Magical night safari, sunset boat ride, royal thali: 2 unforgettable days of pure luxury in the private forest of Mewar

A leopard – taking your breath away in the darkness, while an apex predator moving gracefully through the bushes just a few meters away, provides an intoxicating rush of adrenaline.

To someone who’s always been there Love nature, gentle hikingAnd day safaris, this trip brought an unexpected revelation: I love night safaris. And seeing a leopard on both consecutive nights of my forest stay felt less like luck and more like a privileged invitation into a hidden world.

That’s what Chunda Shikar Oudi is all about. It doesn’t just give you a break. It allows you to forget Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad – the pings, the traffic, the chaos – and instead, connect with Mewar.

This luxury sanctuary is hidden in a private forest in Bathera village. A relaxing hour away from the bustling, palace-lined streets of Udaipur. About 30 minutes away from the airport. A world away.

The turning point came when Mayur Singh, owner of the Bathera family, and his wife Bhavana took it upon themselves to restore the ecosystem. Over the years, he planted trees, stopped illegal logging, and built a private home on the property.

In search of a sustainable model to preserve this vast 150-hectare private reserve during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, he partnered with Chunda Group relatives Veeram Dev Singh Krishnawat and Yaduraj Singh Krishnawat. The private hunting lodge became a complete wildlife, luxury retreat. A place where actors Dia Mirza, Bipasha Basu, Shilpa Shetty and Soha Ali Khan (with her family) are famous for relaxing.

“When I joined in 2020, leopards were here, but they lacked a natural prey base,” explained Chandravijay Hada, naturalist and general manager of the resort, who has over 20 years of wildlife experience.

“We started clearing invasive lantana weeds, developing native grasslands and planting fruit trees. Gradually, hunting came back. Today, our wild boar population is over 150, nilgai number around 35, and we have counted nine leopards in this private ecosystem alone,” he adds.

There is protection you can feel. And this is rare.

Architecture is a masterclass regional craftsmanship. Local granite stone. Limestone floor. Sandstone roof. Warm native wood. The aesthetic is borrowed from the local flora – particularly the palash, or flame of the forest tree – mixing muted rust tones, warm ochre, and hand-crafted stone textures.

The main courtyard features a serene bamboo-ringed pond fountain. The lobby feels like entering a grand, sunlit living room of a royal country estate. High vaulted ceilings. Plush dark red seating arrangement. Old chandelier. Brass accents. Large windows offer panoramic views of the forest and the lake. Outside, an infinity-edge pool adorned with rustic lamps overlooks the canopy of the dark forest.

Yet, despite its royal lineage and celebrity allure, living here feels intensely intimate. Not like a formal hotel. It’s like being welcomed as an honored guest at someone’s grand estate.

Intimacy was done right in my 900-square-foot suite with a private balcony. Warm woods, sandstone textures, hand-crafted stones, and plush seating that invite you to do nothing. The private balcony opened directly onto the forest and lake. Morning coffee was not an activity here. It was a ritual. I heard birds, not cars. I saw lush green trees, not buildings.

This suite is perfect for couples or solo travelers who want all the luxury with a quiet footprint. it costs about ₹₹65,000 per night for two in peak season.

“If you book a suite here, you are not just booking an 800-square-foot room,” Chandravijay said with a smile as he explained the accommodations. “You’re booking 150 hectares of private forest and a kilometre-long lake. From private boat rides and night safaris to stargazing and nature walks, everything is tailored according to your mood,” he said.

The second option is villa. Spread over 5,000 square feet, it is regal, spacious and designed to linger. It comes with separate living areas, heritage details and a private pool that sits at the edge of the forest as if it has grown there. This is where you can have candlelight dinners or whimsical movie nights. Where you can swim in the morning and see the canopy. Where 4-6 people can spread out and still feel like they have the entire property to themselves.

