Nepal offers completely unspoiled routes for the travelers who want to take the trails less trodden. The paths are empty except for meeting the occasional yaks, woodcutters and herders. Camp is set where there is a beautiful spot. Mountain Travel’s expert Sardars, the likes of Ang Pempa Sherpa who has reached Everest’s Summit will guide you along the way. They will make sure you are well looked after – while walking during the day and at the tented camp at night.

This time of year, where the temperature is rising in Nepal before the arrival of the monsoon, the area around Charikot and Kalinchowk towards Tibet offers beautiful and cool trekking. All the photos in this blog are from a trek last week in this area.

Stine Edwards
Denmark

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After what seemed like a lifetime of waiting we found ourselves after a long journey south, boarding a Oman Air flight to Kathmandu for the start of our adventure. We enjoyed the hospitality and delicious food together with plenty of good music and films to while away the 3622 miles to our brief stopover in Muscat. After changing ‘planes we continued our 1691 miles to Kathmandu and landed safely and on time.

Tired but relieved to be there at last we were collected by taxi and taken to our first residence, the lovely publisher’s house in a upmarket residential area. A slight hitch and communication problem meant we had to contact someone to allow us into the house and then some locals rallied round to sort out some supplies for us and eventually travelers fatigue took over and we slept well during our two night stay. This gave us time to wander in the local area, taking in the sights and sounds of this quieter part of Kathmandu. Before we knew it, it was time for our transfer onto Bardia.

Our flight in a small plane courtesy of Yeti Airlines took only 55 minutes and this was when our real adventure began! The views of the snow-capped Himalayan mountain range during our flight, was breathtakingly beautiful and the memory of it will be forever imprinted in our minds. Arriving at Nepalgunj airstrip we were met by Ashik from Tiger Tops and we were on our way; a real chance to sit back and relax and enjoy the amazing scenery stopping en route to admire fishing Gharials, Marsh Crocodiles and Softshelled Turtles.

So, Tiger Tops – my goodness-.what a delightful place! Think luxury, think beauty, think gastronomic excellence.. Kate and her team are the best in their field and we were spoilt rotten! Myself personally being a complete self-confessed “foodie”, enjoyed the fresh natural produce and perfectly served and presented food and without wishing to sound patronising it really was like being on the set of “Master chef” at every sitting. Breakfast and lunch on the lawn- evening meal in the ambience of the candlelit indoor dining/bar area, was pure culinary indulgence.

We occupied room number 12 at Karnali Lodge and enjoyed the serenade of forest creatures to lull us to sleep and awoke to birdsong ringing out through the early morning mist .As our visit coincided with the late monsoon, the humidity was very testing at times but we coped admirably and the enthralling sights, sounds and experiences far outweighed the discomfort of the unrelenting heat. For our five day stay we teamed up with chief naturalist Ramdin who became our guide, protector, educator and above all dear friend and together we all merged into the landscape of Bardia , sometimes on foot and other times by Jeep accompanied by driver Krishna and guide Ashik. Sunrises and sunsets brought magic and wonder, the birdlife satisfied the bird watcher/wildlife photographer in me and my camera was always on full alert! We studied and marvelled at pug marks from both Leopard and Tiger although we were not lucky enough to come across either, it didn’t detract from the privilege of being in their environment.

Now, once or twice in a lifetime you experience something that is both amazing and terrifying at the same time. Something that makes you realise your mortality and your aliveness in the same intense way and what happened on one excursion into the forest on our trusty elephant, Laxmi, left an indelible imprint on both heart and mind. All was serene in the forest, the ride through the lush grassland and paths, to be honest not an entirely comfortable ride due to the gait of the mighty creature that is an elephant but all the same a pleasure As we headed towards the fringes of the river bed after being lulled into, I suppose, a false sense of security suddenly everything changed in the flick of our elephants ear! We had been tracking Rhinoceros,, following their tracks and dung deposits….in what seemed like an eternity when in fact only a minute or two, from out of the screen of Elephant Grass, came a charging female Rhino protecting her young calf, she hurtled up the bank straight towards us and Laxmi and the two other elephants that accompanied us both hit defence mode…trunks raised, ears flapping, their bodies shaking beneath us like a earthquake…vocally trumpeting and stamping as if ready to charge themselves. Luckily for us they stood their ground until the Rhino backed off and disappeared from view – we really did see our lives flash before us and thanked God that the elephants natural instinct to retaliate was overridden by their bond and commands from their mahouts to keep calm. Both Roxanne and myself thought we were about to meet our maker and it left us shaken and tearful, not just from the fear, but for the amazing encounter itself. Pure nature in the raw and we were right there amongst it. It is still and will remain one of the most memorable wildlife experiences that I will ever have the privilege of in my lifetime. We certainly could not stop relaying the story for a long time after the event and we are happy that we have lived to tell the tale! As we found out, our elephants were not the regular elephants that are used for this excursion; they were on loan and because of this had never, as far as the mahouts were aware, ever encountered Rhinos! Credit must go to the wonderful mahouts and their enviable bond with the elephants that a potentially dangerous confrontation was averted. Probably we bore the brunt of the Rhinos distaste at our presence as Roxanne and I were on the lead elephant!

