Berti Eco Lodge
Berti Eco Lodge is a community-run lodge on the bank of the Mangdechhu, a few kilometres from Tingtibi, in the northern half of Zhemgang. It is somewhere to sleep rather than something to see — which is why it has no “time needed” in the district table.
What is it?
Cabins with attached bathrooms and decks looking out over the river, built by the Zhemgang Dzongkhag Administration with funding from the Royal Government and UNDP/GEF, and run by a group of eight people from Berti village, most of them women. It was reported as newly open in December 2023, and it also does camping, picnics, bonfires and meals.
It is cheaper than a conventional hotel, which is part of the point of it: the money stays in the village.
Why is there a lodge here at all?
Because of a bird. This stretch of the Mangdechhu is habitat for the critically endangered white-bellied heron, and the valley is held back from the usual development for that reason. The lodge was built to give the community an income in exchange.
What you should not expect is a sighting. RSPN, which runs the species programme, records two nests along the Bertichhu until 2015 and a high count of ten birds; today it describes seeing one or two in the area as occasional. That is the honest position, and it is why this page does not promise you a heron.
Is it near Royal Manas?
No — and our own older description of it said otherwise. Berti is up near Tingtibi; Royal Manas is entered at Panbang, at the far southern end of the district. Our itineraries into the park use the lodge at Panbang instead.
We don’t publish a map pin or an exact distance for Berti. The two published distances from Tingtibi disagree with each other, and no map database we can reach has the lodge on it. Your driver knows the turning.
See things to do in Zhemgang for the rest of the district.
Tours that visit Zhemgang
Bird Watching Tour
Frequently asked questions
What is Berti Eco Lodge?
A community-run lodge on the bank of the Mangdechhu, a few kilometres from Tingtibi in northern Zhemgang — cabins with attached bathrooms and decks over the water, built by the Zhemgang Dzongkhag Administration with government and UNDP/GEF funding and run by eight people from Berti village, most of them women. It was reported as newly open in December 2023.
Will you see a white-bellied heron at Berti?
Don't count on it, and we won't pretend otherwise. This stretch of river is one RSPN monitors for the critically endangered white-bellied heron — until 2015 there were two nests along the Bertichhu and a high count of ten birds, but RSPN now describes it as occasional to see one or two. The lodge exists partly because of those birds: the area is held back from development to protect the habitat, and the lodge was built to give the community an income instead.
Is Berti Eco Lodge where you stay for Royal Manas National Park?
No. Berti is in the northern half of Zhemgang, near Tingtibi; Royal Manas is entered at Panbang, right down at the southern end of the district and more than 40 kilometres away in a straight line. Our own itineraries into the park stay at the Panbang eco lodge. Ask us where you'll actually sleep — it depends which way your route runs.
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