Experience the real Jungle Book with rainforest lodges, boutique resorts and eco-retreats across Asia, writes Laura French.
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1. Habre’s Nest, India
India is awash with Jungle Book-like scenes and Himalayan spot Singalila National Park, home to the rare red panda and more than 300 species of bird, is no exception. For an especially remote place to stay, Wildlife Worldwide recommends Habre’s Nest, a Nepali-style homestay with a bird studio and in house team of naturalists who take guests out to track the park’s elusive creatures.
“For an especially remote place to stay, Wildlife Worldwide recommends Habre’s Nest, a Nepali-style homestay with a bird studio and in house team of naturalists.”
Book it: Wildlife Worldwide spends five nights here on its 14-night photographer-led Red Pandas and Tigers tour, priced from £7,295 including most meals, transfers and flights.
wildlifeworldwide.com
2. Borneo Rainforest Lodge, Borneo
Direct orangutan lovers to this high-end retreat in the Danum Valley Conservation Area of Malaysian Borneo. Set in the heart of the rainforest, it boasts 30 luxury chalets with balconies, outdoor bathtubs and jungle views. Guided treks, night safaris and river tubing trips are among the activities on offer, with spa treatments on hand to help guests wind down and Bornean food served against a backdrop like no other.
“Guided treks, night safaris and river tubing trips are among the activities on offer, with spa treatments on hand to help guests wind down.”
Book it: Regent Holidays offers two nights here as part of a 14-day Borneo Orangutan Experience, priced from £3,460 including all flights, transfers and some meals.
regentholidays.co.uk
3. Elephant Hills, Thailand
For a truly immersive experience, it’s hard to beat Thailand’s Elephant Hills, with its two luxury tented camps (one floating on the lake) in the Khao Sok jungle. Guests can feed and interact with these mammoth creatures as part of a package that includes canoeing, mangrove trips, cultural performances and more.
“Guests can feed and interact with these mammoth creatures as part of a package that includes canoeing, mangrove trips, cultural performances and more.”
Book it: Premier Holidays pairs a two-night stay here with five nights in Phuket and six in Khao Lak from £1,399, including flights and transfers.
premierholidays.co.uk
4. Rosyth Estate House, Sri Lanka
For clients looking to combine nature with wellness, suggest this boutique hotel in Sri Lanka’s Central Highlands, set on a historic tea planter’s estate amid 64 acres of greenery. Daily yoga sessions take place against a soundtrack of monkey howls and birdsong, with healthy food cooked by local chefs and activities that range from painting pottery to massages and meditation, all set among its rolling hills.
“Daily yoga sessions take place against a soundtrack of monkey howls and birdsong, with healthy food cooked by local chefs.”
Book it: Travel Gallery combines four nights here with three in Yala National Park, from £2,410, including local excursions, two spa treatments, a driver-guide and flights.
travel-gallery.co.uk
5. Cardamom Tented Camp, Cambodia
Cambodia might not get the hype of its neighbours but there’s no reason it shouldn’t. Among its unspoilt stretches is Botum Sakor National Park, a 700-square-mile expanse home to some of Asia’s rarest species including fishing cats, pangolins, sun bears and more. Cardamom Tented Camp sits at its heart, offering nine safari-style tents centred around all things eco, with conservation activities filling the time between trekking and kayaking.
“Among its unspoilt stretches is Botum Sakor National Park, a 700-square-mile expanse home to some of Asia’s rarest species including fishing cats, pangolins and sun bears.”
Book it: InsideAsia offers two nights’ B&B at the camp as part of a 14-night Kingdom of Adventure trip, from £2,962, including guides and transfers.
insideasiatours.com
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