Jamtara Wilderness Camp - Pench National Park
Conservation-led, Art Deco safari glamping — eccentric, eco-conscious, intimate, and deeply connected to wildlife and community
Book the Jungle Plan over the American Plan — it includes two shared safaris, naturalist services, buffer zone walks, and village walks, not just meals.
Why It Matters
Run by Amit Sankhala, grandson of India's first Project Tiger Director. Every design and operational decision is tied to a tangible rewilding and community-empowerment mission. Featured in NYT, Condé Nast Traveller, Vogue, Bloomberg, and National Geographic Traveller. One of the only properties on the quieter Jamtara gate side of Pench — you won't be queuing at the park entrance with a dozen other jeeps.
Ten canvas tents set on a working tiger reserve — that's Jamtara in its simplest form. The Sankhala family, whose grandfather led India's Project Tiger in 1973, built this camp on a deeply personal conservation mission. Furniture tells the story: floors reclaimed from ship decks, 1970s Art Deco sofas from former Delhi embassies, desks from the Supreme Court of India. No two pieces match, and somehow it all holds together. The whole camp packs up every May and lets the jungle reclaim the land until October — meaning you're sharing space with a forest that knows it has the upper hand.
Where You'll Stay
2 room types available
Luxury Safari Tent
From INR39,875 / nightCanvas tents set under tall Arjuna trees overlooking a dry riverbed. Each tent rolls up its front panels entirely, turning your patio into a seamless extension of the jungle outside. Bathrooms are the one permanent structure — solid, real, with proper plumbing. Inside: hardwood floors reclaimed from ship decks, 1970s Art Deco furniture from former Delhi embassies, desks from India's Supreme Court. King or twin bed configurations available. Air-conditioned. Welcome fruit and chocolates on arrival.
King or Twin
Star Bed (Machan)
From INR9,750 / nightA traditional Indian machan — a raised platform bed in the open fields, modelled on how local villagers sleep outdoors to guard their crops from wildlife. You're in the open air, stars overhead, listening to crickets, owls, jackals, and the alarm calls of spotted deer. Quilts and hot water bottles provided for cool nights. This is a revenue-sharing initiative with local villagers and part of the camp's broader rewilding mission. Single or double occupancy at the same rate.
The Property
Eat & Drink
2 venues on property
Restaurant
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
Special outdoor dinner can be arranged on request — dining under the stars away from the main camp area. Not a regular nightly event; arrange in advance.
Refreshments and picnic breakfast served during or after morning safari drives. A classic feature of Jungle Plan stays.
Special cooking classes can be arranged for interested guests, connecting the farm-to-table dining philosophy with hands-on food preparation.
Guided strolls through Jamtara village and surroundings — a quiet, very rural community where farming defines daily life. Guests can watch jaggery being made from sugarcane (locals boil and churn sugarcane juice into unrefined sugar over enormous pots). Good insight into how communities live alongside one of India's working tiger reserves.
Complimentary bicycles for guests to explore the countryside and jungle trails. Naturalists accompany riders. One TripAdvisor reviewer notes going for a morning run with a staff member on a trail bike following alongside — the camp is flexible about this kind of thing.
Nightly campfire where guests gather to swap stories of the day's wildlife sightings. A core part of the camp's social rhythm — this is where everyone from the tiny 10-tent property tends to converge.
Guided walks through the buffer zone of Pench National Park with resident naturalists. Guests are given a personal 'Jamtara Book' to record flora and fauna sightings. Camera traps around the camp regularly capture wildlife passing through.
Morning (6am–10am) and afternoon (2pm–6pm) jeep safaris into Pench National Park through the Jamtara gate — the quieter side of the reserve. Groups of four to six in a 4x4 safari vehicle with resident naturalist guides. Wildlife includes tigers, leopards, sloth bears, wild dogs (dholes), gaur, spotted deer, fish owls, and hawk-eagles. Two shared safaris are included in the Jungle Plan rate. Exclusive private jeep safaris are available at Rs. 9,000 supplement per jeep per safari.
Spend a night on a traditional elevated machan platform in the open fields. Based on the local farming tradition of sleeping outdoors to watch over crops from wildlife. You hear everything — crickets, owls, jackals, spotted deer alarm calls signalling a predator nearby. Quilts and hot water bottles provided. Part of a community rewilding initiative. Available as an add-on at Rs. 9,750 per night.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
WiFi is complimentary but limited — there is very little mobile network coverage in the area. Expect minimal internet. This is by design and part of the appeal.
All tents are air-conditioned. Heating also available for cooler months.
A unique vertical gramophone in the common area — a characterful centrepiece that plays jazz and other vinyl records (Ray Charles noted). Pure Jamtara.
A small but cozy library in the main lodge building with large, comfortable sofas. Good for a lazy afternoon between safaris. Bird identification books available.
A freeform infinity pool overlooking the jungle tree line. Low cushions on a wooden deck around the pool. Shaded loungers nearby. Described by the camp as the pool they retreat to between safaris for a cool dip.
Bicycles available for guests to explore the surrounding countryside and buffer zone trails.
Nightly campfire in a tree-shaded sandy clearing strung with fairy lights. Hot-water bottles available for chilly evenings.
Camera traps are set up around the tent areas to capture wildlife passing through the camp at night — footage is sometimes shared with guests.
BUILD YOUR JAMTARA WILDERNESS CAMP - PENCH NATIONAL PARK PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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