Don't bet on it. You could drive down the winding road to the Tehla gate of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, tyres screeching as you realise you have overshot your destination, and still not see it.
Sariska Lodge, crafted into the very rock and ridges of Rajasthan, doesn't betray a glimpse right till you are in front of it. And just like that, just as the mist lifts, the sandstone glimmers into existence. Oh, there it is! The words 'Sariska Lodge' leap at you as the wooden gates swing open to let you in, and you have entered a world that is at once different and blended into the terrain.
The Sariska Story
This is Sariska. The tiger reserve that saw its population of apex predators completely wiped out, a failed reintroduction attempt, a notorious poacher who would just not quit, till finally the numbers looked up.
Sariska's success story lies in the indomitable efforts by forest authorities, conservationists, and the local community, who worked tirelessly to re-populate the tiger reserve. Today, the tiger reserve boasts of 49 of them, and a steady stream of tourists from Delhi-NCR flocking to it to catch the elusive striped cat.
Sariska's conservation story is one for the history books. Photo: Sariska Lodge
And why would Delhi not land up at the gates of the reserve. There's a swanky new expressway that has cut travel time down by hours, making the trek to Sariska from Delhi a blink-and-you're-done drive.
So, when NDTV chose a monsoon long weekend for the trip to Sariska, the timing couldn't have been better.
As the dusty drudgery of Delhi melted into the Aravallis, we were rewarded with a blast of green on both sides of the Expressway. Our companion on this three-hour-thirty-minute drive was luxury unrivalled: the BMW X7.
A Brand-New Expressway And Unrivalled Luxury On Four Wheels
The BMW X7 is a beast on the road. Photo: BMW
From within the huge, tall SUV, the world looks (and feels) a little too good. Maybe those ventilated Nappa leather seats are behind it. Or the panoramic sunroof to take all of the Aravallis in from, or the Harman Kardon speakers that make the ride a veritable auditory delight, or the massive displays and wireless CarPlay and Android Auto that are tackled easily, or perhaps the heads-up display to ease your life.
Inside the X7, it is all about comfort and space. It comes with captain seats in the middle, and even the third row feels roomy.
It is all about comfort and space inside the BMW X7. Photo: BMW
With all seats up, you can still fit a couple of suitcases, and with them down, you could practically move house.
Power, Performance, Luxury
All that looks good also translates to actual performance. The X7 is a formidable beast on the road. The ride comfort is superb. So, while the Expressway is a breeze, the state highway after that and the hilly zigzag roads leading to the resort come with their own share of potholes. The X7 doesn't let you feel any of them. It glides over craters, rumble strips, even flyover joints, despite its massive 21-inch wheels.
Luxury, tech, execution, comfort. The ride checks all boxes and while usually good ride means bad handling, the X7 corners with almost no body roll. It gets both right. Its 3-litre inline-six diesel engine with over 360 horsepower and 700 Newton-metres of torque is among the smoothest, most refined diesel engines on the road. Bonus points: you can cruise gently too, and the mild hybrid makes it lag-free.
The BMW X7 blends comfort, power, space and luxury. Photo: BMW
It stops well. Its sharp brakes are reassuring. And surprisingly, it also does 10 to 11 kmpl with a tank range of 650 kilometres. For the Indian traveller, the mileage is perhaps of the utmost importance. The BMW X7 blends comfort, power, space, and luxury better than almost any other SUV in its class.
After a three-hour-something drive, when we drive past Sariska Lodge and brake to a halt in front of the Tehla gate and turn the car around to find the resort, it is with a level of comfort you get after eight full hours of sleep. The road left nothing on us. Except for the stunning green of Sariska, the by-the-way lakes and reservoirs teeming with water after a spell of the Rajasthan rain, and the occasional animal jam on the road.
Finally, it is time for Sariska.
The BMW X7 at the gates of the Sariska Lodge. Photo: Author
Inside Sariska Lodge
The massive gates swing open. The team at Sariska Lodge springs into action from the moment we set foot in the resort, lavishing us with care, attention, and a thoughtfulness you reserve only for your closest ones. Anand Shekhawat, the co-founder of Sariska Lodge (wildlife enthusiast and visionary entrepreneur Puneet Jain is the other founder) greets us at the arrival point. Along is one of his 'sons', Nigel, a giant Great Dane we could not have enough of.
From that moment on, Nigel takes the lead. We follow. He knows his grounds better than anyone else, after all.
The resort comprises 11 suites. Photo: Sariska Lodge
A walk down a path flanked by waist-level shrubs, led by Anand, Nigel and the team, takes us to our home for the next few days: a pool suite, the lodge's highest category rooms. The first time my eyes take in the suite, life has already slowed down. It is just what the doctor ordered.
Earthy tones meet reclaimed wood meet leather accents. A stone tub is the highlight of the bathroom here, and outside, the sandstone disappears into the surroundings. The pool is drawn into the scene. The palette is soothing, calm; and surrounded by the lush greens of the retreat, a minimalist's delight. The lodge brings together the design of British-era resthouses and Rajasthan's famed hunting lodges. Nothing is too harsh here. Nothing hurts your eyes.
A minimalist dream. Photo: Sariska Lodge
Shekhawat, with his years of honing at some of the best hospitality chains around the world, knows what quiet luxury means and has distilled it all into the retreat. His labour of love, Sariska Lodge, is a much-deserved destination for the tiger reserve.
