The morning sun comes up from the picture perfect scene we used to draw when we were kids. Mountains, Lake, an old palace and the dense forest, dew on the step gardens as I watched birds chirping and flowers blooming – all from the comfort of my bed with just a window separating me and the outside world. Words like "immersive" and "eco-tourism" are often overused in the travel industry, but Ratan Villas Sariska, the perfect luxury resort in Sariska, a boutique hotel placed in the middle of a jungle, couldn't be truer than a dream.
I had arrived in Ratan Villas (Rv), Sariska by car from the newly built Delhi - Mumbai expressway after spending three days in Ranthambore hoping to see a glimpse of a tiger. A luxury hotel isn't what you expect to see at the end of a thin road leading to the Silliserh Lake after crossing the Alwar city. But Ratan Villas is not a blingy 5 star hotel but a cute boutique hotel for you to unwind on any weekend. The design is contemporary and minimal with earthy tones and huge glass windows, creating a continuous harmony between building and forest.
The lodge might attract luxury travellers but it is firmly rooted in the local community, with at least 80% of the Rv staff coming from the surrounding region. Tourism means these communities can survive. The alternative livelihood is mining or shepherding, which are environmentally destructive and have already taken their toll on the Sariska Forest, where the local authorties want to relocate the village from the tiger reserve.
It was this depressing state of affairs that spurred the former Cop Sawai Singh Ji to buy a piece of land in the Sariska National Park, purely for the sake of preserving it.
The entire lodge was constructed without cutting down any trees, and the materials were sourced nearby, minimising its carbon footprint.
The lodge's restaurant sources most of its ingredients from within a 50km radius, supporting the livelihoods of 15 local families and helping female producers become financially independent.
Passionate about his mission to protect the tiger forest and lift Sariska’s Gujar communities out of poverty using the power of sustainable tourism, he decided to build Ratan Villas Sariska overlooking a serene Lake.
"I'd like to see that the Rv guests return to their homes as passionate defenders of the conservation of these wonderful tiger forests," he said.
Against the backdrop of murmuring wildlife and sultry rock heat, the lodge's surroundings encourage guests to embrace their sense of adventure – which is just as well because it's these immersive jungle experiences that Singh hopes will make his guests fall in love with the forest. After an introductory talk peppered with facts about the Jungle led by one of Rv's resident naturalist, I joined a friendly group of visitors for our first outdoor activity of the day – Rv's flagship attraction, the walk to the Crocodile Pond, a 1 km walk with views of birds lining up on the island in Silliserh Lake and the kingfishers going for their daily routine and crocs sunbathing.
As we walked along, our guide told us about the lodge's conservation initiatives within the Sariska Tiger Reserve, designed to protect the very ecosystem we were observing. This one of the best resorts in Sariska uses "forest guardians", a set of 10 solar-panelled audio recorders dotted around the reserve, capable of detecting the rev of a chainsaw and subsequently alerting on-site rangers to this illegal activity. It also uses camera traps to monitor animals and track movement patterns, where images are analysed by naturalist and logged for the animal counting.
This is why it's so important to have research here as there are so many wildlife species to be protected and explored.
The walk to crocodile pond is just one of the many activities designed to drop guests right into the thick of the tiger forest while learning about its fauna, flora and conservation efforts. On other pre booked expeditions like Jungle Safari in Gypsy, the guides intrigued us with facts about tigers and their behaviours at the Sariska National Park. We also crossed the ruined Kankwari fort, haunted fort of Bhangarh, insta worthy Moosi Rani ki Chattri and many other historical and cultural places. But my favourite was the aquaducts used to supply water to the residents of Alwar city in Ancient times.
These multiple activities are fuelled by three daily meals served in the lodge's Ambar dining room, where the winodws offer views of the surrounding jungle and lake in its full charm. The menu from the kitchen of this one of the magnificent resorts in Sariska reflects whatever is in season and is enriched with flavours collected from the organic gardens maintained by the hotel, such as garlic and the spinach. A traditional chicken cooked slowly in the sand pot was so tasteful that I could almost taste the earth, while a rich mousse was served with chocolate cake and Orange.
Most of the ingredients are sourced within a 50km radius, a deliberate choice by Singh to minimise the lodge's carbon footprint, as is his focus on purchasing from female-owned businesses. The result is more than just a steady stream of income for Sariska women. "[Before], I thought that because we are women, we cannot achieve anything," said Samundar Gujar, a local producer, adding that she now plans to expand her business by selling her products of milk and curd to a wider market.
On my final day, I joined a group night gypsy safari. Scanning the trees and jungle with a headlamp, our guide Puran spotted animals that I would never have noticed otherwise – an Owl up a tree, a leopard resting on a trunk and a fox crossing the road. Placing a binocular on the bonnet helped us locate a herd of deers. While coming back we encountered a sambar stag roaming on the road and not at all shy of us.
It's these unique encounters and the palpable passion from the staff for the Rv Sariska resort and its wildlife that make the lodge so special. Having visited tiger reserves across India, I had an idea of what to expect from this Sariska resort, but nothing could have prepared me for the ever-changing landscape of the things I saw. I loved my room views every morning from my bed. But what I loved the most at the hotel was the lake and it being surrounded by mountains from all sides.
The effect is so magical, that it's difficult to find this elsewhere. We've been unable to find a place that is as special as Rv
The lodge's restaurant sources most of its ingredients from within a 50km radius, supporting the livelihoods of 15 local families and helping female producers become financially independent.
Passionate about his mission to protect the tiger forest and lift Sariska’s Gujar communities out of poverty using the power of sustainable tourism, he decided to build Ratan Villas Sariska overlooking a serene Lake.
"I'd like to see that the Rv guests return to their homes as passionate defenders of the conservation of these wonderful tiger forests," he said.
Against the backdrop of murmuring wildlife and sultry rock heat, the lodge's surroundings encourage guests to embrace their sense of adventure – which is just as well because it's these immersive jungle experiences that Singh hopes will make his guests fall in love with the forest. After an introductory talk peppered with facts about the Jungle led by one of Rv's resident naturalist, I joined a friendly group of visitors for our first outdoor activity of the day – Rv's flagship attraction, the walk to the Crocodile Pond, a 1 km walk with views of birds lining up on the island in Silliserh Lake and the kingfishers going for their daily routine and crocs sunbathing.
The lodge sits on the borders of the reserve's small hills, with a roof top bar for 360 degree view of the valley. In the morning, I would go to the roof top and see the clouds roll in over the jungle landscape that stretches into the horizon. In the evening, I'd sit and watch the sky turn orange as the crickets and frogs turned their singing up several notches and the mist swirled and retreated.
"The effect is so magical, that it's difficult to find this elsewhere," said Singh. "We've been unable to find a place that is as special as Rv."
Thoughtful Travel is a Tripoto series that helps people explore places responsibly and sustainably, all while making them better through regenerative and responsible travel.
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