Backwoods Camp is ideally located at the heart of the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, bounded to one side by a seasonal stream and merging into the forest, making it the perfect location from which to explore the prolific avifauna of the area. 

You will soon be introduced to the commoner inhabitants of the forest and foothills. From first light, when the noisy cackle of the Malabar Grey Hornbill announces the start of the day, until dusk, when the Indian Pitta sounds its shrill whistle, days here are accompanied by the sounds of the forest, while at night its silence is disturbed by the calls of Oriental Scops Owl and Ceylon Frogmouth.
 
Owned and run by birders, for birders, the camp has a unique atmosphere where you will feel at home, and with only 14 rooms it is small enough not to interfere with the surrounding environment. 

Accommodation

Our simple yet cosy accommodation comprises:

• 6 large safari-style tents, pitched on raised platforms, simply furnished (twin beds)

• 6 comfortable independent cottages, simply furnished (twin beds or a large double)

• 2 small but cosy rooms on the first floor of our farmhouse (double bed)

left: tent interior, centre: cottage, right: farmhouse bedroom 

Spread among the trees in over 3 acres of forest on the edge of the sanctuary, each 'room' has its own private en-suite bathroom (wc, wash basin, and shower), and covered verandah overlooking the forest - the perfect place to relax during the heat of the day (with a birds-eye view of feeding flocks in the forest canopy from the farmhouse). 

Our professionally guided short stays include all arrangements for your time with us, leaving you free to concentrate on birding.  Emphasis is on finding the 15 endemics and near-endemics of the Western Ghats habitutally found occur here, along with other specialities of forest areas, and of the south Indian region.

We strongly recommend a stay at Backwoods Camp of at least 2 or 3 nights, i.e. 3 or 4 birding days, to maximise your chances to find those unique species that make the Camp and our surroundings such an extraordinary place for birding.  For stays of 3 nights or more we include a half-day birding excursion to nearby (0.5hr) Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.  We are conveniently close to Mollem National Park (0.5hr) and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary (1hr) for excursions to these reserves to be incorporated into a longer stay with us.  If you have time restraints we will of course accommodate you for a shorter stay but cannot guarantee that you will see any particular target speciality in this timeframe.

Backwoods Camp Tariff (2009-10)

INR = Indian Rupee (Current (March 2010) exchange rates: $1 = INR 45  / £1 = INR 70 / €1 = INR 62)

Backwoods Camp - pricing information

Stays at Backwoods Camp are fully accompanied by a professional birdwatching guide, with our prices inclusive of accommodation, and all meals. Local transport for birding excursions in the vicinity of Backwoods Camp is included in the tour price.  Since the majority of our guests visit us from a hotel base in north Goa (Panjim, Candolim, Calangute, Baga, Arpora) pick-up from and drop-back to these places is also included free of charge. If you will require a transfer from elsewhere in Goa (a corresponding additional transport fee will apply), or are bringing your own vehicle please contact us to discuss your arrangements. We regret we cannot accommodate accompanying guides or drivers unless agreed by prior intimation.   

About the Camp 

Electricity:
The camp has mains electricity, however the supply can be erratic.  In case of power failure a light and fan in each room operate on an inverter, and failing this the camp generator will be run in the morning and evening. Candles are provided in all rooms.

Water:
Each bathroom has running cold water, supplied from our well. Water heaters are installed in the two farmhouse bedrooms; elsewhere we will supply a bucket of hot water in the evening on request.

Dining:
Wholesome buffet meals of traditional local recipes, cooked with fresh local produce in the camp kitchen, are served in our streamside sitout. Vegetarians are easily catered for; if you have any other dietary requirements please inform us in advance of your stay with us. 

Tea and coffee are available throughout the day, while our bar is stocked with water, soft drinks and some local refreshers, beer, and a range of spirits – including Goa’s own Caju Feni, distilled in the nearby village. 

Other facilities:
Facilities at the camp include a natural history reference library, and telephone for local calls (international calls may be available on urgent request). 

With the stream adjoining our grounds the camp is endowed with a natural swimming pool of crystal clear water until early March, and for the non-birder the camp is an ideal place to relax with a book, or simply unwind in the peace and quiet of the forest.

Group size:
Although we accommodate more, we limit our group sizes for birdwatching excursions to a maximum of 12 people (often much less than this), which means that as far as is possible every group member has every opportunity to see every bird in the field. It also minimises environmental disturbance, and allows us the flexibility to meet all our guests’ needs and accommodate specific interests, such as photography.

Our daily routine:
Our typical day at the camp begins at 6.30am with tea and coffee, followed by our morning birding excursion, returning to Backwoods Camp for a late breakfast. After breakfast we again head back out into the field, returning at midday for lunch followed by an afternoon siesta until our 3.30pm tea and coffee. Our final birding excursion extends until dusk, sometimes (on at least one day during a 2 or 3 night tour) with a late evening search for nightjars and owls. Soup, followed by dinner, is served at 7.30pm, with a campfire during the cool winter months. With a host of night birds calling from the trees above birding often carries on well into the night.

Our birding excursions:
Our birding excursions are often on foot from Backwoods Camp itself into the surrounding forest, with some outings further afield to the variety of habitats represented in the local area, from streamside jungle to dry fields and scrub, and to known haunts of certain star birds!  Our longest walk can take up to 3 or 4 hours, but at a slow pace befitting of forest birding. Most walks are over reasonably level ground; one or two are over rough terrain, such as dry streambeds and rocky hillsides.

During a 2 night tour we do not travel more than 12km from Backwoods Camp, while our 3 night stay also includes a half-day of birding within the Bondla wildlife sanctuary, approx. 25 km from Backwoods Camp.  The typical list for a 2 night tour of Backwoods Camp amounts to 130-40 species, with 140-50 species during a 3 night tour, including those seen at Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary.

When to visit:
Our peak season is 1st October - 30th April, yet we do remain open through the summer and ensuing monsoon. The most productive period for birding, also the most comfortable in terms of climate, is November to early March when winter migrants can be found alongside resident species.  After this the heat can become an obstacle to birding, and many migratory species begin to move north.  For butterflies the best months are October to early February.

Temperature and climate:
Daytime temperatures from October to mid-March are usually in the range of 25-30C, dipping at night, occasionally below 15C between mid-December and mid-January.  By April the summer heat becomes oppressive as daytime temperatures rise to 30-35C, remaining warm at 20-25C during the night. At this time humidity is high, at times uncomfortably so, often exceeding 70% inside the forest.

It is not unusual to experience the last showers of the monsoon in October and the first half of November, yet the unpredictability of unseasonal rainfall in recent years indicates that showers are a possibility at any time throughout the year. The monsoon sets in by mid-June, and although birding is possible it is subject to breaks in the rain until October.

Clothing and equipment:
We recommend comfortable walking shoes, shoes or sandals for use within the camp, and at least one pair of long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt for use on walks inside the forest to prevent insect bites. We advise our guests to bring insect repellent (plug-in insecticide vaporisers are provided in all rooms), a pocket torch, and of course bins and scope.

To make a booking

To make a booking at Backwoods Camp please contact us by email, mentioning your preferred dates and length of stay.  We do not require an advance deposit for individual bookings and payment can be made during your stay at Backwoods Camp.  Payment may be made in cash in either Indian Rupees or the current equivalent in Pounds Sterling (£), Euros (€), or US Dollars ($).  We regret we do not accept payment by traveller’s cheque or credit card.