Parque Nacional de Singalila
Red Panda Outpost
A community-run Himalayan base for red panda tracking in the Singalila region
Red Panda Outpost is in Jaubari, a Buddhist village on the Singalila ridge at approximately 2,850 m (9,350 ft), reached by a four to five hour road journey from Bagdogra that ends in mist and mountain forest. The lodge began as a local teahouse and is now a six-room property run in partnership with the village. Each room has an attached bathroom, hot water and electricity, and meals are served in a central dining room heated by a traditional bukhari stove, with a menu built on regional recipes and seasonal ingredients from the eastern Himalayas. Mixed broadleaf and bamboo forest begins at the lodge's doorstep and is prime red panda habitat. Walks start early in the morning and are led by trained community trackers, who follow signs such as feeding trees, nesting areas and recent weather, while guests scan the canopy, listen for bird calls and read the forest floor. The lodge is owned and operated with local stakeholders, tourism income goes to the village and to red panda conservation, and single-use plastic and packaged food are kept to a minimum.
What we love about Red Panda Outpost
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Community at the core
The lodge is run in partnership with local stakeholders. Income from tourism supports village livelihoods and forest protection.
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Red panda habitat on the doorstep
Forest trails begin at the lodge. Trackers who know the terrain guide every walk.
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Low-impact operations
The lodge uses minimal single-use plastic and little packaged food, and its menu is built on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
At a glance
- Location: Jaubari village, Singalila ridge, eastern Nepal
- Altitude: approx. 2,850 m (9,350 ft)
- Rooms: 6, each with attached bathroom, hot water and electricity
- Dining: central dining room with bukhari stove; regional cuisine
- Activities: guided red panda tracking, birdwatching, forest walks
- Ownership: community partnership
Getting here: visas and permits
Red Panda Outpost is in Jaubari, on the open India–Nepal border, and guests travel there from the Indian side via Bagdogra. Visitors do not need a separate Nepal visa for this route. Foreign guests should carry a passport and a valid Indian visa. We will arrange the remaining permits, including Singalila National Park entry.
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