It feels less like a hotel and more like you’ve been handed the keys to a royal home. The spacious private villa is priced at approx. ₹₹1,50,000 per night for 4-6 people in peak season.

Now, here’s how my 48 hours of forgetting everything went:

Lunch was served in the dining hall: their elaborate ‘Mewar Thal’ is easily one of the best culinary experiences I have had in India.

I started with Makki ki Raab – a hot, spicy corn drink – followed by Saajiya Papad – traditional corn papad – and garlic and red chilli chutney. Then I tasted the melt-in-the-mouth curd kebab.

The main consisted of govind gatta, soybean keema, shahi kofta, ridge gourd asafoetida jeera, khata – a spicy local Mewari curry – along with a comforting bajra mudra. For bread, I had traditional thotri, green grass roti, makki ka dhokhla and light phulkas. Sweets include hot jaggery malpua and vasundi.

I ate too much. And I didn’t care.

By 6 pm, we boarded an open-top 4×4 jeep for a three-hour safari. As the sun set behind the Aravalli hills, we stopped for a picturesque high tea in the forest. Hot coffee. Freshly fried pakodas. Tea cakes baked straight from the property’s in-house bakery.

Highlights? Within hours of my arrival, we saw a leopard peeking out of the bushes. We also saw herds of Nilgai, Indian rabbits and an astonishing array of nocturnal birds.

Dinner was back at the lodge – a grand dish with tandoori paneer tikka, broccoli and mushrooms, followed by delicious brinjal bharta, dal, spicy mirchi ka salan and a delicious bottle gourd curry. I ended the evening with the best paan ice cream I had ever tasted and went to bed to the sounds of the forest instead of traffic.

We sat together, eating freshly made white corn breads with spicy red chilli chutney, fresh jaggery and manda – a starchy, fermented rice-water drink. The morning concluded with a visit to the local temples dedicated to Kali Maa, the local Gujjar deity and an ancient Jain temple.

Lunch at the lodge was another grand affair – a beautiful ‘Chand Thali’ consisting of seasonal and local dishes including the classic Dal Bati Churma.

By evening I realized that this was undoubtedly one of the best boat trips of my life. As the sun melted into the lake, we (the General Manager and I) frolicked in the calm waters, having tea. We saw wading water buffaloes, cormorants, and even a camouflaged owl perched in a tree.

As night fell, we set out on safari once again – and saw a leopard for the second night in a row. We celebrated by walking the quiet streets of the village late at night before heading back for a soothing, light dinner. fresh salad. Piping Soup. Kebab. Private villas served by candle-lit pools.

No laptop. No time limit. Just stars.

“The hardest part in the beginning was to get the locals on your side,” Chandravijay said. He said, “They thought this was their ancestral land for grazing or cutting wood. We spent years teaching them that surviving wildlife brings sustainable tourism, which brings real employment. Today, if any outsider tries to cut trees or set up traps, villagers call us immediately to report it. We are protecting 50 families, and in return, they protect this ecosystem.”

This deep bond translates into genuine, attentive, and compassionate service. The staff doesn’t just manage your stay. They pamper you like family.

Do you want to dine under the canopy of an old hurricane lantern in the woods at 10 pm? Done. Do you want to customize your dinner menu and tell the chef exactly what you want? You got this.

This is a place to forget your to-do list. To remember that you are not just your Mumbai deadlines or Bengaluru meetings. You become Mewar for a few days. For Udaipur. To a calmer, more truthful person. If you are visiting Rajasthan, look no further than Chunda Shikar Oodi. Stay here. Take a break.

⦿ All Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, High Tea, Dinner

⦿ Complimentary jeep jungle safari or boat ride

⦿ Complimentary forest walks, rural cultural treks and nature trails

⦿ Stargazing sessions, fishing/fishing and water sports at the private lake are also available. Signature experiences include fish feeding, sunset high tea and cooking demonstrations

This article was prepared after a two-night stay organized at Chunda Shikar Oodi on editorial invitation.