Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, Nepal

As we focus on our climate hero’s initiative to ensure that travel gives back, we also want to showcase hotels and lodges that focus on sustainability and eco-tourism.

There are an ever-increasing number of locations that are doing more than their fair share to ensure they have a positive impact on the local community and environment.

Whilst they all take a different approach to match their individual situation and local needs, they all have certain goals in common.

These common goals include being as energy efficient as possible, minimising water usage, recycling as much waste as possible, having as minimal an impact on the local environment as possible, whilst engaging with the local community.

One lodge that is doing more than most is the Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge, in Nepal.

Not only are we going to highlight what makes this resort so amazing, its green credentials, and how it involves the local community; we’re also going to show how they have adapted over the last 18 months and what they see as the future for eco-tourism.

Perched 1,000 feet above the Pokhara Valley with a spectacular Himalayan backdrop, Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge provides a perfect haven and is the essence of tranquillity. The lodge is ideal for guests pre- and post-trek, or for those wishing to take day walks exploring local communities, birdwatching, gentle exercise, or just to relax in a typical Nepalese rural setting.

It was built by hand without any machinery by over 300 local people. Indeed, many of them still work at the lodge today. By involving the local community, the process has made the lodge a welcome addition to the area.

The buildings were designed to emulate the local architecture and were constructed using local materials including local stone and sustainably sourced timber from government-approved sources.

They were also designed to minimise their impact on the environment. The architects blended the lodge within the forest so that no trees had to be felled. Part of this focus was also to ensure that running the lodge itself would require the least amount of energy possible by avoiding extreme temperatures and so remove the need for air conditioning.

The lodge is verified by Yardstick UK and certified by GSTC Travelife achieving Gold Standard in both its independent audits (2017 and 2019).

Nepal’s electricity is currently about 90% hydropower sourced, which is clean and sustainable.

In drier months, some electricity is imported from India, which results in an annual average of about 70% hydropower electricity.

In addition, 4 guest rooms have solar water heaters and 100% of the staff’s water is heated by solar energy.

All lighting at the lodge is provided by LED or CFL bulbs. Furthermore, the laundry is washed by hand and air-dried to further reduce energy usage.

During the monsoon season, rainwater is harvested to reduce the amount of water that is taken from the well. All shower heads are of a low-pressure design, which reduces the water usage by 40-60%.

The toilets are either dual flush or press to flush (where the flush stops once the button is released) which provide a further 40% reduction in water usage.

Alongside these measures, the lodge recycles its water too where possible. Greywater is run through grease traps and then in to soak away pits with sedimentation baffles to clean the water before it is used to water the gardens. Blackwater is drained into traditional soak away pits, away from other water sources.

Tiger Mountain lodge have taken a very proactive approach to reducing waste throughout the business.

The mantra of: “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” informs every decision. Whether it’s keeping water in flasks, using bamboo straws, or metal & glass storage jars, plastic is being removed throughout the lodge. The only exception is where it is required by hygiene regulations. Even then, they are using compostable bioplastic instead of single use plastic.

The office has a paperless policy and uses locally made sustainable, unbleached 'Lokta' paper for essential written documents.

All food waste is composted through a biogas plant which provides gas for the kitchen. The residue is used as compost for the vegetable garden.

As far as possible, chemicals are only used where necessary to meet environmental health requirements. Otherwise, they use vinegar and similar natural products.

Old bed linens are recycled to create cleaning cloths, and locally sourced citronella and other essential oils are used as perfumes and natural disinfectants (e.g. mint oil).

Guest toiletries are made locally for the lodge, presented in refillable containers, and are environmentally benign. All mattresses are traditional cotton fibre ‘dasnas’ made by local artisans.

The kitchen cooks both traditional Nepalese food and international cuisine using as much local and organic produce as possible, as there is a growing organic movement in Nepal.

The lodge has its own vegetable garden and other ingredients are sourced locally, minimising travel time as much as possible. The lodge will first purchase homegrown produce, then from the local village, then the local area, and outwards if necessary.

The lodge encourages guests to learn as much as possible about the local culture, flora, and fauna. They offer expert guided walks, as well as field guides, binoculars, and mountain bikes are available free of charge. They can even arrange special walks for children too!

