Off The Beaten Track in Western India

Overview

The elegant Hotel Express Residency in Jamnagar, Gujarat state, is a one of a chain of superb hotels all providing excellent facilities and service. Although a modern business hotel it showcases much classical Indian décor and architecture. Located in Jamnagar’s oil refinery district 20 km from the centre of Jamnagar, the hotel has good access to main roads and the airport. Its principal business is as a business hotel and offers excellent facilities as a result.

Hotel Express Residency has a choice of deluxe and executive rooms as well as many suites. All the 168 spacious rooms have private bathrooms, a view of the garden or swimming pool, air-conditioning, satellite TV, 24-hour room service and Wi-Fi/cable internet.

The restaurant provides fine dining with international dishes available from buffets as well as an a la carte menu. There is also a poolside café for light snacks and drinks.

Other facilities at the hotel include a pleasant tropical garden and large swimming pool, gym, billiards table, business centre, laundry and ironing service, currency exchange, childcare, electronic safe and 24-hour room service.

Overview

The Lion Safari Camp is one of the best options for accommodation for visitors to Gir National Park in Gujarat state. The camp is located in a private mango orchard close to the Hiran River and has 14 luxurious African-style tented rooms situated in a shady glade.

Each tent has a comfortable double bed or twin beds and a sofa, and amenities such as air-conditioning, bedside and writing tables, clothes storage, verandah and a private bathroom with hot water showers.

There is a restaurant serving delicious regional cuisine with plenty of vegetarian options available, as meat is not widely eaten in the state of Gujarat. The meals are served buffet style but an a la carte menu can be requested.

There is a small games room for guest use, and in the evenings the locals perform a traditional tribal dance.

Overview

The Infinity Rann of Kutch is part of a chain of luxurious wildlife lodges found in some of the best wildlife sites in India. The Infinity Rann of Kutch resort is situated within the village of Nani Aral, close to the dormant Dhinodar volcano.

The accommodation is in luxurious, beautifully designed, large African-style tents built and designed to replicate the local bhoongas. Each tent contains a large comfortable double or twin bed, private verandah, air-conditioning, ceiling fan, private (hot-water) bathroom with separate rain shower, writing table, tea and coffee facilities and Wi-Fi (charges may apply).

The Casuarina Restaurant serves delicious and diverse Indian, Chinese and continental cuisine in buffets. There is a communal terrace where bonfires are lit during the winter and other facilities include a swimming pool, children’s games area, volleyball court, cricket pitch and lounge. There is also a conference room where wildlife and conservation slideshows are presented.

Excursions from the lodge include safaris in the Rann of Kutch, bird watching, nature walks, and tours of the local Rabari nomad tribal villages and temples.

The area is close to the Neiya grasslands, an important area for many semi-arid bird species such as the rare Indian great bustard and overwintering McQueen’s bustard. Steppe eagles and large flocks of chestnut-bellied sandgrouse are also commonly seen, among many others. There is a small population of Indian wolf here and, with luck, a pack might be seen patrolling the open landscape. The area is also seasonally flooded providing a sanctuary for hundreds of water birds including pelicans, flamingos and storks.

Overview

The Rann Riders Camp is a friendly, family-run resort located close to an area of bird-rich wetlands in the Dasada district of western Gujarat. The resort is laid out in the form of a small village to maximise privacy and provide space for the lush gardens that surround the rooms.

The accommodation is provided in cottages built to resemble the traditional kooba and bhunga houses of the local communities. Each cottage is elegantly decorated with a warm, cosy feel but all have quite basic amenities. They are equipped with hot water bathrooms, a dressing area and twin or double beds made of natural cane materials.

There is a good restaurant in the main building serving buffet meals with particularly good Tandoori dishes: continental and other cuisine is also available from an a la carte menu. There is also a swimming pool and sunny lounge area to enjoy in between safaris.

The resort is an ideal base from which to explore the extensive Rann of Kutch on 4×4, walking and camel safaris in search of the special wildlife, as well excursions to visit the local villages. The resort also has a large stable enabling horseback safaris across the desert landscapes.