Normally we do not feature any place outside the area of Rishikesh, but we make an exception as this resort is truly special and can be reached within a 5 hours drive towards Devprayag and Rudraprayag.
Shivanandi River Lodge is located in the Indian Himalayas, on the banks of the Alaknanda River. It was created by a multinational family – with Shalab (born and raised in India), Alice (born in South Africa and raised in Israel) and their daughters Maya and Shanti.
The construction of the retreat took three years, starting in 2009 with just a tent on a rice field, without electricity or running water for a year. Thanks to the family's vision, hard work and tenacity, you can find now a stunning hideaway to deeply connect with nature, the mountains and rivers.
I remember, a friend from Europe and I arrived late evening. It was already dark when we walked from the main road through the small forest area to the lodge. What a warm welcome we had: lovely smiles of the owners, happy dogs, hot tea, delicious food and a breathtaling sight just next to the main building: a sea of sparkling fireflies illuminating the dark sky. While the Alaknanda echoed gently in the background.
The lodge features eight fabulous double rooms which are designed with love and attention to detail. They all have attached bathrooms with solar heated water, and overlook the river. Constructed of rock plastered with mud using local knowledge, this traditional construction assures that the rooms stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter. All the furniture in the rooms was constructed by nearby carpenters, who used a variety of high quality wood such as devdar, teak, sal and shisham.
The Lodge has a large hall for socializing and dining, a small library and a kitchen, as well as a magnificent yoga and lecture hall (ca. 50 sqm), and a natural outdoor pool.
Shalabh is a renowned kayaker and river guide with more than 20 years of experience in the field. He is also a qualified mountain guide.Alice is an Aeronautical Engineer and loves sewing, knitting and baking.
The family and their small team are kind, attentive and very helpful hosts, and provide locally available organic food. The prime flavor being Indian food, supplemented with fruit, salads and milk products. Free range eggs come from own chicken, while milk products comes from village cows that eat fresh grass. Any special dietary requirements are happily catered to from kosher to vegan or Gujarathi.
Address:
Sivanandi River Lodge
https://www.shivanandi.com
https://www.facebook.com/ShivanandiRiverLodge
phone: +91 81713 40036, + 91 97566 07880
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