Sher Bagh has now completed eight successful seasons in operation, and,  as we re-open for our ninth on the 30th of September, Ranthambhore will be lush and green. The monsoon would have transformed the dry grasses and leaves,  the park will be teeming with animal and bird life.

We fully refurbished the camp last year, which as we had hoped, has been brilliantly received and appreciated by our guests in the past season. The hand-crafted teak and rosewood Campaign furniture has given Sher Bagh a ‘pukka’ 1920s safari feel. This combined with our refined soft furnishings have made the camp truly luxurious, yet in keeping with its surroundings.

Our delicious, fresh and mostly organic menus have been a great hit, and we were recently featured in Gourmet Travel - House and Garden. Last year the celebrated British Chef, Gary Rhodes chose us to be part of his series Rhodes Across India, which was aired on UKTV Food Channel. This apart, our guest comments speak for themselves.

To further enhance the guest experience, we have just added more land to the estate, which includes the addition of a new water hole designed to blend with the surrounding landscape and offering panoramic views of the ancient Aravalli hill range that rings the camp. The placement of a deck made from local natural materials will create another area for guests to relax in.

Unstinted in our commitment to Ranthambhore National Park, we have continued to contribute our support to park management. Earlier this year Sher Bagh donated an Eicher Troop Carrier to the Forest Department for patrolling the park. As some parts of the park faced an acute water shortage this summer Sher Bagh decided to fund the construction of a well and a trough for animals to drink from. This well was dug in Jailkho, part of the Khandar Forest Range and has been fully operational since mid April. We have committed to also fund the planting of 5, 000 indigenous trees this year, in areas surrounding the park using saplings bought from the Ranthambhore Foundation’s nursery. Sher Bagh has also generated enormous support and awareness for newly created areas around the Park, such as Kundal, part of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, which require public attention to become viable havens for our wildlife. The camp continues to recycle much of its waste-water, and use waste-fed boilers for its running hot water. We are looking into the option of Solar Power as well.

In keeping with our policy to provide employment and a livelihood for local communities we are proud that 95 percent of our staff are from villages surrounding the park area and have been trained in-house, from scratch. Most of them began their working lives at Sher Bagh, and have now completed eight years with us. Our new Managers, Tal Miller and Katie Hamilton have recently joined us and will be a great addition to the Camp. They look forward to welcoming you at Sher Bagh!

JAISAL SINGH
Executive Director

As Sher Bagh enters its eighth spring this year, there is much to merit interest, excitement and hope for the future. Both, the camp as well as Ranthambhore National Park have seen some seminal changes this season.

The ageless and pristine natural beauty of Ranthambhore has continued to delight visitors. Moreover the increase in regularity with which visitors have sighted tiger’s gives us all hope for the magnificent creatures continued survival in the wild. At least four tigresses are with cubs and there are indications that at least one more may be pregnant. This is great news for Ranthambhore and for the species in particular. The Lake Tigress, popularly know as ‘Machli’ has been a source of continual marvel and a source of inspiration for all those who know her. Now with her fifth ‘litter’, she is frequently seen moving across the park in her characteristically bold manner.

Winter has also seen an influx of migratory birds arriving from their annual migrations, into and around the Park. With water levels remaining high the area has provided a unique and unprecedented opportunity for bird-watchers to indulge themselves in close observation.

The Forest Department has also opened new areas to the peripheries of the park and these provide an expansion in experience for all visitors to Ranthambhore. Kundal and Balas, both contiguous with the Park have proved to be popular with guests and naturalists alike. From tiger to herds of the otherwise elusive Indian gazelle, Kundal and Balas offer an alternative landscape with their rolling countryside and extensive views.

Within Sher Bagh too we have sought to enlarge the definition of comfort and luxury while keeping in mind the form we have always maintained of a forest friendly tented camp. New lounge and sitting areas, built on mud-decks allow guests to lie back and observe nature and the geological wonder that is Ranthambhore, in serenity and peace. Our lounge areas offer panoramic views of the surrounding country, agrarian India at its beautiful best and of the ancient Aravalli hills that run around Ranthambhore. Alternatively if guests wish they can walk around our private lake, through the sun-kissed fields of vetiver and dhaman grass. This walk is a particular favourite with bird-watchers who sometimes spend hours watching the diverse bird-life in and around the lake.

More recently, in keeping with our commitment to conservation and protecting the environment Sher Bagh donated a 20-seater ‘Canter’ to the Forest Department which will assist the department in patrolling, transporting staff and other activities. The presentation ceremony was conducted at the Headquarters of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur where Mr. Jaisal Singh, our Vice-Chairman, presented the vehicle to Mr. R.S. Shekhawat the Divisional Forest Officer & Deputy Conservator of Forests, Ranthambhore and one of his Assistant Conservators, Mr. Sudarshan Sharma. We are already in the process of creating an in-house center devoted to the collection and display of archival and research material about tigers and wildlife of Ranthambhore. This Wildlife Resource & Information Centre will include textual as well as visual material on a range of interests to do with wildlife, environment and eco-tourism. We hope it will provide a useful introduction to guests visiting Ranthambhore for the first time.

THE GENERAL MANAGER
20^th January 2008.