Roughing it out is the new luxury today, camping out or shacking up at a beach hut are no longer for the ones looking to save a penny. With their state of the art facilities, indulgent interiors and yet somehow giving an experience that is very different from staying at a 5 star concrete property, these unique holiday accommodation facilities are on the rise today. While the basic camp grounds do exist for the traditionalists, a whole new concept of “Glamping” aka glamorous camping has sprouted to satiate the needs of the luxury loving campers. Some of the best places in the India to provide such a set up are as follows:
The Serai (Jaisalmer, Rajasthan)
Image Source: Sujan Luxury, The Serai
Get ready to be exposed to insane levels of royalty at The Serai. Set amidst the sands of the great Thar desert in Jaisalmer, this uber luxury resort is a desert camp and spa set in a massive 100 acres of private desert land! As much as you’d like to pretend that you are roughing it out, there is no possible way that you’d believe that yourself. The indulgent interiors of the tent with a bedroom fit for a royal and bathrooms you wont dream of in a desert, the beautiful swimming pool from where you can gaze at the vast expanse of barren land and ofcourse the option of a very private and romantic dinner set amidst the desert scrub is something not everyone can afford. Best way to enjoy this place is to pop open a bottle of champagne and watch the sunset as you feast on your very special private dinner under the stars. The Tariff for glamping it out at The Serai starts at an exorbitant Rs. 35700 per night!
Image Source: Sujan Luxury,The Serai
Pench Jungle Camp (Pench, Madhya Pradesh)
Image Source: Pench Jungle Camp
If sighting the big cats is on your agenda, then Pench is definitely one of the best places in the country to do it. And since your going to be going on a safari, it obviously makes sense that you should opt for a stay in a tent than in some concrete structure that is bound to kill the excitement of adventure on such a trip. Pench Jungle Camp may not be as luxurious as The Serai, but the fact that you are not sleeping in sleeping bags and doing your business in the wild more or less qualifies as luxury camping.Of course, he Swiss style tents at the Pench Jungle Camp are more than just ordinary, they are air conditioned and quite nicely done up with comfortable beds and cane furniture giving it a very rustic feel. Each tent has its own private washroom as well. The property also has cottages for those who dont want to “rough it out” in the tents. Few of the other luxuries include a reading room, horse back riding, a swimming pool and cycling. The best thing about this place is that it is situated quite close to the national park, making it quite accessible. The tariff starts at an affordable (for glamping) Rs. 9500.
Image Source: Pench Jungle Camp
Aman-i-Khas (Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan)
Image Source: Aman-i-Khas
The tents at Aman-i-Khas are the definition of ultimate camping luxury. From the strategic location to the lavish interiors, no other camp resort comes close to the extravagance of Aman-i-Khas. Situated at Sawai Madhopur, the resort is on the edge of the famous Ranthambore National Park and boasts of exclusivity as there are only 10 tents on the property. The tented accommodation is anything but ordinary. Each tent actually has rooms separated by curtains; there is a porch, a king size bed and writing desks, a seating area with a dining table, a plush bathroom with a tub, and vanity area. Each tent has air conditioning facilities as well as heating facilities. This is probably how the royals camped out when they went hunting during the bygone eras. Other facilities or should I say luxuries available at this property are an outdoor communal fireplace to star gaze from, a state of the art spa, an organic garden, a step well styled swimming pool and a watering hole that all the tents overlook. Damages to the pocket- Rs. 1,00,000 and above!
Image Source: Aman-i-Khas
Apple Orchard Farm & Camping (Sangla Valley, Himachal Pradesh)
Image Source: Apple Camping
Just take a look at the picture above and tell me who wouldn’t want to camp out here?! Apple Orchard Farm & Camp is set in one of the most picturesque locations in the world; Sangla Valley in Himachal Pradesh.This might as well be the best way to get up close and personal with the mighty Himalayas. The campsite is adjacent to the Bapsa river and is set within an apple orchard.
Image Source: Apple Camping
A total of 10 comfortable Swiss tents make up the residential area with one large tent as the common dining room. Each tent is well equipped with beds and a seating area and has an attached bathroom as well. Whatever little luxury it may lack in the design of the interiors, the surroundings more than make up for the same. There are many activities like angling, hiking etc that you can partake in or that can be arranged for you if your are staying here. The best part about this place is that it is an affordable luxury at Rs. 5500 for 2 people.
Monsoon Forest Resort (Bandhavgarh, Madhya Pradesh)Image Source: Ananya Hotels, Monsoon Forest
Surrounded by lush green forests and exposed to the view of the Bandhavgarh Fort, Monsoon Retreat is just a few minutes away from the home of the big cats. The Bandhavgarh National Park is home to one of the biggest tiger populations in the world and is a stone’s throw away from Monsoon Retreat. The resort boasts of eco tourism with both Swiss tents as well as cottages as part of its accommodation facilities. The tents, few in number rest under the shade of Mahua tress and each tent has unique safari style furniture and and en suite bathrooms with all modern amenities. adding to the glamour of these tents, they all have wooden flooring and discrete lighting to give you that complete safari feeling. The property also has a swimming pool, a common restaurant, a library and a temple. The tariff for luxury of this kind starts at Rs. 11000 per night.
Image Source: Ananya Hotels, Monsoon Forest
So the next time you want to enjoy the great outdoors, you might as well do it in style!