On a lighter, more relaxed outing we visited local Tharu communities, such a humbling and richly rewarding few hours mingling with the people that live and work (very hard I must add). We marvelled at the skill of the basket weavers, clay workers and fishermen/ women, to the hard working women and men that provide income and small comforts for their families and each other. The children, as always, were a constant source of delight, running into the streets with smiling faces and shouts of “Hello! Hello!” or “Jeep! Jeep!” whenever we passed through. Back at Tiger Tops we were introduced to Surya who is pioneering organic farming practices on site and he gave us a guided tour of the gardens with interesting banter and information on his project. Long may he continue – he was certainly an enthusiastic and engaging character. That same evening, after the heat of the day was slowly sapping our energy we sat near the gardens on a bench and got lost in nature’s magic beneath a large tree that was sparkling from top to bottom with Fireflies. I have seen them many times but not in such great numbers and with such glory that it brought tears to my eyes from the sheer beauty of the spectacle. Certainly another unforgettable Nepalese experience!

All too soon it was our last day and the mood around the place was a little subdued with the news of the tragic air crash in Kathmandu resulting in a terrible loss of life. We personally were a little shaken and unsettled as we were to be flying back to Kathmandu via a small plane. Concerned friends and family back home were worrying about us, having heard the news back in the UK and at the time were not aware of exactly when it was that we were flying back. We were able to reassure people that we were safe and well via the internet with kind permission from Tiger Tops staff as we had been unable to obtain a mobile phone signal to respond to worried calls and messages.

In the evening we had a relaxing game drive to the banks of the Karnali River and our hosts provided drinks and chairs to enable us to sit by the rivers tranquil bank until the sun went down enjoying good company and conversation. The return to Kathmandu went without a hitch until our taxi driver could not locate where it was we needed to be and the language barrier made it too difficult so we asked to be dropped near the local centre and we made our way back to the publishers house on foot which was no mean feat as it meant negotiating rough roads, walls and stony paths with all our luggage! All part of the fun I guess and it did aid a good night’s sleep before our return to the UK.

So to sum up, what can I say? A memorable, exhilarating trip and one which more than sated my wanderlust and quest for new richer experiences and we both personally wish to thank Himalayas Nepal magazine, Oman Air, Yeti Airlines and the staff at Tiger Tops forworking together to ensure this was a prize worth winning!

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High Season (Spring/Autumn)                                                            Rate

Karnali lodge                                                                                              US $ 250
Karnali lodge Signature room                                                             US $ 350

Tiger Tops Tharu lodge                                                                          US $ 200

Low season (Winter/Summer)

Karnali lodge                                                                                             US $ 225
Karnali lodge Signature room                                                           US $ 315

Tiger Tops Tharu lodge                                                                     US $ 180

The above rates are on a per person per night sharing basis and subject to 13% government tax and 10% service charge.
Single supplement 50% of rate. The above rates include all meals and safari activities, but exclude items of a personal nature and national park fees.

READ MORE HERE >>

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Using, replenishing and protecting the environment are key approaches to implementing basic but effective solutions to waste management. With lodges located in remote rural areas of Nepal, it is paramount that Tiger Tops manages as much waste as possible on site. Now, using elephant manure, food scraps, and garden waste, Tiger Tops will create a prototype of compost heating. The principle is simple – when large quantities of compost are breaking down, up to 40-60 degrees Celsius of heat is generated. By capturing that heat and transferring it though pipes to a tank of water, it will be possible to have a continuous hot water supply to all the Tiger Tops Lodges. This will be the first time compost heating will be implemented to this scale in Nepal. If successful, the model can be implemented around the country to provide hot water, to communities that otherwise do not have access to it.

