Far from the trails of the Kathmandu Valley, Tiger Tops Karnali Lodge sits on 12 hectares (30 acres) of forest and floodplain on the border of Bardia National Park, Nepal’s largest and wildest protected wilderness.
Bardia is one of the best places on the continent to search for the Bengal tiger, alongside populations of Asiatic elephant, leopard and gharial crocodile. The lodge’s naturalists lead the way on open-top jeep safaris in restored Land Rovers, on foot through the forest, and by boat along the Karnali River. Birdlife is prolific; Nepal counts 848 recorded species.
Accommodation is split among nine signature rooms, each ensuite and air-conditioned with handcrafted furniture, and six traditional rooms built using local materials and building methods. A portion of the property has been rewilded, part of a conservation ethic that includes a strict no-elephant-riding policy and close partnerships with local and international conservation organisations.
Meals draw on produce from the lodge’s organic farm, served in the communal lodge area, and evenings often end with a sundowner overlooking the river. Beyond the safari circuit, guided visits to Tharu villages offer an introduction to the customs and daily life of the indigenous community that calls this stretch of the Terai home.