can only be experienced if you visit the place.

The Golden Tusk Resort

I kept on driving cautiously until I reached the main entrance gate of The Golden Tusk Resort. Where the guard upon inquiring about our bookings, welcomed us to the resort. 

We had booked the villa, it was a two story unit and I had got the ground floor one. I checked into the room, it was of decent size (although not very big) with a toilet/washroom attached and a small additional sitting area.

After taking some rest we came out to have a look at the entire resort. It was spread into a very big area. The boundary (opposite to entrance gate) was touching the dry river bed of a monsoon river named as Dhela river. There were big big pebbles and the dense jungle across it. The view was awesome.

The Golden Tusk resort also has its swimming pools and the best part of it was that there were separate two smaller swimming pools for kids also and it was here where we spend most of our time and the kids also enjoyed it a lot. There was also a big changing room adjacent to the pool.

The restaurant was a big one and the food quality and varieties were decent. The most I loved was the open part of the restaurant where you can have coffee with your loved ones and enjoy the Panoramic view of the jungle across the Dhela river (a monsoon river) and the freshness all around.

In the resort there was also provision for cycling, practicing for rock climbing, playing badminton etc. There was also a huge auditorium for organizing group partying or for celebration.

Morning view in Golden Tusk Resort The next morning we planned for a safari in the jungle. We were informed that the core areas like Dhikala, Jhirna etc were yet to be opened as the same remains closed in the monsoon season but at that time Sitabani Buffer zone was opened and so we decided to visit it on an open Gypsy.

Dhela river view from Golden Tusk Resort We started early at around 6 am. The air was unexpectedly chilled. The Gypsy went through the road and then through several rough patches and we also crossed several dry river beds and entered into the jungle. There were sounds of animals and chirping of birds. We saw several deer, sambhar, porcupine, peacock etc.

The jungle in Sitabani zone is very beautiful and dense. Just by the name buffer zone don't mistake it to be devoid of carnivores, so don't come out of the Gypsy at any random place unless told by the guide, as it can be really dangerous.

Paddy field view outside Golden Tusk Resort (Jim Corbett)

We traveled to around 25-30 km deep inside the zone, until we reached a place where we were informed that a temple of Sita is there. It was told that as per the mythological belief Sita ji resided for some time in this jungle at one point of time.

Local vendor cooking snacks in Sitabani forest in Jim Corbett

At that point we got out of Gypsy and had tea and snacks (maggie it was) which was being prepared by a local village guy. The experience was awesome. After spending some time there, we returned back to the Golden Tusk Resort.

In the evening my friend and I visited the reception and we had a talk with one Mr. Thakur (as I remember he was in-charge of the resort) and he shared his valuable experiences about Jim Corbett National Park. He even showed us many footage of wild animals which he had in his laptop which were really mind-boggling.

At the time of my visit the resort provided wifi facility near reception area only and since there was no mobile coverage so we made few urgent calls from the landline at reception room in the resort. But I must say, being unconnected with the rest of the world for a couple of days during your leisure trip is the best way to unwind yourself.

The next morning after having breakfast we left for Delhi. It was truly a very fulfilling stay in the Golden Tusk Resort.

Conclusion:

• Jim Corbett National Park is one of the most beautiful tiger reserves. 

• Remember that the park remains closed during monsoon season, so do inquire from authority prior to visit.

• Jungle Safari is allowed inside the Reserve but bookings are to be done for that. You can also take help of the hotel/resort where you stay for help and assistance.

• My experience of Golden Tusk Resort has been very satisfying. The landscape, the food and the overall service quality was very good. You can definitely check this for a comfortable and joyful stay away from city hustle and bustle.

• Never forget that you are amidst a dense jungle surrounded by wild animals, so always follow the safety norms and advise of the guides.

Also read:

My most unforgettable trip to Rishikesh

My journey to Prehistoric cave paintings in Alwar

Trip to Badrinath and Mana village in Himalayas

[Disclaimer: The aforesaid views and experience are personal to the author and viewers and travelers are advised to check from concerned authority prior to travelling to the site. Further the author shall not be liable for any errors or omissions in the information. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company or individual. We always respect the dignity and feelings of any religion, ethnic, individual, groups, company etc. Photos in the post are subject to copyright.]