In Jim Corbett National Park, A Forest Retreat That Doesn't Cost The Earth

NDTV

18-05-2025

New Delhi:
"There are so many things I'm taking back with me from here... things I want to apply in my own space. The way they conserve water, treat waste, do things with simplicity, and still keep it luxurious - it's inspiring," late actor Irrfan said, after his stay at Aahana Resort in 2014.
He had returned to the resort on the fringes of Jim Corbett's Bijrani zone a second time - drawn not just by the wilderness that brushes up against the cottages, but by something rarer: a kind of thoughtfulness that echoed his own sensitivity.
"This place is made with such understanding... it maintains the cycle of nature. That, to me, is real development," he said, and then returned to the resort a third time two years later. This time, Irrfan planted a Kachnar tree - one that still stands tall, a quiet, green signature.
Irrfan is gone. The tree still stands tall, and more than a decade since his visit, stepping into Aahana Resort today still feels like stepping into a philosophy. The air smells different - lemongrass and loam, not luxury perfume. There's no steel-and-glass swagger.
Instead, there's bamboo, banyan and the patient rhythm of a forest that hasn't been pushed aside but gently invited in.
Silence That Doesn't Feel Empty
We arrived at Aahana late afternoon. A koel called out. A sunbird zipped past. The city left our bodies slowly, making way for calmer, greener stuff.
Aahana didn't feel like it was "built". It feels like it grew here.
You won't find oversized chandeliers or clinking lobby pianos. Instead, there's a sense of quiet purpose: the kind that doesn't beg for attention but rewards it.
Luxury With A Conscience
The rooms here are dressed in warm woods, natural fabrics and quiet views. Private balconies open out to swaying bamboo and grazing deer, while interiors offer comforts that don't come at the cost of the planet - chemical-free toiletries, toothpaste tablets, eco-friendly toothbrushes, glass bottles and not a single plastic wrapper in sight.
The resort's philosophy of "luxury meets responsibility" is evident everywhere. It is fully chemical-free - its landscaping, pest control and even farming are done entirely using organic methods.
But what makes Aahana stand apart isn't just what you see - it's the system that runs it. Irrfan was fascinated - and so were we - by their water treatment design: wastewater is cleaned in natural root beds and reused after ten days.
The staff (mostly locals, 90% of whom belong to the Kumaoni community) know the land like an old friend. They speak of plants like they have stories; not just species names.
There are over 200 species of birds here and over five thousand plants.
Walking through the resort's grounds, you encounter an impressive diversity of native flora: from the majestic banyan, bamboo used for flutes and the stately Saal (Surya Robusta) tree to the fragrant lemongrass that fills the air with its fresh citrus scent.
The sprawling Sita Ashok Vatika, a tribute to the mythological garden from Ramayan where Sita was kept, bursts with blooming Ashok plants and offers a living connection to India's rich cultural past. It is luxury with a conscience, and it works.
Nature Walks And All Around
If you think you'll just sit around at this resort that demands slowing down, think again. The guided nature walks are a treasure trove - one moment you're learning about the Sindoor plant; the next, you're watching tiny sunbirds darting around or hearing the calls of bulbuls and babblers. Birdwatching here isn't a chore, it's pure joy.
There's also a chance to visit the on-site organic farm where no chemicals ever touch the soil. The naturalists here (a shoutout to the ever-enthusiastic Karamjit Singh) know every plant and bird by name and love sharing their secrets. Ayurvedic treatments using fresh herbs add a touch of wellness to the forest experience.
Flavours Rooted In Tradition
Food at Aahana's Dhikala restaurant celebrate fresh, organic produce grown on the resort's own farm, bringing seasonal flavours directly to the table.
The Kumaoni thali stands out - a colourful and hearty platter featuring local specialties like bhatt ki churkani (black soybean curry), spiced potatoes known as aloo ke gutke, petha ki badi, mauni raita, moong dal dukke, palak ka kappa, kadhi (curd curry) and the distinctly flavourful bhang ki chutney, made from hemp seeds. The resort excels in their non-vegetarian fare too.
Complementing these dishes are lip-smacking desserts - rice kheer, ragi laddoo, baal mithai, along with wild forest fruits such as water apples and sweet berries. Each bite tastes like the forest itself - fresh, honest and deeply satisfying.
Cocktails here are little experiments with herbs from the garden - fresh turmeric, curry leaves - flavours you never knew worked so well together until you tried them. And the evening chai was pahadi adrak chai, with its warming ginger punch, the perfect nightcap after a day of forest exploration.
What Else
The Sita Ashok Vatika, a garden inspired by the Ramayan, blooms at the heart of the resort - its Ashoka trees evoking stories older than memory.
Aahana's deep commitment to nature extends to its impressive plant biodiversity. Medicinal plants such as Vijay Sar, the juice of whose bark is traditionally used to boost immunity and counter snake bites, and the Mulsari tree, renowned for relieving dental pain, thrive here.
A highlight of the resort is the farm visit, where guests witness traditional organic farming practices firsthand.
No synthetic chemicals disturb the natural cycle, and the fields teem with native plants like Malabellum, whose eco-friendly leaves are woven into plates used during local temple rituals.
Evenings end quietly here: under skies freckled with stars, accompanied by the distant hoot of an owl and the steady hum of crickets. You might spot a Red Whiskered Bulbul fluttering past, or just sit and listen to the silence.
Aahana Resorts
The staff, mostly locals, bring warmth and stories to every interaction, making guests feel a part of the community rather than just a fleeting visitor.
Quiet, Slow Luxury
What stays with us most is that Aahana isn't about fancy trappings. It's about slowing down enough to hear the birds, taste the land, and breathe in a forest that still feels wild. The kind of luxury impossible in your quotidian city lives.
Aahana doesn't overwhelm you. It humbles you. You come expecting a retreat. You leave having experienced a return to simplicity, to awareness, to the rhythm of a land that knows how to give, if only we remember how to receive.
As Irrfan once said, "If we can't protect this forest, then what can we protect?"
This resort takes the forest seriously. In every step.