Vanghat Lodge - Corbett National Park

Vanghat is located on a secluded bank of the Western Ramganga River. An internationally acclaimed wilderness lodge, it is one of the most remote wildlife lodges in northern India. “Vanghat” is accessible only by a 1.8 km cross-country walk and crossing river waters on a handmade bamboo raft. Vanghat is a wilderness paradise unlike anything else to be found in Corbett Landscape (around Corbett Tiger Reserve).

We suggest you incorporate Vanghat in your tour programmes for WALKING SAFARIs once your clients have finished their tiger quest inside the Corbett Tiger Reserve. They will have the possibilities of seeing some of the most elusive mammals in the surrounding forests which they may not be able to see from 4 x 4 jeeps.

At least two days of exploration on foot is recommended to get better feel of the wilderness here.

Fresh pug marks seen very frequently around the lodge all throughout the summer and winter months is testimony to the good presence of cat species in the valley. Leopards are also present here but are famously more circumspect of unwanted human contact than tigers.

Other felines, such as the Jungle, Leopard and Fishing cats and smaller predators including Indian python, cobra, mongoose and marten, have been spotted. Both sloth and Himalayan black bears are occasional visitors too.

The Barking Deer (also known as the Muntjac) and Sambar Deer are commonly seen in the valley. Himalayan goral, a shy goat antelope species, can be frequently sighted on the rock faces across the river opposite the lodge and an extremely rare Himalayan Serow antelope was photographed here in what is likely a first for the region. The sound of alarm calls of prey animals echoes the forest from dusk until dawn reminding one of the presence of the predator.

Vanghat’s visitor list include herds of elephant that stroll through the valley. They often peacefully walk between the buildings of the property itself (something accounted for in the design of the lodge). Wild boar and porcupine are other of our most high-spirited guests here.

Apart from seeing immense golden Mahseer, the largest of carp species and a legendary game fish reaching over a meter in length on our stretch of the Ramganga River and Goonch, a giant catfish, the waters are also frequented by common Indian otter and mugger crocodiles.

Needless to say that Vanghat is paradise for avian fauna. Being on a transition zone between plains and the Kumaon hills, we see almost all of bird species found in the region either as residents or migrants. Pallas's, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brown and Tawny Fish Owl are some of the raptors frequently sighted here. Great Hornbills, Brown Dipper, Wallcreeper and several species of forktails (the Spotted and Little Forktail being the most common) are the specialty of Vanghat. Some other birds seen here are Long-billed, White-throated and White-crested Laughing Thrush, Common Green Magpie, Long-tailed Broadbill, Maroon Orioles, Blue-winged Minla, Black-throated Tit, Chestnut-bellied Nuthatch and Scarlet Minivets, Plain-backed and the much sought after Scaly Thrush, Kalij Pheasants, Red Jungle Fowl, sunbirds (Green-tailed, Crimson and Black-throated), Niltavas and Yuhinas etc.