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reserve and are best booked at least 1 month in advance; they offer seclusion and complete privacy, but—as with all of the rest houses outside Dikhala—you’ll have to bring your own supplies. (Don’t leave food lying around—there are reports of elephants ripping out the screen windows of forest rest houses to get to the provisions inside.) One of the best bungalows is at Gairal, near the Ramganga River and close to a hide bank. Kandha Resthouse is set on the highest point within the park. If you’re up for a little more style, ask about lodges once used by British hunters; these have such unexpected luxuries as attached bathrooms, fireplaces, and carpets. For reservations at any of these camps, contact the Director, Corbett Reserve Reception Centre, Ramnagar 244 715 ( 05947/25-1489; fax 05947/25-1376; www.corbettnationalpark.in). At Dhikala, rates range from Rs 200 per person for a log-hut dorm to Rs 1,400 for a room in a cabin, and up to Rs 2,000 or Rs 2,800 for a room in a more private forest bungalow. Rooms in various other rest houses throughout the park cost between Rs 800 and Rs 2,800. Credit cards are not accepted.

Outside the Park

Nature lovers who don’t necessarily require top-notch hotel amenities will love the rustic but terrific Camp Forktail Creek ( 05947/28-7804;www.campforktailcreek.com), run by a young, enthusiastic couple, Ritish Suri and Minakshi Pandey. Accommodations are in safari tents, with elevated wooden floors and attached toilets, or in mud huts with thatched roofs and verandas. Customized walks, safaris, and birding and angling trips include the services of a resident naturalist or tracker. A double at Rs 4,400 includes all meals, cold drinks, and escorted walks; no credit cards. Half- or full-day game drives are offered, and you can also opt for a camping trip into the forest reserve or multi-day elephant safaris. Delicious buffet-style meals are served in “The Thatch”; lit by lanterns at night (there is no electricity), it houses a collection of some 700 books for guests to peruse.

Corbett Hideaway The Hideaway is essentially your best located choice (the other options are all some distance from the gates); other than this it is slightly cheaper than Ramganga (and certainly very affordable option relative to Ranthambore and Madhya Pradesh’s best!). Pebbled pathways interweave with pretty gardens and cozy mustard-colored cottages in a mango orchard. The older, “jungle-themed” cottages have thatched pitched ceilings, stone-tile flooring, comfortable beds, and separate sitting areas with fireplaces. A lovely place to relax is the thatched-roof bar; there’s also a well-stocked library with a selection of Jim Corbett’s books to get you in the mood for tiger-spotting. If you don’t feel like lazing you can go river rafting on the Kosi River, or check out the resort’s resident herd of water buffalo. The evening’s entertainment features Kumaoni folk dancing, a wildlife movie, or a rather uninspiring slide show.

Zero Garjia, Dhikuli 224 715. 05947/28-4132 or -4134. Fax 05947/28-4133. www.leisurehotels.in. 52 cottages. $170 deluxe double; $210 superior double; $250 suite; $280 family (room only). Taxes extra. AE, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants, bar; railway transfer (Rs 650); archery; badminton; billiards; bird-watching; cultural performances; doctor-on-call; fishing; Ayurvedic massage; pool; kids’ pool; river rafting; safaris; table tennis; nature walks. In room: A/C.

Corbett Ramganga Resort Not only tiger-spotters but die-hard anglers head here in hope of bagging India’s ultimate big-game fishing trophy: the mighty mahseer. This decade-old resort, on the banks of the Ramganga River, is not as attractive as its riverfront neighbor Solluna, but it draws an interesting mix of people, many here only to fish—the world record mahseer was bagged just 500m (1,600 ft.) from the Corbett Resort. Of the two options available, we prefer the tented accommodations to the concrete cottages—each large, air-cooled, army-style structure is encased in a thatch shell, with a tiny dressing room and a small shower room attached;