Corbett raises rates, yet tourist rush unabated

Jotirmay Thapliyal in Dehradun

If you plan to catch the breathtaking sight of the ‘perfect gentleman of the Corbett National Park’ in his full camouflaged glory, this can be your time of choosing. Also, do take care you have enough to spend for the unforgettable experience. The park, famous for tigers, has raised rest house tariffs substantially. You may, however, find the scramble for the booking unabated. 

The rate revision, both for safari and the night stay, comes after nearly nine years. So, a four-hour safari at Bijrani zone will cost you Rs 2,000 (earlier Rs 1,600) and Rs 2,200 at Dhela, Jhirna and Durga Devi zones (instead of Rs 1,750).

The park authorities want to go a step further by proposing an increase in the forest rest house tariff for night stay at its various tourist zones. As per the proposal, a tourist who wants to stay at Dikala, the most sought-after tourist accommodation inside the park, will have to pay Rs 4,800 per person for the first twenty-four hours. This will be followed by a tariff of Rs 7,000 per person for the next 24 hours and subsequently Rs 9,000 for the third day. Similarly in Bijrani zone, for the first twenty-four hours, a tourist will have to pay Rs 3,800 while for the next day the charge will go up to Rs 5,500 and for the third day, Rs 7,500.

Director Corbett Tiger Reserve Surendra Mehra says the hikes will be implemented soon. “The housekeeping costs are rising every year. Yet, our tariffs are still cheaper than those offered by hotels and resorts outside the park. In many ways, our facilities are better,” says Mehra. To regulate the rush, the authorities have restricted the tourist stay within the park to three days. This was meant to accommodate the maximum visitors. Earlier, a tourist could stay for nearly a week. 

Over the years, the cheaper home stay option has gained ground in the peripheral villages of the park. Many of these home-stays are managed by villagers and locals. Champions Bungalow in Ramnagar is one such place. Managed by Satish Upadhyay, a former forest officer, Champions Bungalow offers night stay in a double-bed accommodation for Rs 1,500, which includes tea and vegetarian food. Upadhyay says he provides the cheapest accommodation. “But the government has not done enough to encourage home-stays. Plus, a tourist doesn’t mind paying more for staying in the core area of the forest with average facilities,” he says.

Piyush Joshi, who runs the Camp Adventure Hotel, says hotels and resorts near Corbett charge anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 25,000 per night. 

Wildlife enthusiast Hem Singh Gehlot, who has to his credit several studies on Corbett, points out the pluses of living inside the park. “First is one s closest to nature. Second, the absence of mobile phone connectivity leaves one with solitude, a rarity these days. Third, you get better chances of wildlife sighting. Hotels and resorts can’t provide you those comforts.”