The resort features 11 private suites spread across 15 acres. A dedicated dining area with the freshest of farm produce ensures you are full but never feel overwhelmed. The food is light on the palate. From breakfast to dinner, the team at Sariska Lodge caters to its in-house guests as well as the occasional visitor who happens to drop by to check out the most exciting new restaurant in town.
Farm-fresh food at the resort is a highlight of the stay. Photo: Sariska Lodge
A murmuration of birds in brass take off from one wall of the restaurant to another as you sit down with a woodfired pizza. The menu, with international and local fare, changes every few weeks.
The Great Outdoors
A rainy morning indoors at Sariska Lodge is best offset with a drive out in Anand's beloved old topdown Gypsy. After our earlier ride, the Gypsy creaking over the boulders of Sariska comes as a welcome change. We set out in search of the Guldaar. The respected leopard. Sariska has way too many and sighting one, in normal circumstances, is not too much work come sundown.
So we take off. The fragrance of petrol leaves its sillage on the rocky greens as we drive up to the best view in town. Up above the boulders, a motley of green speckled with grey, it is a sight out of a dream. No spots yet. We crane our necks and squint our eyes to look into one of the many caves that dot the area. A seasonal lake stares back at us from the distance. You can prick the silence with a needle.
On the boulders at sunset. Photo: Author
A rock juts out of the scenery like a leopard on its haunches. When the sun is almost on the horizon, you might mistake it for one. Soon, the sun has set and after a literal sundowner comprising tea and cookies, we leave to explore some more of the area. Who would want to give up hope of seeing a leopard in leopard territory!
About an hour later, we have to. There's no luck. We head back to the resort and round off the evening with dinner and a much-needed night of sleep. The next morning is supposed to have more in store for us. And after that evening, we don't doubt the team for even a minute.
Ghosts Of A Civilisation Past
A little after sunrise, right as the light begins to break, we find ourselves back in the backseat of the Gypsy. Our destination: a half-hour drive from the lodge to the Neelkanth Temple Complex. Neelkanth, a name for Shiv, means the blue-throated one. The temple complex in Sariska also has ruins of Jain temples.
The ruins at Neelkanth Temple Complex. Photo: Sariska Lodge
No one quite knows exactly when the temple complex was built, but archaeological surveys place it somewhere between the 6th and 9th centuries AD. Parmeshwara Mathanadeva, a local Pratihara feudatory, is credited with building the complex. Layers of history are evident in the architecture of the temple, and at once, you see Hindu and Jain forms of architecture here. There are acres and acres of the complex where you see ruins peeking out; most unpreserved.
At the Neelkanth Temple. Photo: Author
The temple complex is nestled on a remote hill, accessible only by a steep track. Our drive from the lodge takes us through the villages around the area, up a misty hill through the gates of the fort, past the Aashavari Mata Temple, down the track to the Neelkanth Temple complex, till we finally see the complex in all its morning glory.
In the soft light of the sun at this hour, the ruins paint a sharp contrast to the fields of green around. There are pillars strewn over the area. A stone bund leads to the next group of temples in the complex and we are left wondering at the scale of the establishment from all those centuries ago. It's a mystical morning we don't want to end.
Zooming in. Photo: Author
The clock strikes turning-around time. We walk back in silence, overwhelmed by the remains of the civilisation, and climb back into the jeep for the ride back. Half an hour later, we see the Tehla gate ahead. The Gypsy turns right. There's no missing the wooden doors this time around.
FACT SHEET
Where: Sariska Lodge, located right at the Tehla gate of the Sariska Tiger Reserve in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, lies 220 km from Delhi-NCR. If you're driving from Noida, it is a breezy three-hour drive on the Mumbai Expressway. Add a half hour if you're travelling from Delhi. The nearest airport is Jaipur (120 km away).
The mountain suite. Photo: Sariska Lodge
The distance and accessibility from NCR makes the resort a superb pick for a weekend or long weekend getaway.
What to do, eat, see: When at Sariska Lodge, do try out their woodfired pizza and local Rajasthani thali. The food at the retreat is fresh, light, and includes a vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare from cuisines across the world.
The non-vegetarian Rajasthani thali. Photo: Author
The resort has a host of curated activities to choose from: you could take their horses out to see the sunrise, or catch the sunset on the boulders in the in-house Gypsy. A sundowner at one of the lakes around Sariska Lodge, a storytelling session under the stars over a bonfire, guided jungle drives and birdwatching are all part of what the resort has in store for its guests.
When you're tired from all of the day's activities, curl up for a massage at the spa. The resort's Ku Nye Wellness Centre focuses on Tibetan healing, Ayurvedic therapies and other holistic treatments that are tailored to suit individual needs.
Rooms and tariff: The 11 suites at Sariska Lodge are divided into four categories: Fort Suite, Mountain Suite, Sariska Pool Suite, and Sariska Family Pool Suite. The rates are dynamic, based on the season. From October 1 to December 22 this year, bed and breakfast prices start at Rs 20,700 (doubles, exclusive of taxes) and go up till Rs 75,900. From December 22 to January 3, doubles are from Rs 24,840 (exclusive of taxes), and go up till Rs 1,12,848 per night.
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