“Friday the 13th” Weekend Trip to Jim Corbett

Often teased by friends and family for not having visited Jim Corbett ever, I was ecstatic when we embarked on our journey to this National Park on the infamous date, Friday the 13th of June.  

Many would argue that June may not be the perfect month to travel to this destination because of the weather. I, on the contrary, feel differently. Despite the hot and humid temperatures, it turned out to be the best climate to spend ample amount of time in the water, whether in the swimming pool or the Kosi river flowing parallel to the resort.  

Travelling as a family to Club Mahindra resorts, thanks to my sister-in-law (SIL) being a member, always translates into an adventurous yet luxurious experience. Boasting of a fun zone, spacious rooms, sprawling open green expanse and an inviting pool rarely sees us miss an opportunity to head out for a vacation with the SIL and family.   

This time was no different! Except that we came back home sunburnt and bruised. *Ouch!*

Not because we hurt ourselves, but courtesy our adventurous spirits that saw us climbing greasy rocks in the river and stand for the most part of our bumpy 5-hour jungle safari!

Useful tips for travelers to Jim Corbett:

• Take your own car for jungle safari unless you have qualms about driving through a rough terrain
• Make sure your room is facing the river for a beautiful view  
• Explore eating options outside the resort as it will fall cheaper and give you a home-cooked flavour
• Do pick up some local pickles or rhododendron juice concentrate by Himalayan Fresh to take home
• If you are on a mission to spot the tiger, stay at Dhikala rest house  
  
  

Adventure with River Kosi

A small stream was running parallel to the Club Mahindra resort which ended up being our favourite spot in the entire 3-day trip. We thoroughly enjoyed the cold water in the heat and how!

Perched on the rocks in the middle of a rapid, clinging on to our packets of chips and mangoes and what not. Trust me, if it is difficult for you to imagine this sight, in actuality, it was even more challenging yet exhilarating to say the least!

The force of the water combined with our slippery feet on the algae rocks not only made us challenge our strength, but had us cracking into bursts of laughter at how vain we were! 

Having spent three straight hours in the stream on arrival, we satiated our senses with a hearty chicken curry-rice meal and a power nap.

Let me not forget to mention that we were not yet done with water as the swimming pool awaited us. After enjoying some water volleyball, we decided we were done for the day.  

Cycling our way through the lawns and pathways of the resort

Do you remember the last time you rode a cycle on road? That is exactly the question I asked myself when I was jittery carrying the niece on the carrier, especially on the uphill. The last time I was on one was on the stationary cycle in the gym few months back. And, before that I really don’t remember.

Little did I realise that in the routine life of city hustle bustle we miss out on much more than we imagine.

Later, when I attempted artificial rock climbing, I found myself deeply thoughtful when I could not complete the task. Frankly, fitness was never one of my concerns but any attempts of avoiding it are certainly not possible anymore. :-(

Anyhow, I was gratified with the share of fun and adventure I had on this trip with Water.

Eyes on the forest for one glimpse of the Big Cat - The Tiger

After a stint with outdoor sports, the next afternoon saw us all prepped up for our jungle safari in the open jeep. Focused about spotting the Bengal Tiger, we set out single-mindedly with that goal.

Eyes locked on the jungle while tightly gripping the iron sidebar on the jeep, we rarely blinked for the fear that we might miss out on one sight of the Big Cat..

After about two hours like this, we loosened our hold, not because we were giving up, but now the journey was more about absorbing the sheer raw beauty of traversing a path, treaded by wild animals on a daily basis.

Even though we spotted a herd of deer and nilgai crossing the uneven path, the best experience for me was when I enjoyed about a km long walk through the jungle, when our jeep broke down.

In the quietude of a jungle, you rarely miss any noise, even if it is a fly lingering near your ear.

As I walked along, clicking pictures of the sunset and listening to the sound of dry leaves crunching under my feet, I was least bit excited to see our jeep approaching us. 

Although, the passersby who were quite concerned about why we were walking around the jungle alone had a reason to breathe a sigh of relief!

Shortly after, we stopped by a stream to take one of our many breaks during the extended safari. By the time we reached the end, it was dark and still a long way home (the resort).

So, that were some of the memories I took back with me from our Corbett trip. I’m hoping the next one will be coming soon too, may be at Dhikala Forest Lodge.

Don’t miss this 'home away from home' summer retreat this season

Final impression after one trip to Lohagarh resort: Your search for the idyllic holiday experience ends here. 

Tucked away in the lap of nature’s ‘luxury’, Lohagarh resort, short of Jaipur is conceptualised on a unique theme in the middle of a jungle.

Situated at about 3.5 hour-drive from Gurgaon, you cannot imagine what awaits you is an extravagant, classy and creative holiday. Lohagarh has been operational since 2011.

The resort boasts of tree houses, cottages with private pools, camps and villa. Our abode for the weekend was the cottage with a private pool which is the USP of this resort. 

A glimpse of our private pool

At the risk of sounding boastful, I would like to point out that I and my husband have been to countless destinations, but never have we been this smitten before, and I speak for the both of us.

The exquisite stone and wood work in the cottages is an instant hit with the visitors, and has a calming effect on your senses too, apart from the soaring temperatures. 

It's no wonder that the owner of this property, Bhagat Singh from Bharatpur has a stone business. That explains the elaborate use of stone in the rooms, along the pathway, in the common sitting area and even in the swimming pool!

You are bowled over by the greenery that the resort offers. So much so that I was not dissuaded from taking a walk through the entire expanse despite the temperatures peaking at, at least 40 degrees. 

The moment we walked into our cottage, tucked away in a corner at the bend of a pavement, we felt nothing short of pampered rotten when we dipped in our private pool, surrounded with tree branches and birds chirping away about 3 feet from us!

Our Cottage

Each cottage is surrounded by a thick cover of trees and small mud hills to protect your privacy, much like a feeling of ‘home away from home.’

The natural habitat keeps the temperatures low with sprinklers all around the property and leverages on another new concept which is a hit among consumers today – glass windowpanes.

Sipping our beer, with our favourite hits playing in the background on our iPod and bubbling with enthusiasm, I can say that we felt like the modern-day Adam and Eve on Vacation.

Through the large glass sheets, you can enjoy the view of birds pecking on the tree branches and fresh flowers blooming amidst a variety of flora.

Sit-in area next to private pool

And now, I come to my second favorite part of the resort, which is the swimming pool. A hollow sitting area made of stone is carved out as part of the pool area, which was my best spot, followed by the hammocks.

This was where I read, had my two cups of coffee, binged on food and relaxed for the most part…  

This time of the year is off season, so we managed to escape noise and large crowds. That’s why we were in the common pool for over 3 straight hours!

The hollow stone carved sit-in adjoining the common pool

All said and done, the price factor for any getaway is the first thing you consider.

For me, this destination was a complete paisa vasool. In the off season, the resort is moderately priced at 6,000 bucks a night per cottage including lunch, dinner, evening tea and breakfast. Not to miss the complimentary foot massage!

In peak season, these rates can go up to 15,000 bucks a night.

When you are here with friends and family, you can explore in-house options like volleyball, billiards, or an elephant safari nearby at Hathi Gaon.

The entire resort boasts of such hammocks

Like no resort or restaurant is complete without a mention about the service, no Review is either. The staff here is very cooperative and when we were rewarding them for their exceptional service at the time of checkout, they refused to accept Tips, reiterating that they strongly believe in a No-Tip policy. Kudos to that!

If your summer retreat is still pending, you know where to go next. So, wait no more and book right away at http://lohagarhfortresort.in