In a similar fashion, grey water recycling is a great way to reuse the water from the lodges shower and sinks. In the coming months, Tiger Tops will trial a grey water reed bed that filters and cleans dirty water. The reeds absorb the nitrate in the water while also producing oxygen that helps to filter the water. This water will then be used to irrigate the farm.

Although great efforts are being made to reduce the use of energy from non-renewable resources (although more than 90% of Nepal’s energy is from hydropower), a tree planting scheme has been devised to offset the unavoidable emissions from Tiger Tops vehicles, for example. In the coming months hundreds of trees will be planted to increase the biodiversity of the area, weaving more intricate and dynamic ecosystems. Local varieties of fruit trees including guava, banana, mango, passionfruit, avocado, pomegranate, grapes, citrus, Chinese berry, black berry and fig will be planted alongside producer trees such as silk cotton and neem. These tress will attract more birds and butterflies to the area and also the Lodges. This increase in wildlife will also stimulate the ecosystems of the farm to organically manage pests.

By minimising energy consumption and maximising use of local resources and waste materials, Tiger Tops is moving towards operating as carbon neutral. Continued innovation and passion reaffirms their position as the pioneers of eco tourism in Nepal.

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The idea to shoot a short film about the daily life of elephants and elephant polo continues to weave the Encompass Film narrative of adventure and art. After the commercial success of the ‘Take a Seat’ project, the story of Dominic riding his tandem bike around the world, the elephant polo project is an opportunity for the team to create a visually enthralling piece with creativity at its core, telling a story unique to both Nepal and Tiger Tops.

The crew worked non-stop for the six days of elephant polo, capturing those moments that say it all; from sunrise at the elephant camp, to go-pro cameras strapped to polo sticks, exploring the surrounding villages and taking a jungle safari; to sunset over the Karnali River, the evening campfire and the blanket of stars that covered the jungle night.

The short film will be entered into film festivals around the world, including Nepal’s very own Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival. We are very excited to see the outcome in February 2013 and would like to thank Encompass Films for their hard work and vision. In the meantime, check out some of Encompass Films’ other projects on their website, and the Dominic Grill Showreel on Vimeo.

>> Click here to see their website

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The Pukka Chukkas and Rusty Kukris began play on the fringe of Bardia National Park, contesting 3rd and 4th position in the WEPA Quaiche. Michael Eaton set the attacking pace of the Pukka Chukka’s beginning the scoring early in the piece. Simon Race was back in the game after sitting out the opening matches due to injury. His staunch midfield attack paved the way for Tom Fontaine to score the Chukka’s second. There were impressive displays of ball control by both teams, Tristan Forster in particular putting up great defence for the Kukris. The match remained tight in the second half, the Chukkas tactic to play a slow game in their attacking end to prevent the Kukris from scoring. Tom Fontaine cleared the ball down the sideline, capitalizing on his own break through to score the last goal of the game and secure the Pukka Chukkas 3rd place in the WEPA Quaiche.

The big hitters of elephant polo took to the field for the 3rd/4th place play off in the WEPA Cup. An exciting game was immediately underway between the Tiger Tops Tuskers and defending champions, EFG Switzerland. It was messy in the middle early on as both teams scrambled for possession. Sangjay Choegyal met Kristjan Edward’s breaks with well-timed defence. but Peter Prentice found a gap, smashing it down the field for Edward’s first goal, closely followed by his second. Sangjay managed late possession for EFG Switzerland’s first real attempt at goal, to bring the score to 7-4 at half time.

It was a slow start to the second half, Robert Mehm working hard with Nigel Lea to keep the ball in EFG Switzerland’s attacking half. But they couldn’t get passed veteran goalie, Peter Prentice. Unrelenting defence by the Tuskers frustrated the team in red who struggled to get the ball into the D. Lea found a gap late in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Tuskers. The home team secured 3rd place in the WEPA Cup, dethroning the two time World Champions, EFG Switzerland.

As the Gengis Khan’s and Tigresses’ Polo prepared for the WEPA Championship game, the bicycle polo final was contested between the EFG/Tuskers and Pukka Chukkas. Each of the eight bicycle polo teams competing over the last three days raised funds for the prevention of elephant tuberculosis. Following the Pukka Chukkas victory in extra time, the bikes were donated to the local community.

Then it was time, the World Elephant Polo Championship game ushered in by a piper who marched the teams to the centre of the filed. The handicap system placed the Tigresses’ ahead four goals to two as the first whistle sounded. Chuka, the dynamic attacking number three for the Mongolians, soon had possession but the Tigresses’ response of solid and dogged defence unnerved the visiting team, Chuka making three early failed attempts at goal. However he soon recovered to score two successive goals, leveling the game at four a piece.

