In the middle of the sleepy village of Unchagaon, the dark gates of a fort stand proudly. As we move in through the guarded gates, the gleaming white facade of Fort Unchagaon beckons with the promise of impeccable ‘Meheman nawaazi’ reminiscent of the olden days.
Getting Here
Fort Unchagaon is situated around 115 km from Delhi and 150 km from Gurugram, which makes it perfect for a refreshing weekend getaway from Delhi/NCR. It is easily accessible by road. It can be approached either via Garhmukteshwar or via Bulandshahr. From Gurugram, it took us around 4 hours to reach here.
The Stay-What to Expect?
This 150+ years old fort is a wonderful place to unwind and spend time living a slow, and luxurious life. It is not just another weekend getaway. Actually,it is living and breathing history. The owners have preserved their family heritage, beautifully interweaving it with the country’s history.
Every room is unique, adorned with old style beds and other antique furniture owned by the family. They retain their old-world charm, while being equipped with modern necessities like tea/coffee makers in rooms, air conditioners, mineral water bottles, and hot water in the washrooms. There are no televisions in the rooms, offering a complete detox from the strangulation of modern life.
On our first day here, we stayed in a duplex room which can easily accommodate up to 4 people.
The next day, we shifted to a double room with colonial style beds and a teak wood wardrobe, complete with a fireplace! That night we enjoyed a roaring fire, which made the room so cozy and full of character.
The best thing to do here is to lounge around the garden on a sunny winter morning, sipping tea/coffee with snacks, read a book, watch the monkeys play and the birds fly around.
A tour around the property will also refresh your senses, and you can get beautiful views of the surrounding gardens and orchards from the terrace. The Fort offers free wi-fi connectivity as well.
The Food
What’s a holiday without good food? The Fort Unchagaon has a sumptuous spread laid out for their guests. For large gatherings, they arrange a buffet in their dining hall-The Armoury. But for smaller parties, they lay out the spread in their royal dining room. Most of the ingredients are sourced from the village itself, and the taste of fresh vegetables and ingredients will leave you asking for more...
What's more...on a cold winter evening, there's a warm,comfortable fire lit up for your meal...
Activities
While the best thing to do here is nothing, Fort Unchagaon does offer a range of interesting activities for people of all ages.
Bonfire: On our first evening here, the staff arranged for a bonfire, which turned out to be such a boon on a cold January night!
Dolphin Spotting on the Banks of the Ganges: This is one of the unique activities offered here. We visited Mandu Ghat on the banks of the river Ganga, and what a sight the mighty river creates! The visit to the ghat was wonderful, with birds flying around. If lucky, one can spot dolphins from here.
Watch Jaggery Making: While coming back from Mandu Ghat, we stopped at a small enterprise making jaggery. It was just huge vats with sugarcane juice being filtered, boiled and converted into jaggery. We purchased fresh jaggery from them, and we are still savouring the fresh sweetness.
Visit to their in-house Museum: This is a must to understand the history of the fort, and the family hosting you in their house. Right from travels to hunting exploits, the stint in politics, the royal weddings or just antique knickknacks, its all preserved here.
Bullock Cart Ride: This is a wonderful experience to connect with our roots-the villages, especially of urban kids like me who have never experienced the simple life of the villages.
The view of the fields and orchards on the way was the best gift anyone could ask for
Pottery Making: On the bullock cart, we reach a potter who helped me create some small amateurish pottery. Indulge in it to calm your senses and create something wonderful! The entire bullock cart ride and pottery making takes 1.5-2 hours.
Walk in the Orchard: They have a small swimming pool in the orchards for use in summers. They also arrange for a walk in the orchards where you can eat ripe mangoes directly from the trees, during summers.
Ideal For
Couples, families, people looking to unwind and get away from the hectic city life…
Budget
Packages start from Rs. 7000+ taxes. To book your stay, or get more information about their facilities, rates, packages etc. please visit their website.
Best Time to Visit
November to March-to enjoy winter activities like bonfire, jaggery making etc.
April to August-to cool down in the pool by the orchards and enjoy fresh mangoes directly from the trees.
Summing Up
Fort Unchagaon is an epitome of hospitality and a comfortable and luxurious heritage stay, close to Delhi/NCR. The fort retains its colonial character, and the history of the family has been beautifully preserved which will not make you feel as though its just another resort, or hotel.As the owner told us, the staff has been instructed to treat every guest as a guest of the house. And truly, the entire staff of Fort Unchagaon is very courteous and helpful, and put their entire effort in making your stay memorable. I ended up having an unforgettable weekend here with my Mom.
#weekendgetaways #weekendgetawaysfromdelhi #familyholiday #couplesretreat
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