Camp Hornbill

Camp Hornbill is found in the Pawalgarh Conservation Reserve, on the edge of the Corbett Tiger Reserve landscape. Tigers and leopards still pass through, though sightings are rare rather than expected. Because the density here is lower than Corbett's core zone, walking safaris are permitted. Birdwatching is the main draw here. Uttarakhand's altitude range, from valley floor to Himalayan peaks over 7,800 metres, packs in more than 600 of India's 1,248 recorded bird species.

Cottages sit above a river, with roughly 70 per cent of the property land left as tree cover. Rooms are mud-plastered inside in the traditional village style and simply furnished, with a shared library and dining space doubling as the camp's common room. The camp was set up in 2010 by residents of Kyari village and is owned and run solely by the community and its youth. Guides are villagers who've spent their whole lives here and know the plants, birds and wildlife inside out. Meals are hearty, home cooked Kumaoni dishes, and guests are sometimes invited to share a meal directly with village families.