Sam Prentice worked hard in defence, the elephants kicking up dust as the ball remained in the midfield. A strong hit from the back line by the Tigresses’ captain, Stine Edwards, sent the ball flying to the top of their D. Lucy Monro tussled it out with the Mongolians number one, who was penalized for hooking. Sam Prentice, the Tigresses’ number one goal scorer, easily made the shot, taking the ladies to a 5-4 lead. Again, despite tenacious defence, a slight moment of confusion at the top of the D left Chuka with an open goal. He scored again in the final seconds of the opening half to give the Mongolians a one-goal lead heading into the second.

The thrilling next ten minutes of WEPA final began with swift attacking play by the Gengis Khan. The Tigresees’ could not convert another penalty shot, leaving the field open for Chuka to score. It was not long after the restart that Chuka was again on the attack, tapping the ball across the line taking the score to 8-5. While Dochchen toyed with the ball in the middle of the field, Lucy and Stine continued defending till the final whistle. In this low scoring final, it was a great display of elephant polo sportsmanship by the Tigrsses’, limiting the strong Chinggis Khaan to a three goal victory.

The last match of the World Elephant Polo Championships was the final of the WEPA Quaiche. Both teams, the Afghanifants and Mel’s Angels, were relatively new to the sport of elephant polo, but they came to the game with infectious enthusiasm and skill that made it an exciting match to watch. Rebekha Bell, captain of the Afghanifants was in control for most of the match scoring the first two goals, dodging spirited defence from Gwenni Barrett. It remained that way for much of the game, although Marko Nicols-Marcy put the Angel’s on the board in second half, bring the score within one. A late goal from Amy Woodrow secured a 5-3 victory to the Afghanifants.

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The Rusty Kukris were delivered the first shock of the day, going down to the in-form Mel’s Angels. The Kurkis looked strong in the first chukka, scoring four goals to the Angels’ one. Their strong attack led by Tristan Forster took them to a 5-3 lead at half time, when considering the starting handicap. The Angel’s, with the advantage of faster elephants in the second half, scored two goals within the first five minutes. The Kukris’ played extremely well in defence but Tony Papalia, found the gaps once inside the goal shooting D-ring. Marco Nichols- Marcy secured Mel’s Angels finals dreams scoring two goals in the closing minute, rounding the score to 7-5.

In Afghanifants, still to win a game, surprised even themselves, knocking out the Pukka Chukkas in the second match of the day. Although the Pukka Chukka’s scored four goals to the Afghanifants two, Rebekah Bell, the steadfast captain of the Afganifants, ensured her team remained in the game, managing a goal in extra time to take the score to 5-4 before the break. Sinisa Majdak leveled the score with the first goal to the Afghaniphants in second half. The veteran Chukka’s didn’t have it in them, and the Afghanifants swooped into the Olympic Quaiche final, much to the delight of the boisterous crowd.

The match of the day was a battle of the families, with Tigresses’ Polo coming up against the Tiger Tops Tuskers. The game began with a handicap of 3 to the Tigresses’ and 2 to the Tuskers. It was tit-for-tat in the first chukka, with each team scoring one after the other. Stine Edwards and Sam Prentice led the attack for the Tigresses’, while Kristjan Edwards shot a skillful four goals to keep the scores level at six a piece heading into the second half. But it wasn’t enough to keep the all women’s team at bay. Caroline Syangbo opened the rush of Tigresses’ goals in the second half, Stine scored two incredible long shots and Lucy Monro ensured the Tigresses’ 9-6 victory.

Taking to a very dusty field, the two time reigning world polo champions, EFG Switzerland, were up against the seemingly unstoppable Gengis Khan’s from Mongolia Polo Club. The agenda was evident from the start – EFG had a title to reclaim and the Mongolians had something to prove! The game started with a 5-4 handicap in favour of the Gengis Khan. Chuka was quick to capitalize scoring three successive goals for the Mongolians. Two elephants inside the scoring D-ring afforded Sangjay an easy penalty shot, narrowing the score to a three-goal difference.

After the break, James Manclark inspired his team with a beautiful shot outside the D-ring, followed by another from Nigel Lea. The difference was only one and it looked to be anyone’s game. But as Bata came out of defence into the midfield, the Mongolians took control. Dovchin Tseveldorj and Chuluunbaatar Urtnasan are an elephant polo force to be reckoned with. Scoring a goal each minute, the pair took the Mongolians to a runaway 14-8 win, and ensured a place in their first WEPA championship match.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG “World Elephant Polo Championships – Victory to the Chinggis Khaan Mongolian Polo Club!”

