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 Khem
Villas is established on land that Goverdhan purchased in 1989 and
converted into a wilderness area planting indigenous trees and creating
open grasslands and small water bodies, spread over an area of 10 acres
it has become a habitat in itself. It is common to see jackals, jungle
cats, hyenas, desert fox, hares etc. within the camp grasslands. As it
is close to the park one can sometimes see pug-marks of leopards, tiger
and bears that have passed by and sometimes if one is lucky one may even
get to see them near the camp. The different habitats within the
property have created a bird watchers paradise. Guests view all kinds of
birds from the flocks of White Throats among the grasslands to the
Sparrow hawks hovering in the sky, the Black Winged Kites in the trees
and the Moore Hen near the water hole. The peace and tranquillity
offered at camp is unlike that of any other place in Ranthambhore.
Accommodation is divided into three categories and designed keeping in
mind that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication; great pains have
been taken to use locally sourced materials and skills. The camp is
designed to provide an authentic experience that is unfussy, functional
yet special.
Location
Khem
Villas, is a Jungle Camp on the outskirts of Ranthambhore. Ranthambhore
is situated 13 kms from the District Headquarter of Sawai Madhopur in
Rajasthan, INDIA.
Nearest Airport: Jaipur (200kms)
Nearest Railway Station: Sawai Madhopur - 13kms from the camp
The town of Sawai Madhopur is very well
connected by trains specially from Delhi and Jaipur. It takes approx. 4
hours by train from Delhi and 2 hours from Jaipur. Station pickup from
Sawai Madhopur Railway Station is provided free by the hotel.
Sawai
Madhopur is approximately 4 hours by road from Jaipur and 8 hours from
Delhi.
Instructions for those travelling by
their own car:
Once in Sawai Madhopur please get on to
the Ranthambhore Road that takes you to the park entrance. At the
crossroad just before the park entrance take a left turn and follow the
road for 2 kms until you get to Kutalpura village (2nd village after the
crossroad) where you turn right on to a dirt road. Khem Villas is half a
km down this road and can be recognised by a well marked entrance
Activities
- NATURE GUIDES -
Hand picked Nature guides personally trained by Fateh
and Goverdhan will provide the guests with a deeply informative and
enriching experience of the Jungle.
- CAMP FIRE -
Every night in winter around the campfire by the lake
guests will be enthralled by Govardhan's stories from his experience
of over 35 years in the jungle. Usha will entertain the guests with
her easy charm and excellent food.
- BAR -
The guests will have a choice of having a selection of
alcoholic beverages and cocktails either in air-conditioned comfort in
the cosy bar or outside in the natural surroundings.
- NATURE WALKS -
The camp is surrounded by nearly 12 acres of forest
having water bodies, grasslands and thick fores cover all of which
provide ideal walking grounds for the visitors with a track of nearly
3 kms. Nature guides will show them the various birds and even
jackals, desert foxes and hares during their walks.
- PLUNGE POOL -
There is a small plunge pool filled with fresh water to
cool of during the heat of the day.
- VILLAGE TRIPS -
As Goverdhan is deeply committed to the cause of the
Tiger he has been working for nearly 20 year with the local people
helping them find alternative means of livelihood so that they can be
less dependant on their natural resources like fuel wood and fodder
the extraction of which forms a major threat to the future of the
Tiger. He runs a state of the art hospital and a school. His NGO is
involved in providing alternate energy using biogas which received the
Green Oscar in London in 2004. His wood for wood project helps local
people plant over 70,000 trees each year. The non formal education
program reaches out to nearly 4000 children each year helping then
learn about their environment through song, dance, drama and nature
camps. The guests at Khem villas can experience these projects first
hand and understand the complicated nature of Tiger conservation and
all the effort that is being put in to help save it in Ranthambhore. (www.prakratik.org)
- MEDICAL FACILITIES -
As Goverdhan himself is a practising Doctors and
lives near the camp there is a Doctor on call at times should the need
arise. This is backed up by the hospital located just 5 minutes away
from the camp that can cater to all kinds of emergencies should the
need arise.
- JUNGLE TRIPS -
There are two jungle rides every day which can be
organised. Although the Forest Department provides guides on a
rotating basis every day Khem Villas can provide specialised guides on
prior request to guests should they need one. These are hand picked
guides chosen by Goverdhan and Fateh to provide a more wholesome
experience to the visitors.
- FORT TRIP -
Ranthambhore is named after the Ranthambhore Fort built
in 900 AD by the brave Rajput Rulers and latter invaded by Akbar's
army lead by Khilji. Trips to the fort provide an insight into the
enthralling history of the area and also provide panoramic views of
the Jungle from the fort tops. Trips to the fort with qualified guides
can be organised.
- CHAMBAL RIVER -
Day trips with packed lunch can be made to the Chambal
River which is one of the only perennial river in Rajasthan. Goverdhan
and Pritam have nearly 50 Acres of densely forested land on the
Chambal River Bank where the guests can spend their time relaxing by
the river.
Gilai Sagar, Mansarovar and Soorval Lake trips Trips to these lakes
situated near the park can be taken by keen bird watchers to see water
birds including migratory ducks and geese.
- BLACK BUCK -
Just an hours drive away from Ranthambhore one can see
herds of black buck the most magnificent gazelle of the desert
landscape so beautifully depicted in the miniature paintings of the
region.
- MASSAGE -
Local masseurs can be provided to give a traditional
massage in the courtyard of the cottages using traditional oils.
- CAMEL RIDES -
Short one hour camel rides can be provided on request
to take guests through the local terrain and villages.
- SHOPPING -
Guests can be taken to local markets for shopping of
traditional handicrafts and traditional silver jewellery.
Accommodation
- Cottages -
These are stand-alone cottages with a total private
area of 40 X 40 feet. This includes a spacious and comfortable
bedroom, large bathroom, an open to sky private plunge pool with an
outdoor shower. Also included in this space is a large private
courtyard and veranda. The bedroom is air-conditioned with a large
glass doors overlooking beautiful undisturbed vistas that could be a
water body or a dense jungle.
- Tents -
These are erected on a wooden platform on a steel frame
with all the modern amenities. The bathrooms are minimalist using
simple natural materials like bamboo and wood to give a rustic charm
without compromising on comfort and functionality.
- Rooms -
The main building provides four bedrooms that are self
contained and can be used as individual rooms or can provide the
option for a small group to hire the entire portion as a private space
to be enjoyed together. All the rooms are air-conditioned spacious
with en suite bathrooms. The upstairs rooms have large bay windows
from which you can enjoy view along with the multitude of sounds of
nature.
...Room View...
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