Out in the wilderness

Kavita Kanan Chandra

As camels trudged over the vast stretches of golden sand, the riders exuded joy and excitement. The terrain was covered by huge shifting sand dunes, with scrub vegetation scattered all along the Sam Sand Dunes in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. The guests were cherishing a slice of their fantasy of the slow-moving caravans that they had seen in pictures and movies. In the fading light of the evening, they returned to the camp site to be regaled by folk songs and dances, coupled with local delicacies for a sumptuous dinner.

As the temperature dropped, they retreated to the cosy tents with aesthetic interiors equipped with basic modern amenities for a sweet slumber. As the winter chill hung in the air and whistling winds flapped the tent sides, they lay smug in its comforting embrace, enjoying a desert experience.

Those who find such campsites more of an entertainment than relaxation in solitude could opt for a more authentic experience. You could be truly disconnected from the world, gazing at the stars and sleeping in small tents pitched just for you or a few fellow travellers. You could be a mere speck in the vastness of the desert, all alone with your thoughts.

Increasingly, travellers are satiating their desire for unusual lodgings and traditional eco-friendly stays to connect with their artistic, imaginative, quirky, dreamy side or to connect with nature as much as possible.

Staying in tents, cabins, tree houses, caves, traditional stilt-houses, mud huts, floating homestays and igloos, bang in the middle of a desert, forest, secluded beaches, hills, valleys, lakes or islands, is what many avid travellers are looking at for some extraordinary and curated experiences. Whether it is the thrill of adventure or solace of solitude, embracing the beauty of nature or to feel more connected with it, travellers are going wholeheartedly for it. 

Seeing the trend, several small and big players are offering something beyond the conventional, without compromising on basic comforts and food. The options range from budget to luxury for you to choose.

Some options are seasonal, like the tent city that comes up near Bhuj in the Great Rann of Kutch, and the tents put up in the Thar Desert during cooler months, usually from October to March. The novelty of the igloos during winter in the hillsides near Manali and the transparent inflatable igloo bubble tents in summer near Ooty will catch on in coming years.

Igloo experience in Manali 

When two avid skiers, Vikas and Tashi Dorje, native of Himachal Pradesh, offered skiing and trekking to tourists in Sethan village near Manali, it gave one the feel of Alaska. However, the skiers had to rush back to their lodgings in the evening, leaving behind the beauty of the snow-covered alpine hills. To live in the wilderness, in the serenity of woods, and to wake up to the morning mist shrouding the hills and trees was something they sought. “We experimented and struggled for almost seven years to finally open for public in 2016 and now have five igloos, each accommodating four people,” said Vikas. 

Made of snow, the seasonal igloos are constantly repaired for they melt slightly during daytime but offer much warmth during nights. What a bliss to sleep in igloos in the snowy hills, enjoying hot meals on dining table made of snow and embracing the sunbeams filtering through tree branches. A most eco-friendly and sustainable way to stay!

Far away in Crest valley at Avalanche near Ooty, a techie and traveller at heart, Dhilip Kumar, offers transparent inflatable igloo bubble tents that could be pitched just anywhere in the wild. Secluded in a private property for security and privacy, the see-through tents add a bit of drama to your stay. The tourists could sleep or lay awake, mesmerised by the twinkling stars in the dense green forest with no worries. “Each bubble tent accommodates two people and could be put up during summer,” said Dhilip.  

Some like going traditional and eco-friendly while staying in the time-tested traditional mud huts, bhungas in Gujarat, bamboo stilt-houses of North-east or even in floating homestays on the Loktak lake of Manipur and houseboats in Kerala backwaters. The bonus is to enjoy the traditional cuisine and get acquainted with local culture and lifestyle.

Floating homestays 

Imagine living on a homestay that floats! Some floating homes in the phumdis (heterogenous mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter) of the famous freshwater Loktak lake in Manipur offer homestays. Surrounded by the serenity of the lake, watching lotus bloom and the gentle ripples of water is quite an experience. 

In Assam’s largest river island of Majuli, staying in a bamboo cottage on stilts that blends seamlessly with surrounding greenery of lush rice fields is an enriching experience. Modelled on a Mising tribal Chang Ghar, even objects inside are woven or made of bamboo or natural fibres. What an eco-friendly sustainable life the tribes lead.  “We invite guests to our kitchen for homemade Mising food and rice beer,” said Monjit Risong, the caretaker, eager to share his customs and traditions with curious travellers.

In the Rann Visamo village of the arid Rann of Kutch, the Meghwar community offer stays in circular mud Bhungas decorated with mirrors and patchwork. The isolated village in the arid land offers comfortable stay, coupled with a sense of security that even intense seismic shockwaves would keep you protected.   

If you care for environment, care for sustainable and responsible travels to impact the earth minimally, then these offbeat eco-friendly homestays are the retreat for you.    

For those seeking thrill in the wild, staying in tree houses would enable them to relive childhood fantasy of comic heroes like Tarzan and Phantom. With many tree houses around, nature lovers should search for some rustic ones offering a truly indigenous way of living.

Taking a leaf out of Ruskin Bond and Enid Blyton stories, many love to have the forest all to themselves in the company of chirping birds and wild animals from the safety of solitary cabins in the woods. In Uttarakhand and Nilgiris, one could find such private well-equipped cabins with modern amenities and kitchenettes. Many state governments, like the Himachal Pradesh Tourism, enable online booking of state forest guest houses promoted as eco-tourism. The 100-300 years old vintage colonial structures, some made of stones or wood in a secluded forest, offers stunning views known to few.