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The polo field was glistening with morning dew as the first two teams, the Afghanifants and Rusty Kukris, mounted their elephants. The Rusty Kukris made an early break scoring two easy goals in the opening minutes. The heavy morning field slowed down play until the Afghanifant’s scored their first goal of the match and indeed of the tournament. Spurred on by the crowd, the Afghanifants scored another goal on half time, to take the score to 4-4 (remembering the handicap system in place). The Rusty’s were quick to respond with three successive goals in the second half, the final score in their favour 7-5.

In the next game, Mel’s Angels provided one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, challenging the dominance of EFG Switzerland. EFG’s captain, James Manclark, put them on the board early in the piece, after which Mel’s Angels stole the show. Tony Papalia did a superb job in defence for the Angels, shutting down Sangjay who managed only one goal in the second half. In the closing minutes, the Angels shot through with a powerful backhand pass by Marco Nichols-Marcy. Despite Manclark’s steady defence, Tom Tuke-Hastings trickled the ball through the goals in the closing seconds resulting in a 6-6 draw. EFG Switzerland will have to pick up their game tomorrow if they are to beat the Tiger Tops Tuskers and seek victory for their third consecutive year.

The tight competition continued into the afternoon when Tigresses’ Polo bared their claws against the Chinggis Khaan Mongolian elephant polo team. Considering both teams’ runaway victories in yesterday’s games, it was always going to be a tough one. The Chinggis Khaan’s opened the scoring with two quick goals, but the Tigresses’ soon found their feet with a goal. A strategic move to place Sam Prentis and her quick elephant into defence, left Stina Edwards and Carolyn Syangbo to control the middle. Both ladies played with vigorous determination, preventing the Mongolian’s from extending their lead. A change of elephants after half time saw the Chinggis Khaan score three quick goals, despite strong and consistent defence. Sam scored for the Tigresses’ and maintained strong defence to prevent the Chinggis Khaan scoring after the final bell had rung.

The Tiger Tops Tuskers and the Pukka Chukka’s rounded out the field one the second day of play, with a close match as the sun was settling low over the jungle. It was a tough tussle for the Tuskers to ensure a 7-5 victory, the Pukka Chukka’s putting up strong defence.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG “World Elephant Polo Championships – Upsets and Triumph!”

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But half time will prove to be a game changer throughout the tournament, as teams are required to swap elephants. As much as elephant polo is a game of skill, the speed, agility, size and age of the elephants, in addition to the communication between players and their mahouts, will be important determining factors. The Pukka Chukkas did indeed come back on the attack at the start of the second chukka. Michael Leaton made a break on the wing to tap through the Pukka Chukka’s first goal. Sangjay, true to form, responded with a powerful goal from half way. Although they scored twice more, the Pukka Chukka’s left their run too late, with EFG securing a 10-8 victory.

After an hour break the field had firmed for the Afghanifants to challenge the Tigresses’, the only all women’s team of the tournament. Playing on their home turf, the Tigresses’ dominated the match from start to finish. Sam Prentice led the charge scoring more goals than one could count in the first half! Captain Stine Edwards made her break in the second half scoring four goals. It was an impressive display from the Tigresses’, proving they are serious contenders in this years championships, winning 17-2.

The balmy afternoon weather encouraged a larger crowd to the polo field where the Tiger Tops Tuskers went up against Mel’s Angels. Receiving well directed passes from Peter Prentice, Kristjan Edwards fired four goals in the opening minutes of the first half. With ease, control and relative grace, Kristjan’s affinity with the jungle, elephants and the mahouts was palpable. Kristjan’s brother, Tim, held the attack in the second half, bringing the Tiger Tops Tuskers to a 9-4 victory.

The last and arguably one of the most anticipated games of the day was when Chinggis Khaan from Mongolia took to the field against the Rusty Kukris. Competing in only their second elephant polo tournament in Nepal, the Chinggis Khaan were sleek and clearly in control. Number three, Chuka, of the Chinggis Khann stole show, scoring goal after goal with ease and composure. Many from Mongolia play polo for only two summer months. Tristan Foster help put the Rusty’s on the board, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Mongolian team at bay who won 14-6.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE BLOG “World Elephant Polo Championships – Competition heats up!”

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