I’ve been living at Ken River since more than six years now. First I was guest at Ken River Lodge, a wildlife ressort where I was at the river but couldn’t see it from my cottage. This has changed now. I am still a guest, but in another treehouse. I moved 500 m down the river and now I see one of most cleanest river in the world with its birds and crocodiles from my bed. Amazing. Awesome! This is all I can say. And I mean it.

To be very clear on one thing: I do NOT own this treehouse, I’ve just rented a small room in it. The owner, Mr. Teware from Panna, comes by once in a while to check if everything is OK. There is a lady, Rani, around who keeps the surrounding area clean, and then there is Pappu, who takes care of the five cows of the owner and brings the milk every day to Panna. And, last but not least there is Janu and Jammu. Janu is the dog, a very sweet nice guy. He always sleeps in front of my door. Jammu is a farmer from Madla. He cultivates the land and after harvest, he gets a share of the harvest. That is his source of income.

The treehouse is located in Madla – less than two kilometers away from the entrance to Panna National Park. The construction of the tree-embracing building is very basic and it’s not really in the best shape. It’s a mix of all kind of materials: bamboo, wood, metall, mud, bricks … Honestly, there is quite some space for improvement. Especially electricity is an issue. Still, the place has a lot of charme. And it is very peaceful. For me it is one of the best spots in India, if not THE best. I am very happy in my small corner room. This is my spot.

With the permission of Mr. Teware, the owner, I renovated last year two rooms – they are very basic but pretty much unique – both have a nice terrace overlooking the stunning Ken River.

If you want to come for a visit and spend a few days with me, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page and then come. To see the rooms – the black and the blue room – just click on the little treehouse icon below.

To explore the surrounding are you can rent a motorbike (Bullet Thunderbird, 350 ccm) from me and/or hire a car plus driver. There are many things you can do (just click here to see).

The Treehouse – view from the entrance of the property (the river is just behind)

Recently a friend asked me about the story of the treehouse. Honestly, I am not sure if there is a story at all. I call it the treehouse – because it it build around two massive trees. It has basically three “floors” with a huge terrace on top. In the lower floor you can’t live in because during the monsoons the water might flood it.

The treehouse was build 10 years ago. If you ask me for the purpose – I have to say: I don’t know. There were efforts to make an ayurvedic farm ressort, but it never became reality. Today it is mainly used for agricultural purposes and by me, bringing in some guests and once a year the Janwaar kids. Our annual beach party is happening there 🙂

Living here in the jungles has truly changed my relationship with nature. I’ve learned to live with nature and cherish it. I could have never ever imagined that I would swim in a river where crocodiles are. I love to watch the buffalos when they spent the day lazing around in the river in the hot months of April to June. They come in the morning – all by themselves – and leave in the late afternoon. Always together, never one alone. My closests neighbours are the Langur. The golden beige colour of their fur and their black faces are simply beautiful. Every other day a family of 30+ is coming by. On my trusted Bullet bike I’ve seen more than once leopards roaming around and twice I saw the tiger crossing the street. These are the moments when the heart starts beating faster.

The views from the terrace (each room has its own terrace) are pretty stunning. Every evening the sunset spectacle is different. I never get tired of watching it.

Sunset view from my terrace – March 2019
The Langur right next to my terrace – November 2018

In February 2019 two film maker from Salt Lake City came to visit Janwaar and they stayed with me at the treehouse. One early morning, it was still very cold, we got up just about sun rise and we enjoyed the fresh clean air and the wonderful light. They brought a drone and I was lucky to get some unedited sequences. This video gives you a good idea about Ken River and the treehouse. Enjoy!


If you want to make a reservation, just fill out the form below – don’t forget to mention your room preference (black or blue), your dates and the number of people traveling 🙂 Thanks!