CAMPS
ACCOMMODATIONVillage Camp is modelled loosely on a traditional Burmese village, built with reclaimed teak timbers salvaged and refurbished from old village structures. Situated around a natural creek, facilities include a dining hall, sleeping bungalows with verandahs, and restroom facilities with large showers. There is also a vegetable garden, indigenous nature spirit shrine and bonfire circle around which guests can gather in the evenings over cocktails and hot drinks. A great room perfect for yoga, presentations and general late afternoon relaxation with a drink sits at the edge of the forest. The camp sits adjacent to agrarian rice paddy fields, which abut thickly forested hillsides.
Accommodations are in cosy reclaimed teak bungalows. Both bungalows sit on stilts raised above the ground. The frame is teak, the roof is thatch and the walls are woven bamboo. There are two beds to a room with deluxe mosquito netting although during the winter months the camps are virtually insect free. Toilets are situated in both bungalow complexes and 24-hour cold running water and hot showers are available at anytime with advance notice of 15 minutes.
Tented Camp is situated several ridge crossings away from Village Camp in a clearing amid hardwood forests with panoramic views of forested hills. Each tent sits on a raised hardwood platform 27 feet long by 14 feet wide. Tents are entirely furnished with reclaimed teak beds, night tables, sitting chairs, and clothing racks-all crafted from 19th or early 20th century reclaimed teak and rosewood. Each tent is nestled in its own grove of bamboo, kucha grass and hardwood saplings. At the back of each tent platform is a simple woven bamboo screen with a personal toilet for night time use. Just beyond the tents a large thatched roof, hardwood pavilion sits for relaxing, yoga and presentations. Adjacent to this is the kitchen and a separate dining pavilion. A bonfire circle for stories and cocktails in the evenings sits below the dining pavilion.
Each camp is fully catered with chefs, camp staff, lecturers and mahouts. In the evenings, after showers, we commence cocktail hour around our fire pit and then move to the dining area for informal lectures and insights on Myanmar elephant ecology. Dine on a mix of local Burmese and Western dishes before retiring to the camp bonfire for an herbal tea nightcap and then bed.
WHAT KIND OF FOOD IS SERVED?
Knowhere Myanmar camps are fully catered with each meal freshly prepared by a dedicated kitchen staff, using locally-sourced ingredients and delivered as a series of authentic Burmese cuisines. Breakfasts include freshly squeezed fruit juices, sliced fruit and local curds. Warm chickpea or lentil porridges, with home-farmed eggs and camp-cured bacon will follow, along with a simple selection of daily-baked breads and local fruit preserves. Hot lunches of Burmese soup and noodle dishes or delicately spiced biryanis are served daily in the camp dining pavilions. Dinners comprise salads, a variety of Burmese cuisine, including a hot soup and a selection of vegetable, meat and fish dishes – lightly curried, fire-grilled or sautéed – served with fragrant village rice. A full bar is available at both camps. Note food intolerances and allergies can be accommodated with advance notice. Water is 100 per cent safe for drinking and served in reusable bottles.