Staff knowledgeable about their local wildlife and always on hand to recommend activities that are not harmful to the environment.

Conservation is at the heart of Tiger Mountain’s principles, both on their own grounds, and beyond.

A range of monitoring programmes are run by the guides of the hotel to maintain checks on the local wildlife.

As part of these checks, they upload regular counts to Cornell University’s e-bird database. They also report annual Asian Waterfowl Count to Birdlife International and do monthly butterfly counts as an environmental health indicator. They also support local conservation charities such as WWF Nepal, National Trust for Nature Conservation, Annapurna Conservation Area Project and many more.

Guides at the lodge provide technical support to the local Forestry Committee, as well as lecturing and training to local conservation organisations. Senior staff also advise Bird Conservation Nepal.

The staff adhere to a natural maintenance policy in their gardens to maximise natural wildlife habitats. A traditional ‘khar bari’, a thatch grass field, has witnessed increased butterfly and dragonfly diversity.

Continuous improvements are being made all the time to enhance the lodge’s sustainability. For example, the swimming pool is salt based to reduce the use of harmful chemicals.

The Staff at the lodge manage a Community Support Partnership Programme which encourages sustainable projects with a long-term focus. Recent projects include partnering with Project Hello World to install computer hubs at the local primary school and village hall.

The lodge also provides financial grants to the local Shiva Shakti primary school in the village, as well as to the Community Forest Committee to facilitate conservation and forestry projects.

Tiger Mountain is a member of “Pack for a Purpose” which is an initiative that allows travellers to make a lasting impact in the destination community, by providing supplies for Shiva Shakti and Amar Jyoti Schools, close to Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge.

Tiger Mountain strives for leadership in tourism as a force for good covering the environment, cultural heritage, social and community involvement and employee welfare.

As part of this, they were one of the founder members of Regenerative Resorts and have shifted their focus from Responsible Tourism to Regeneration / Regenerative Tourism.

Marcus, the Mentor and MD, sees this as an evolution – “We started with eco-tourism in the late 70s which evolved into sustainable tourism in the 90s again moving to responsible tourism in the 00s and now regenerative tourism in the 20s. Regeneration is about thinking more organically or holistically about destinations and using nature models to ensure all living systems thrive.

We have all seen the capacity of nature to heal itself, rewilding being a great example. Regenerative tourism aims to utilise this inherent capacity not merely to prevent further harm but to enhance and restore systems and places.

In the process, we envisage stronger, more grounded communities and travel destinations (be it a lodge, a village, or a region) with a stronger sense of place, of positive endeavour and enhanced experiences for visitors.

So, our exciting vision for the next few years is how we apply these lofty aims in practice and evolve their application as suitable to Nepal’s middle hills and our local community. Watch this space!”

Tiger Mountain have focussed on eco-friendly disinfection to comply with Covid requirements without destroying that natural environment.

By perfect coincidence, a friend of the MD who is in Kathmandu was thinking on similar lines. They have been able to buy Nepal-made disinfectant that is benign - hypochlorous acid (HOCl). This is important considering the COVID protocols and their massive impacts environmentally. Similarly, they use cotton face masks specially made for the lodge by a local tailor.

The crash of tourism has brought about opportunities for tourism to shift and evolve too. Tiger Mountain has been working with Nepal tourism associations and informal groups to make the paradigm shift to one where Regenerative Tourism is centre stage.

The enforced silence at the lodge through lockdowns has seen improved wildlife sightings including a leopard entering the main bar area. If only he had decided to use the door and not break through the windows! Anyway, his thick coat ensured only superficial cuts!!!

This amazing lodge is doing so much for eco-tourism and sustainability. They rightly deserve the Gold-leaf status for all their hard work both within the lodge, and the greater community. They are always looking to the future, to ensure that they are providing the best experience for their clients, staff, and wider community.

All the team should certainly be applauded and supported to continue their fantastic work.

Contact us know if you would like any further information on either Tiger Mountain or the Climate Hero initiative.

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📧: lisette.julio-quinn@notjusttravel.com
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Alternatively, there is much more information available online.

For Tiger Mountain, Nepal, please see their website.

We have further information on Climate Heroes on our website.

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