About Waxpol Hotels and Resorts

Founded in 2004, Waxpol Hotels & Resorts is one of India's pioneering sustainable wildlife hospitality companies. For over two decades, we have been creating meaningful travel experiences that connect guests with some of the country's most remarkable natural landscapes, vibrant cultures and wildlife-rich destinations.

Our journey began with Sunderban Tiger Camp, a pioneering eco-tourism initiative in the Sundarbans, and has since evolved into a collection of distinctive hospitality brands across India's wilderness destinations. Today, Waxpol Hotels & Resorts operates award-winning properties in the Sundarbans, Kanha, Pench and the Dooars, each offering authentic experiences rooted in nature, local culture and responsible tourism.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: tourism should create a positive impact for both travellers and the destinations they visit. This philosophy guides our approach to hospitality, conservation, sustainability and community engagement.

More than a collection of resorts, Waxpol Hotels & Resorts is a family of destination-led brands that celebrate the unique identity of each landscape while sharing a common commitment to responsible tourism and meaningful guest experiences.

The story of Waxpol Hotels & Resorts is deeply intertwined with the personal journey of its founder, Akanksha Garg.

Born into a family of wildlife enthusiasts, Akanksha developed a profound appreciation for India's forests, wildlife and indigenous communities from an early age. Childhood journeys through national parks and wilderness areas with her father, Pravir Garg, and grandfather, Sri Purnanand Garg, founder of Waxpol Industries, nurtured a lifelong passion for nature and conservation.

Inspired by these experiences and driven by a vision to create tourism that benefits both people and the environment, Akanksha founded Sunderban Tiger Camp in 2004. At a time when sustainable tourism was still in its infancy in India, she recognised the potential of responsible travel to create livelihoods, strengthen local communities and encourage conservation.

What began as a single property in the Sundarbans has since grown into one of India's most respected sustainable wildlife hospitality companies.

Today, as Founder Director and CEO (Resorts) of Waxpol Hotels & Resorts, Akanksha continues to champion a model of tourism built on the principles of Conservation, Community, Culture and Comfort.

Her contributions extend beyond Waxpol. She has played an active role in shaping the tourism and hospitality industry through leadership positions with several prominent organisations, including:

* Governing Council Member, Responsible Tourism Society of India (RTSOI)
* National Chairperson, ATOAI Women's Collective
* Advisor, TOFTigers
* Advisor, Indian Hospitality Network
* Member, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Tourism Committees
* Former Managing Committee Member, Hotel & Restaurant Association of Eastern India (HRAEI)
* Chapter President (India), Swiss Education Group Alumni Network

Her work has been recognised through numerous national and international accolades, including the World Travel Leaders Award, ATOAI Trailblazer Woman Entrepreneur Award, SATTE Sustainable Tourism Recognition, Most Innovative Woman Hotelier and several honours celebrating leadership, sustainability and entrepreneurship in tourism.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Akanksha worked closely with industry associations and stakeholders to help develop tourism safety and sanitation guidelines that supported the responsible recovery of travel across India.

A passionate advocate for sustainable tourism, wildlife conservation and women's leadership, she continues to work towards creating tourism models that generate long-term benefits for communities, travellers and the natural environment.

Our story began with Sunderban Tiger Camp, a pioneering eco-tourism initiative established in 2004 in the heart of the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Sundarbans is a landscape unlike any other. Surrounded by water yet facing a constant scarcity of freshwater, its communities have long adapted to one of the world's most challenging environments. Even today, rainwater harvesting remains an essential part of life and operations on the islands.

Sunderban Tiger Camp was founded on the belief that tourism could become a force for conservation and community development. More than 95% of our team members come from local communities, and over the years responsible tourism has helped create alternative livelihoods for families once heavily dependent on forest resources for survival.

Many individuals who once relied on activities such as poaching, illegal resource extraction and risky forest-based occupations have become advocates for conservation, sustainable tourism and environmental stewardship.

Today, Sunderban Tiger Camp offers guests an authentic immersion into the culture, traditions and biodiversity of the Sundarbans while contributing directly to the preservation of this globally significant ecosystem and the well-being of its people.

This is not simply a resort in the Sundarbans—it is a story of conservation, community and coexistence.
 

The Riverwood Forest Retreats represent Waxpol's vision of immersive wilderness hospitality.

The name Riverwood reflects the natural elements that define our destinations—forests and water. Every Riverwood property is located amidst landscapes where forests, wildlife and natural waterbodies coexist, creating environments that inspire exploration, relaxation and connection with nature.

Whether overlooking a river, lake, wetland or seasonal watercourse, each retreat is deeply connected to its surroundings and positioned near important wildlife habitats, national parks or protected landscapes.

Located in Kanha, Pench and the Dooars, The Riverwood Forest Retreats are designed to be destinations in themselves. Guests can spend their days exploring forests, wildlife, local communities and regional culture before returning to thoughtfully designed retreats that offer comfort, space and a genuine sense of place.

Each property reflects the unique character of its destination while sharing a common commitment to conservation, sustainability and meaningful hospitality.

From the tiger landscapes of Kanha and Pench to the forests and Himalayan foothills of the Dooars, The Riverwood Forest Retreats invite travellers to slow down, reconnect and experience India's wilderness at their own pace

At Waxpol Hotels & Resorts, sustainability is not an initiative—it is a way of life.

Across our destinations, we strive to minimise our environmental footprint through responsible construction, rainwater harvesting, wastewater management, waste reduction, local sourcing and habitat conservation. Large portions of our properties are intentionally preserved as natural habitats, allowing wildlife and native ecosystems to thrive.

Equally important is our commitment to people. Across our destinations, a significant majority of our team members come from neighbouring communities. Through employment, skill development, local procurement and community partnerships, we work to ensure tourism creates lasting benefits for the regions we operate in.

We believe that successful tourism should not only create memorable experiences for guests but also contribute to the long-term well-being of local communities and the protection of natural heritage.
 

Whether it is tracking tigers through the forests of Central India, exploring the waterways of the Sundarbans, discovering the wildlife of the Dooars or engaging with local communities and cultures, every Waxpol destination offers an opportunity to experience India through a deeper, more meaningful lens.

Welcome to Waxpol Hotels & Resorts, where every destination tells a story and every journey creates a connection.